Stage 19 Innichen > Piancavallo [b]Running out of Time[/b]
This is a high mountain stage with a long flat drag in the final part of the route, before the closing climb. The stage starts from San Candido for the first time in the history of the Giro. The peloton will climb up Passo di Monte Croce Comelico (categorised summit) and Cima Sappada on relatively wide and well-paved roads, with a long descent then leading all the way to Tolmezzo. Next comes the Sella Chianzutan categorised summit. Along the descent, the route passes through a few porphyry-paved tunnels (well surfaced and well lit), and then levels until Aviano, where the final climb begins. Arrival in Piancavallo, as it happened in 1998 (stage won by Pantani). The final 15 km run entirely uphill. The first 10 kilometres go up at very steep gradients - around 9% and topping out at 14%. With 10.9 km to go, the road levels out and even descends a little, then climbs up again (passing through an avalanche gallery) with milder gradients (max. 8%). The final kilometre is quite sinuous, still climbing slightly. The home stretch (100 m in length) sits on a wide, mild bend, on 6.5-m wide asphalt road, and has a 1.5% uphill gradient.
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[/img]I could have been a contender!
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This is where it kicks off. Yesterday's soft peddle and tick tack will annoy Nibz and Quinty, Mov will tear this one apart and Merida will follow along, sadly the Sunweb Boys have nothing left, if you saw the anquish on Ten Dams face yesterday you'll understand they're bushwhacked.
If Tom, if, he can tail along with either of the split Trains (which sadly I doubt) he'll have a myriad of choices to consider, which one to follow, how hard, oh shit there goes another.. and so on. Mov and Merida will tactically race together..
Toms only hope is Quickstep or Trek or Daledrapac or Lotto Soudal (all of whom have been quite quiet recently, (saving energy I hope for this stage) to assist him.
Hats off to the Sunweb boys, they must be destroyed by now.
Should be a cracker.
Sky rode for pink yesterday when Niro attacked, was it Rosa ? dropped back and helped Tom to bridge the gap.
True, Sky could help.. they must feel aggrieved at loosing the opportunity to go for it with Thomas.. could work out, Diamond Dave is always tight lipped on tactics.. but good call..
Yeah it's looking like today is the day NQ and Nibali will have to make their move. I'd assume not really until the final climb though and the question then is, can they take enough out of the pink jersey in such a short time.
Really hoping that if they go for it, team Sky leave a couple of riders to help out the pink jersey 🙂
Let's not forget FDJ trying to haul Pinot on to the podium. They'll take it to Nibbles and Nairo too.
this is why I think Nibali thinks he has second, Pinot like Quintana has a relatively weak TT. Vincenzo probably thinks he has at least a minute on them both so he'll stick to Niros wheel guessing/hoping Pinot cannot gain enough time.
+1 FDJ must hold some of the keys to this. If TomDum can be with them at the final climb he'll be fine, and the 2nd last climb is miles back so it's doubtful NQ or Nibs will go that far out. Go Tom. #anyonebutmovistar
At the start of the week I did think that Tom was going to crack at some point in the mountains and lose about five minutes or so. However am happy that it looks like I'm going to be proved wrong. That was a masterful display from him yesterday.
After the crash that ruled G and Adam out I was fairly neutral about who I wanted to win. However after poo-gate I'll be cheering Tom on all the way.
I have a hazy recollection of Dumoulin moaning after Froome and Porte were given some time back on last year's Ventoux stage (Froome's little jog after a motorbike broke his bike). I've a feeling that he said something along the lines of "according to the rules Froome should have been disqualified, and he shouldn't have been given special treatment so should have been booted out". Am I imagining that? A quick Google didn't show anything up, so maybe I am. Aside from that (which I might very well have made up or mis-attributed in my head!), I see no reason not to be a big TD fan. I don't mind him speaking out about Nibbles and Nairo riding negatively - just makes the show more interesting!
Cant see Sunweb getting any help from Sky today, if anything, it'll be the opposite, as sky will be trying to get their entire team in the break to go for the Stage win.
Doesn't look like NQ or VN have the legs to break TD, there will certainly be some action amongst the rest of the top 10 though.
Would be nice gesture from Sky or others to help TomD out today. Personally I think he deserves the title if he can get through today. Given other individuals havent really played nice have they. Ok, they played by the rules, but I wouldnt class them as gents. Been impressed with TomD on this tour having never really had him on radar before.
Cant see Sunweb getting any help from Sky today, if anything, it'll be the opposite, as sky will be trying to get their entire team in the break to go for the Stage win.
Who do we think Landa will gift the stage win to this time?
Doesn't look like NQ or VN have the legs to break TD
My thoughts too.
If Nairo couldn't snap the elastic yesterday I'm not sure he's going to.
Fingers crossed anyway.
Who do we think Landa will gift the stage win to this time?
Don't forget that on both days, Landa had to make extra efforts at the top of each climb for points.
Not that I don't think he made a bit of a hash of it both times, but these efforts add up.
