Going to be an interesting stage. Looking back to stage 13 of the Tour last year, similar-ish distance and profile. Dumoulin won the stage and got almost 2 minutes on Mollema, over three minutes on Quintana. I'd expect him to put a minute on Pinot too despite his much improved time trail. If it goes that way today it'd at least keep things interesting for the next week or so and make Quintana work a bit for the win.
And just as a reminder of the unpredictability of even a time trial stage...
Always been a fan - it's heartening to see a big rider keep up (just) on the climbs.
Do like Dumoulin. For those with a bit of a man crush on the big guy...
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And for the Tejay doubters earlier in this thread, this bit from the inrng stage preview should amuse...
Finally Tejay van Garderen needs a result more than ever otherwise he’s going to be presented on a wet February morning as Wanty-Groupe Gobert’s new signing. BMC may well already be shopping for a new leader but the American can still deliver, a stage win seems unlikely but he could feature.
I think (hope) Pinot might take this one from DuMoulin. I certainly expect the pair of them to be ahead of Quintana, and if Mollema can put in a good performance we might well see Nairo off the podium entirely today - though I can't see that lasting
we might well see Nairo off the podium entirely today
Almost certainly. Prediction for GC at the end of today's stage...
1. Dumoulin
2. Pinot @ 1:00
3. Mollema @ 2:00
4. Quintana @ 2:30
5. Nibali @ 2:45
Hmm. Current GC
1. Nairo Quintana (Col/Movistar) 42hrs 06mins 09secs2. Thibaut Pinot (Fra/FDJ) +28secs
3. Tom Dumoulin (Ned/Sunweb) +30secs
4. Bauke Mollema (Ned/Trek) +51secs
5. Vincenzo Nibali (Ita/Bahrain) +1min 10secs
6. Domenico Pozzovivo (Ita/AG2R) +1min 28secs
7. Ilnur Zakarin (Rus/Katusha) +2mins 28secs
8. Davide Formolo (Ita/Cannondale) +2mins 45secs
9. Andrey Amador (Crc/Movistar) +2mins 53secs
10. Steven Kruijswijk (Ned/LottoNL) +3min 06secs
Might even see Nibali just nudge above Quintana given those times, don't think Pozzovivo and the rest of the top ten will have what it takes.
Nibali is tough to predict in a TT. He does occasionally pull a good one out the bag. Likely somewhere between a minute and two minutes on Quintana.
Finally Tejay van Garderen needs a result more than ever otherwise he’s going to be presented on a wet February morning as Wanty-Groupe Gobert’s new signing. BMC may well already be shopping for a new leader but the American can still deliver, a stage win seems unlikely but he could feature.
Slowride podcast tweeted in a similar vein along the lines of "is it too late to enter Tour of California? asking for America's greatest one week racer".
Not a Sky fanboi but hope that crash doesn't kill the Giro, and Dumoulin, Nibali, Pinot etc make it a race.
Kiryienka looked to be going well but now sat up and soft pedalling, what happened there?
Brutt's crash looked nasty.
Could he have been sent out to get some time/power data for G?
Maybe he went off thinking of the win but went too far into the red and decided to knock it off.
Kiryienka now just crashed on a corner. Reckon he must have been riding with a puncture or some sort of mechanical. Very odd.
Ah, just seen he's been off
Very odd. He was soft pedalling a small gear even before he went off and was passed by the minute man he'd passed a few minutes earlier. Then he crashed. Wouldn't be surprised if it was some sort of bike problem. Still made the best time so far 😯
Top ten set off from about three o clock.
Very odd. Cycling news saying...
ooking at the time splits after 9.8km and 28.2km, Kiry started steady and then gained much of his lead in the final part of the rolling 39.8km course.
When he looked to be going quite slowly in the last few k's.
slipping clutch and the motor not engaging properly?
🙂
Greipel just pushed out of the top 10. Tells you something about the course to see him up there. Quintana may not enjoy this one.
gutsy ride from G, that road rash should be stinging !
quintana 48 secs down on the first check, nice bunny hop though 🙂
Whilst i was rooting for G, Dumoulin would make me happy too. I have a rather irrational dislike of Nairo, no reason why, I just don't like him.
he does look quick Dumoulin, really flying. Quintana looks sluggish by comparison.
quintana could lose 3+ mins here
Dumoulin is not looking so smooth on the bike now.
Toms wearing my legs 😆
averaging 30 mph 😯
Shocker for Pinot.
