Giro Stage 16 spoiler

[marinyork]

Anybody else watching? Cunego and Popovych are going to move up loads if this continues. Some of the best scenery we've had so far.

 

[rich p]

Superb countryside. I want to be there!
They can't shift Menchov

 

[rich p]

Sastre just did!

 

[marinyork]

Bunch of bluffers, Sastre didn't look so good a while back and this seems to be sticking.

 

[marinyork]

Oh well, good effort for Popovych but well done Sastre. Menchov managed to get a few seconds time bonus over Di Luca too.

 

[Haitch]

Excellent stage. And Armstrong looks younger, fitter and stronger every day. One to watch for the Tour?

 

[Crackle]

Proof positive that Leipheimer can't win a GT and Pellizotti even further back.

 

[rich p]

Whatever they're on ( )they are hard men!

 

[Flying_Monkey]

Cunego was messing about too much on the second to last climb to have anything left. I did think Popovych might hang on, but he just collapsed in the last three km. Great ride by Sastre, but in many ways an even better one by Menchov and Di Luca... who in the end lost hardly anything.

 

[Crackle]

Excellent stage. And Armstrong looks younger, fitter and stronger every day. One to watch for the Tour?

I'd like to see what happens at Blockhaus now.

 

[marinyork]

It's a shame Armstrong had to hang back, would he have kept up with Basso, Di Luca etc? I suppose Menchov did very well minimising how much was taken out by a brilliant win by Sastre and managing to take 5 seconds out of Di Luca.

 

[Dayvo]

Excellent stage. And Armstrong looks younger, fitter and stronger every day. One to watch for the Tour?

Yeah, he's certainly got potential, that lad.

His first Giro, too!

 

[Skip Madness]

Proof positive that Leipheimer can't win a GT and Pellizotti even further back.

Not at all - it was just a bad day. Leipheimer was only 46 seconds down on Contador come the end of last year's Vuelta despite working for Contador on some mountain stages.

What a good stage that was. I am happy to see Sastre rewarded with 3rd spot on GC and he still has two mountain-top finishes to start to cut down those remaining two-and-a-bit minutes, which he might not be too knackered for post-rest day. Menchov looked very in control, though, and clearly is still most preoccupied with Di Luca, who will be a bit demoralised to see Menchov leaping past him for second place.

Blockhaus and Vesuvio should both be great stages - does anyone know exactly how far Blockhaus will be shortened to?

 

[zimzum42]

brutal, brutal stage. Those guys are hard.

Michael Rodgers is on twitter saying it was 46degC on the road. Respect!!!!!!

 

[Keith Oates]

Good win by Sastre, Di Luca will have to remove his shadow of the last few days if he's going to top the podium but at the moment Menchov seems to be in control. As Alan H has said Armstrong seems to be getting stronger each day!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!