and some cracking parking by Movistar (given how outraged everybody was about the police moto, stopped on the edge of a road ~300m after a corner) 🙄
https://twitter.com/velocast/status/866343899958214661
Pretty horrified by the proximity of the TV bikes on that final descent though
Yeh I don't understand why they feel the need to be so close. There was a moment where Rolland was waving at the camera to give him room, then they cut to the helicopter and the motorbike was less than a wheels length from the group descending, madness
Quickstep turning thier season around
It's been one of their better ones so far I'd say anyway thanks to Gilbert and Gaviria.
Tomorrow's stage is the one for NQ. The Mortirolo is ideal for NQ. Incredibly steep (bitch to ride up!) and narrow which will be big challenge that's even before the Stelvio and then the steep side of the Stelvio to finish off. It could really blow up Tom if NQ team can take advantage.
1. Tom Dumoulin (Ned/Sunweb) 63hrs 48mins 08secs
2. Nairo Quintana (Col/Movistar) +2mins 41secs
3. Thibaut Pinot (Fra/FDJ) +3mins 21secs
4. Vincenzo Nibali (Ita/Bahrain) +3mins 40secs
5. Ilnur Zakarin (Rus/Katusha) +4mins 24secs
6. Bauke Mollema (Ned/Trek) +4mins 32secs
7. Domenico Pozzovivo (Ita/AG2R) +4mins 59secs
8. Bob Jungels (Lux/Quick-Step) +5mins 18secs
9. Andrey Amador (Crc/Movistar) +6mins 01secs
10. Steven Kruijswijk (Ned/Lotto NL-Jumbo) +7mins 03secs
11. Adam Yates (GB/Orica) +7mins 43secs
Yeh I don't understand why they feel the need to be so close. There was a moment where Rolland was waving at the camera to give him room, then they cut to the helicopter and the motorbike was less than a wheels length from the group descending, madness
Often on a descent they have trouble staying in front of the riders - the cycles descend faster than the 2-up motos with loads of camera and transmission equipment, especially through corners. If the moto doesn't have enough of a straight to get far enough away before the bend they can get swamped.
To get out of the way, they'd need an available safe place to pull over, which isn't always there. Then you'd lose ground camera coverage of the front of the race.
The more I look at the profile of this final week, the more unsure I become about who's going to win this Giro.
2 minutes on any one of these stages could be considered a close finish. If NQ is feeling good in this final week, then he could potentially take 10 minutes. But then he looked less than convincing on Oropa, and Do-My-Lawn looked cool as a cucumber. All three of the final mountain stages have multiple hard climbs, but then feature a finale that - to varying degrees - levels out a bit to the line. If NQ doesn't drop TD on any one of these stages, there's the potential for a repeat of Saturday where TD motors away for a couple of extra seconds.
Then that final TT could throw up anything. A resurgent NQ could limit his losses more than expected if TD has blown a gasket trying to hang on for 3 days, or the more expected result with Tom sticking on a 65 tooth chainring and motoring a slightly downhill TT for 2+ minutes into the pack over 30k.
I think I need to take this week off work!
Movistar need to go long, perhaps with Nib's Merida helping out too.
NQ can't just pinch 30 seconds here and there. Perversely, in some ways it'd be better if NQ was closer to Tom. That way he'd be inclined to only attack on the last climb and all Tom would need to do is shadow him, as much as possible.
However, as NQ needs to gain, what 3 or 4 minutes on him, he has to go long, which puts Tom's Sunweb team under a lot of pressure, and they aren't a strong team. Interesting stuff.
Movistar need to go long
Agreed, they have a very strong climbing team.
2 men up the road asap, then blow the thing to shreds.
NQ is too small to do a very long solo on anything but a steep climb with a tailwind, but with a couple of team-mates to bridge to could pull a nice gap.
Might we see Sky working with Sunweb? Gang up on Nibbles 'n Nairo, tired them both out before the Tour?
hopefully
#anyonebutmovistar
Can someone explain why TD stopped the race to let NQ get himself back up, after his fall, when NQ didn't do similar when G and ML were taken out by the police motorbike?
I've only just caught up with yesterday's race at lunch time, so a bit behind.
Thanks
He's a gentleman.
My understanding of the Movistar waiting vs Sunweb waiting for crashes is that when Sky, etc crashed Movistar were already on the front pulling - the race was 'on'. When Nairo crashed none of the teams were actively racing so TD simply had to call a temporary truce rather than stop a team already in full race mode.
Agreed, they have a very strong climbing team.
2 men up the road asap, then blow the thing to shreds.
If we don't see them try exactly that on the Stelvio stage I'd be surprised. Still it's a long way to go and a lot of descending for TD to regroup and get back on. NQ definitely needs helpers up the road.
Can someone explain why TD stopped the race to let NQ get himself back up, after his fall, when NQ didn't do similar when G and ML were taken out by the police motorbike?
Different circumstances. The race wasn't really on at that point. And that Sky have previously done the same to Movistar so maybe a little bit of payback.
It was also probably in TD's interests to do that. Movistar strong enough to have gotten NQ back on if Sunweb had pushed on, so likely no gain. And it avoids payback in the future if similar happens to Tom.
Thanks.
It's hard to get the full story when watching the highlights, also being an mtber and not a road rider I really need to concentrate more.
I thought Dumoulin's gesture, while gentlemanly, wasn't required. When Sky were taken out you could argue it wasn't their fault and therefore waiting for them is more justified than in Quintana's case, when it was his fault he came off.
I thought there wasn't something about his team mate going wide which then forced him too wide?
Got to say though, Movistar's team car parked in a shitty place to give him a new bike. Several riders almost ploughed into it
Yes an interesting tactic from the driver.
