Giro d'Italia (with *SPOILERS*)

[rich p]

I'd agree with Cav probably not finishing but he went off the front to sprint for some points in an intermediate today which indicates he's after the jersey.

 

[Flying_Monkey]

I'd agree with Cav probably not finishing but he went off the front to sprint for some points in an intermediate today which indicates he's after the jersey.

Good point.

 

[Keith Oates]

Another crash during the build up to the final sprint, I think the course planners should be more considerate on the finishing 1 Km to try and minimize these mishaps.!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[smutchin]

Unfortunately, the best way to avoid that would be to place finishes away from these quaint little picturesque old town centres. Maybe on an out-of-town industrial estate...

Anyway, the twists and turns and assorted other perils are part of what makes bike racing so exciting. Just look at the way excessive safety measures have sucked the soul out of F1.

d.

 

[Noodley]

True smutchin, it'll not be long before people are asking for these dangerous mountainy things to be got rid of, for riders to wear seatbelts and arm pads, for nice safe circuits that go round and round on a safe track and for spectators to be kept at a "safe distance"...it's bike racing peeps, it's not supposed to be bloody easy!!!

 

[rich p]

True smutchin, it'll not be long before people are asking for these dangerous mountainy things to be got rid of, for riders to wear seatbelts and arm pads, for nice safe circuits that go round and round on a safe track and for spectators to be kept at a "safe distance"...it's bike racing peeps, it's not supposed to be bloody easy!!!

Tough guy, huh? Now where's that piccie of you lying on the sofa stroking your Mungo

 

[smutchin]

Interesting to read that Pozzato has blamed Goss for the crash. I'm no expert but it looked to me like Goss had the racing line and Pozzato was trying to cut inside him... Hmmm. Hard to tell with the camera angle missing most of the run-up to the bend (though Goss should take at least some of the blame if, as Pozzato claims, he braked - though I find that hard to believe).

Either way, these guys are supposed to be experts, who no doubt cut their racing teeth on courses like that in criterions. Shouldn't really be making mistakes like that at this level, should they?

d.

 

[raindog]

Not the first time there's been a crash with 150 odd riders piling into a massed sprint, and it won't be the last. At least nobody was really hurt, mainly I suppose, because they were going relatively slowly owing to the sharp corner.

Big upwards kick at the end of today's stage - should be pretty exciting.

 

[ColinJ]

Damn - Eurosport Player is down so I missed the stage. I caught the last couple of kms on YouTube instead.

I hope the tech guys get the problems sorted by this evening when I hope to watch the replay of today's stage.

I really hate not being able to record the coverage though so if anybody has worked out how to record Eurosport Player - please let me know how!

 

[PpPete]

ah - so it's not just my Eurosport player that is borked then...

 

[ColinJ]

ah - so it's not just my Eurosport player that is borked then...

It has just come back to life!

 

[smutchin]

Big upwards kick at the end of today's stage - should be pretty exciting.

Mmmm. Rodriguez in pink tonight?

d.

 

[PpPete]

good call smutch!

 

[musa]

Hesjedal did well to stick in there

 

[raindog]

Mmmm. Rodriguez in pink tonight?

d.

Cracking call there lad!

Agree about Hesjedal - must've surprised quite a few there. Gadret finished well, should be ok when we hit the big climbs.

Spectacular finish, eh?