Can't understand the commentators saying bad day for Quintana. Reckon he'd have been happy to keep it under 3 min to Dumoulin and closer than he'd expect to Pinot and Mollema. Still second on GC with a strong team to duff up Dumoulin over the big mountains.
Pretty good that and I hate TT's.
Glad it's all changed at the top, I'd like to see Thomas back into the top ten at the end and Nibbs have a shocker and drop 15 places..
Nibalis Warp
more from the wolverines
Wondering if Klunk is a fan of Ulrika Greenhedge? 🙂
Could be an interesting stage today as many a race has been lost on stages like this one. Likely a day for the breakaway but it'll be interesting to see if Movistar decide to make it a hard one for GC riders. Maybe a late move by Nibali to grab a bit of time.
Wondering if Klunk is a fan of Ulrika Greenhedge?
yeah go wolverines. 😐
Can I just say how much I enjoyed the Giro visiting Bastardo?
Stage 11 Firenze > Bagno Di Romagna A Tuscan [s]Odyssey[/s] Oddity
This queen stage across the Apennines takes in 4 consecutive categorised climbs, with not even a single flat stretch in between: Passo della Consuma, Passo della Calla, Passo del Carnaio and Monte Fumaiolo. After clearing Passo del Carnaio, the route takes a first pass on the finish line in Bagno di Romagna (for the first time stage town at the Giro). Then comes a long ring (approx. 52 km) that takes the riders to clear the Monte Fumaiolo categorised summit. A long drop then leads all the way to the finish. The roadway is narrow on average, and the road surface is worn out at points. Starting from 3,500 m from the finish, the last kilometres either descend, or are a false flat up. The route drops down quickly on wide roads, with several curves and hairpins, and briefly touches the centre of San Piero in Bagno. The final kilometres are dotted with roundabouts. The last bend is 5,900 m from the finish line, followed by a long home straight, just bending slightly, on 6-m wide and perfectly level asphalt road.
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Can I just say how much I enjoyed the Giro visiting Bastardo?
Nibali too...
"I knew that once I arrived at the town of Bastardo – sorry but it makes me laugh – I knew that the wind was going to be my face, and that was the place where you had to push on the pedals the hardest," Nibali said.
If it was anyone else but G we'd be deeply suspicious wouldnt we?
If it was anyone else but G we'd be deeply suspicious wouldnt we?
Of what?
Olympic Team pursuit gold medalist performs well on flat TT - hardly a shocker
Crashes, has rest day, pulls out the time trial of his life the day after and you think given the history of cycling that doesnt look a little sus?
Never underestimate the power of rage, especially when fuelled by a sense of injustice. I would have been surprised if he didnt have a blinder.
Well lets just say if it was beefcake bertie?
Well lets just say if it was beefcake bertie?
Apples with oranges.
One is a 60kg climber that worked hard on his TT position (and had special steaks), the other is a pursuiter thats previously targetted events like Paris-Roubaix and has slimmed down to hang in on the climbs.
A_A - Are you actually trying to insinuate something about Thomas?
He's one of the strongest all-rounders in the world and was only beaten by Alex Dowsett and Rohan Dennis at the Commonwealth Games TT.
It's not as if the field is stacked with TT specialists. This Giro is so mental in the mountains that nobody has bothered to come.
A_A - Are you actually trying to insinuate something about Thomas?
No cycling in general, anyone who trusts it to be clean is more trusting than me.
No cycling in general, anyone who trusts it to be clean is more trusting than me.
Then why watch it ? There's no evidence whatever that G is a doper, other than he's a great cyclist. That doesn't mean it's impossible that he is, but if you can't watch and enjoy pro cycling for what it is there's plenty of other things out there to amuse you.
Agreed, why continue to engage with something you feel so negatively about?
Many of us are capable of understanding that [i]some[/i] riders may be cheating, but still enjoy the sport using a more nuanced sense of judgement.
V V - is a good point.
Do we have to do this here? If you actually want to discuss it and are not just trolling then please go start a doping thread elsewhere and leave this one for chat about the racing.
I've started one for you here...
http://singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/a-giro-doping-thread-for-anagallis_arvensis
Why so precious? If it was anyone else it would raise eyebrows. Millars up and down form was never questioned as he was British. Floyd Landis recovery in the tour is one of best things I've seen. Anyone who is sure G is clean has really not been concentrating.
