[Closed] the Giro Thread

wow !!

Dumoulin you beauty, hell of a ride.

Frigging awesome!

Fantastic stuff

Great stuff 🙂

Epic!

😯

he's just torn the field a new one!

Love Dumoulin a bit right now

Well, blimey.

Take that, and party.

God loves a fighter in Pink.

jonnyboi - Member
What the hell is up with TJV?

His own hype...

Great finish!!! What happened to Quintana though, did he crack or is he saving himself for the longer climbs?

I'm not sure he had it in him today. Looked completely in control, then looked a lot less calm when the gap was hovering around 7 seconds. Also got the feeling he was intending to just slip in neatly as he was caught, only for Dumoulin to hit the gas at that exact moment

Can't see any benefit to quintana in dropping off at theend, just to have to make it up again later - if he'd been feeling OK it's a tiny extra investment in effort to at least keep in the wheels

he saving himself for the longer climbs?

you don't voluntarily give up on a climb that you've attacked on, in a group of 4 with time bonuses for the first 3 places...He lost 14 seconds on the road and then Tom D took a 10 secs bonus. That's NQ's Blockhaus gains eliminated.

Brilliant racing, a great result for neutrals (or non-fans of NQ) and means NQ and Movistar will have to abandon their normally dull conservative Sky-lite tactics and really take it on.

I was already really looking forward to the mountains next week having ridden out there last year - got Tuesday and Thursday off so will be watching both from start to finish.

He lost 14 seconds on the road and then Tom D took a 10 secs bonus.

It's probably worst that that as moviestar were looking at gaining that kind of time themselves today so they are now a nearly a minute off what the they were hoping for.

TJ was beaten by 3 of his teammates today (3min behind the 3rd placed BMC rider) 😯

Am quite surprised Quintana had a go on a day that was suited to Dumoulin when the last week is full of Quintana stages. It seemed a bit of a desperate move that backfired, and he now looks a bit vulnerable and has lost more time.

Am quite surprised Quintana had a go on a day that was suited to Dumoulin

I wonder if NQ's attack was in order to get ahead of Tom D early on the climbs, assuming Tom would diesel past him but he'd limit his losses? In which case, that didn't work either.

so how much time do we think Tom will take from Niro in the tt into milan ? 2 mins ?.

Could easily be. But before then are four classified mountain days including two trips over the Stelvio on one stage.

I'm cheering for Tom though.

Could easily be. But before then are four classified mountain days including two trips over the Stelvio on one stage.

yes, i was trying gauge what time Quintana needs to take over those stages to win in milan.

3mins to be comfortable.

My money is still on Quintana at the moment, 1 big mountain victory and it could be his (would like to see Dumoulin win though)

Yes, I still think it's a big ask for Dumoulin to stay in touch over the mountains - Quintana also has the stronger team.

blimey - hadn't looked at the remaining stages until just now. That's going to be quite a week

forecast looks like it's going to be warm and getting warmer.

friday

[img] [/img]

Yeh the last week is brilliant. set up to be a great bit of bike racing

Hope it does light up in the final week because its been a bit dull so far

When the highlights show begins at 12km, you know it's been dull racing.

Tom Miller thumped that diesel engine up there, though.

Impressive show from TD, although as he said himself, on a climb that very much suited him.

Am quite surprised Quintana had a go on a day that was suited to Dumoulin when the last week is full of Quintana stages. It seemed a bit of a desperate move that backfired, and he now looks a bit vulnerable and has lost more time.

Easy to say in hindsight. Not sure anyone expected Domoulin to win today and I think Quintana's attitude was simply every stage counts. If you're only gaining 30 seconds on each one... Was good to see him so aggressive. Obviously backfired though, and I'm surprised he kept going even when it was clear he was being pulled back, only to sit up and drop his guard when Domoulin attacked - he'll not repeat that one.

I think that's it though - Domoulin absolutely beasted it. I'm not sure Quintana did that much wrong (other than perhaps underestimate him!). And I'm not sure he'll be the only one worried. I bet Froome is watching in anticipation...

Don't just assume that TD will crush the final stage TT. The accumulated fatigue from the crazy final week mountains could really take its toll - On anyone, not just TD. If Tom does crack on one of the stages late next week and lose a number of minutes, it could also start to mess with his head.