Stage 16 Rovetta > Bormio [b]Stelvio Stelvio wherefore art thou Stelvio [/b]
This queen stage across the Alps will feature a double pass over the Stelvio, first along the Bormio side, and then taking a first-ever climb up the Swiss side. The stage starts from Rovetta, starting stage town in 2008, and initially, the route climbs slightly, cutting across the Val Camonica. Next, the peloton clears the Mortirolo Pass (along the southern side, as in 1990), with gradients topping out at 16% in the last kilometres. Then comes a narrow and very technical descent leading to Grosio, where the route will run up the Adda River valley, heading for the first passage in Bormio that marks the beginning of a 100-km “circuit”. First, the route climbs up the Stelvio Pass (Cima Coppi), with a very technical descent leading to Prato allo Stelvio, and then enters Switzerland, heading for the Umbrailpass (Giogo di Santa Maria). The climb totals 13.5 km, at a steady 9% gradient, with peaks topping out at 12%. Another technical descent (with a few tunnels along the route) then leads all the way to Bormio (already stage town at the Giro for fourteen times). The final 20 km are essentially downhill. A little after the red flag, in Bormio, the route takes a U-turn and levels out, heading for the finish after a few 90-degree bends. The finish line lies on a 100-m long and 7.0-m wide asphalt home stretch.
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Ouch!
Climbing the Stelvio twice? madness
https://www.relive.cc/view/690722370
😀
As we were staying in Bormio we climbed from there, descended the Umbrail Pass into Switzerland, which is steeper, narrower and more twisty than either Stelvio side, then climbed the Prad side before descending back into Bormio. They're climbing the Umbrail which (according to all the pundits) is a climb more likely to suit NQ than TD.
Also climbed the Mortirolo in stifling heat, but did it with the Gavia not the Stelvio. If I win the lottery I'm buying a place in Bormio.
Luckily got a day off work tomorrow so will have Eurosport on from the gun.
going to be a long day in the saddle at 220km 3 fast descents wonder how Niro feeling about those, Nibali to test his nerve (assume he hasn't been dropped) ?
How far up climb 1 before TJ gets dropped ?
You think he's gonna make the base of the climb in the bunch? Bold prediction. 😈
Will be interesting to see what Movistar do at the start of the stage. Do they send Amador up the road? Do they ride on the front themselves to set a hard pace? If they do, then the risk running out of men for riding on the final climb. If they don't, then there's the potential for Sunweb to take it easy.
Am expecting to see Bahrain Merida and Movistar giving it full gas with guys in the break, Sunweb will be in for a hard day
I've ridden these, though Obvz not all in one day in a stage race, it's a shame they'll hack over them because the scenery is spectacular.
Well worth a day off work to watch.
Am expecting to see Bahrain Merida and Movistar giving it full gas with guys in the break, Sunweb will be in for a hard day
Only if Movistar can get Amador away. After that, all the riders are 40 minutes down other than Pellizotti who's 25. Sunweb can let them go and other teams will start to get nervous about their top 10 places if there are a couple of other guys from the top 20 there.
Only if Movistar can get Amador away. After that, all the riders are 40 minutes down other than Pellizotti who's 25. Sunweb can let them go and other teams will start to get nervous about their top 10 places if there are a couple of other guys from the top 20 there.
Nah, recon they'll keep Anacona and Amador back to help him on the climbs and then to bridge to the others up the road, all depends what NQ has to offer though, the altitude should be in his favour if he is feeling strong though
A big attack on the Mortirolo leaves an awful lot left afterwards.
hints of andy schleck vs cadel evans 2011 tdf stage 18
No-one will let Amador get away, end result would be blowing things apart immediately.
They'll try to get Izaguirre and Rojas up the road imo.
May see the bridge attempt quite early, as the Umbral is steep enough that team-mates wont be that important.
If I win the lottery I'm buying a place in Bormio.
Bormio is pretty cool. I did my biggest ever bike climb near there, 1900m height gain, all rideable, bottom part on road top part off road.
[quote=Klunk ]
How far up climb 1 before TJ gets dropped ?
ha ha
[quote=matts ]You think he's gonna make the base of the climb in the bunch? Bold prediction.
*tea over monitor*
To be fair to TJ, he's doing well for a guy who trains for the mountains by riding on the flat and hugging his kids.
LOL. I wonder if guys like Van den Broeck or Brice Feillu get this kind of stick in the Belgian or French cycling world. Is it just that TvG is American that we see the hype in the English-speaking press?
I wonder if guys like Van den Broeck or Brice Feillu get this kind of stick in the Belgian or French cycling world. Is it just that TvG is American that we see the hype in the English-speaking press?
No, it's because he was talked up by himself and his team as a GC contender and now consistently doesn't perform. I'm not even sure he's performed well enough to be a mountain domestique for someone next year.
JVdB may have just been a domestique in the last couple of years since the comeback from his crash, but he was definitely touted for years as the next big thing for Belgian stage racing.
Most riders (unless they've got a grand tour podium or two in them) tend to say they're on form, hoping for the best, lets see how it goes. Look at the Yates lads, they're top 10 GT riders but never spend much energy trying to get their names on the contender lists.
It may be that BEING American, TvG feels obliged to get stuck in with media soundbites and they end up coming back on him.
definitely touted for years as the next big thing for Belgian stage racing.
There's a difference between being touted as the next big thing by the media and believing yourself to be up there with the current greats.
Who cares about TJVG.
That Bob Jungels is a class act though.
Nice bloke too. I see him around fairly regularly throughout the year and he's usually the one to greet other cyclists in particular rather than half-arsedly return their waves.