Absoutely, I'm sure he was completely burst.... but then he left a massive gap on the inside of the last turn on both occasions 😐
Let's not forget FDJ trying to haul Pinot on to the podium. They'll take it to Nibbles and Nairo too.
+1 FDJ must hold some of the keys to this
I did wonder whether TomD's comment about wanting to see Pinot on the podium was a reference or invitation to an alliance. Whilst I'm a fan of his and not a fan of Nibz I think Tom's "and he calls me cocky" was pushing it, given Nibz has won Grand Tours... hopefully it's a sign of his confidence and he's playing mind games with Nibz and NQ, as he's matched or bettered their attacks without teammates.
Who do we think Landa will gift the stage win to this time?
😀
is his house always getting burgled because he keeps leaving the bloody door open?
or Lotto Soudal (all of whom have been quite quiet recently
There was a moment yesterday when the favourites group crested one of the climbs and there was a Lotto soigneur stood at the top looking for riders to hand-up bottles too. I thought that was somewhat optimistic. 😆
Gray - you might be thinking about Mollema who was a bit annoyed at Froome/Porte being given time back after the Ventoux crash. I don't recall Dumoulin saying anything about it at the time.
I'm not sure that Nairo or Vincenzo have the legs to do much to Dumoulin to be honest. They've rode tactically well and put in some strong attacks but he looks too strong for them. For all the talk of Dumoulin having a 'weak' team, it's not like the Vuelta in 2015 where the team was built around Degenkolb with no climbers - Ten Dam and Preidler are pretty handy. They do look knackered, but nobody looks fresh in that race now.
TomD gapped by Movistar and Bahrain!
(According to Eurosport)
Doesn't look good for Dumoulin 🙁
Rumours that it might have been another visit to the bushes! (Though doesn't explain why Yates and Kruijswijk are back there.) Only about 20 seconds back now with a long descent to the next climb.
WOW.
Now they're taking the piss.
Very bad form if it's true
"reliable sources" saying Bahrain and Movistar attacked whilst race leader was taking a natural, Quintana now virtual race leader.
Stay classy 🙄
matts - MemberWOW.
Now [s]they're[/s] he's taking [s]the piss[/s] a poo.
fify 😆
Very bad behaivour. Only 40s in it though and a long way to go? Hope he gets back up to them.
The gaps are all over the place. Moto's must be whizzing about like mad
30 seconds at the bottom of the climb if the reported gaps are to be believed.
One good thing, NQ and VN will have no domestiques left for the final climb when this comes back together.
Sunweb DS confirmed TD had stopped for a piss.
Rai are reporting that Rojas stopped with TD to inform them to attack.
All back together. One good thing to come of it is that Nibs and Quintana seem to have burned through most of their teammates (... as already reported by matts!)
Main contenders all back together now
Usual suspects taking the regrouping as an opportunity to get up the road.
Nibali and Quintana can't have won many fans this Giro so far. Wonder if this is setting some sort of prescedent in the peloton. Cyclings unwritten rules being rewritten!
Whats the consensus on the best live text update site? I'm just on the giro d'italia website one, but I'm sure I was using a better one last year
Eurosport one seems okay.
I find following teams on Twitter like Quickstep and Sky post good updates as the stage is happening.
I hope Froome and Team Sky are paying attention to the lack of sportsmanship and underhand tactics from some of the teams on show this Giro, seems like the unwritten rulebook has been thrown out the window.
Froome? is the sort of character who, like Tom D, will show the sportsman gestures only to get burnt by Movistar etc
Nibali and Quintana can't have won many fans this Giro so far
according to Twitter, the RAI (i.e Italian home feed) commentator said that Rojas stayed with Tom D so that could tell NQ when to attack. FFS.
I'd take the book of unwritten rules, rip the pages out, and get Big Tom to wipe his arse with it.
French commentators saying dumolin was never off the bike and just lingering at the back amongst the cars for too long
I love Tom D - hope he kicks theirs ar$es. Nibali just isn't an honest person and Quintana isn't much better. tha said, if you get beyond the sound bites then Nibali was a bit more nuanced.
Right. While they slow down to my riding pace, I'm going off the grid until I get home later. 
I hope Froome and Team Sky are paying attention to the lack of sportsmanship and underhand tactics from some of the teams on show this Giro, seems like the unwritten rulebook has been thrown out the window.
I suspect the book of grudges has a few new entries.
NQ better hope he has no problems at the TDF, as I can see Sky, Orica and Sunweb all being quite happy to put the hammer down.
Tibaut Pinot's defence team saying dumolin was never off the bike and just lingering at the back amongst the cars for too long
FIFY 😀
I hope Froome and Team Sky are paying attention to the lack of sportsmanship
given Nibz threw a bottle at Froome because he just assumed he was responsible for a crash, and attacked on a climb when Froome clearly had a mechanical they don't need reminding about Nibz, and there's always been a bit of needle between Sky and Movistar.