Not sure anyone expected Domoulin to win today

I'd heard some pundits and other riders including Nibali saying TD was the favourite for today as the climb suited his riding style.

When the highlights show begins at 12km, you know it's been dull racing.

a neutralised downhill start from Coppi country as the roads were too sketchy and then a 100km flat drag to the bottom of Oropa, it was like a 'transition stage' with a decent final climb. Actually had eurosport on from the gun and watching the time and effort that takes a break to form was interesting (and something we don't usually see as the TV starts after it's formed) even if that break was never going to get to the line.

Stage 15 Valdengo > Bergamo After the Fireworks

The stage starts in Valdengo as it did in 2014. The route covers 150 km on perfectly flat roads with the typical obstacles of all urban areas (i.e. roundabouts, traffic dividers, etc). Past Zogno, the route takes in two categorised climbs: Miragolo San Salvatore (unprecedented KOM) and Selvino, (here the last KOM was Tony Rominger in 1995). After Selvino, there is a long descent with a few hairpins in-between, then, a further 9 km lead to the upper city, and all the way to the finish line. Over the final kilometres, the route runs across the upper city (Bergamo Alta), climbing up to reach Porta Garibaldi and then Largo Aperto (covering 200 metres on pebble paving). In the first sector, gradients never fall below 10% (with a maximum of 12%). With 1,800 m to the finish, a sharp bend and a sector on narrowed roadway lead through Porta Sant’Agostino. The road takes a wide bend to the left after the flamme rouge, leading to the finish line. The home stretch (800 m long, on 7.5-m wide asphalt road) runs initially downwards and levels out afterwards.

[img] [/img]

[img] [/img]

[img] [/img]

[img] [/img]

[img] [/img]

[img] [/img]

[img] [/img]

[img] [/img]

1. Tom Dumoulin (Ned/Sunweb) 59hrs 31mins 17secs

2. Nairo Quintana (Col/Movistar) +2mins 47secs

3. Thibaut Pinot (Fra/FDJ) +3mins 25secs

4. Vincenzo Nibali (Ita/Bahrain) +3mins 40secs

5. Ilnur Zakarin (Rus/Katusha) +4mins 24secs

6. Bauke Mollema (Ned/Trek) +4mins 32secs

7. Tanel Kangert (Est/Astana) +4mins 55secs

8. Domenico Pozzovivo (Ita/AG2R) +4mins 59secs

9. Bob Jungels (Lux/Quick-Step) +5mins 28secs

10. Andrey Amador (Crc/Movistar) +5mins 36secs

I don't think Adam Yates gets enough credit. He seems to have quietly developed into a world class talent. Ok he lost some time yesterday but for the most part is able to stay with the main gc contenders.

it's going to come down to Movistar going long, like they did in the Vuelta to beat Froome. NQ can't just pinch 30 seconds on TomDum at the end of a big climb. He needs more than that.

TomDum needs Sky* to help him diesel away all day, if he gets gapped by Movistar.

*thereby tiring NQ out for the TdF....

Quintana needs to gain at least 5 minutes on Dumoulin going into the last day. He's got about 5 stages to do it over. Be very interesting.

like they did in the Vuelta to beat Froome.

That Vuelta was a freakish stage and all down to Contador rather than any cunning by Movistar. Quintana made it into that move by the skin of his teeth.

Be more like when a dominant Astana and Aru wore down an isolated Dumoulin.

Today looks like a Yates stage to me. Wonder if he wants to keep sitting in and try and see how far up the gc he can get or if he wants a stage?

mental stuff break has 11s half distance, they flew through the feed zone some team going to the front trying to call a halt! looney stuff 🙂

TomDum needs Sky* to help him diesel away all day, if he gets gapped by Movistar

As conspiracy theories go I like this. Didn't Sky and another team (Astana?) Supposedly plot whilst in the same hotel for a GT stage last year?

As conspiracy theories go I like this.

Orica boys on the front giving relief to sunweb 🙂 Whitey wasn't impressed by movistar !

well that was like a good one-day Classic! NQ has turned from a climber to a sprinter, now?

Quickstep turning thier season around

Today looks like a Yates stage to me

Ooh and so close.

Indeed but we still dont know if he's going for stages or trying to crack the top ten both came as one today.

double post

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.

[img] [/img]
[img] [/img]
[img] [/img]
[img] [/img]
[img] [/img]

[img] [/img]
[img] [/img]

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.