Jayco making friends 😀
It's surely a sprint today
There's Cav being piloted towards the front. The catch is imminent, sprinters teams starting to form, Trek up there for Mads Pedersen.
Wow that was tight, who won that?!
Cloooooose!
Not even half a wheel between the top 3.
Maybe a tyre width between 1st and 2nd.
Whew!
Cav went a second too early ?
possibly, but the wheel he was following was starting to go backwards. Just encouraging that he's getting back to competitive (and in fact must be pretty battered after being down almost as often as G)
Good to see Cav's racing brain working, he positioned himself well and looked good, lacking that bit of top end of the others, Milano seemed to be going 5km/h faster than the rest..
I'm going to spend my evening scratching my head trying to get my head round the statement on the last page that "the top of the wheel is going twice the speed of the bike". I'm sure someone can explain.
Jen Voight was on a one man breakaway in the 2014 TdF. He was a blur riding through Gunnerside, Yorkshire Dales at the age of 40 (I think), from that day on I was a huge fan.
I was on the Cote de Grinton as he soloed by. The crowd were loving it.
So, following on from Tao's crash we are down to one "leader" per team. No-one to chase down an attack other than the other leaders.
The hub is going the same speed as the rest of the bike. The bit of the tyre that's in contact with the ground is stationary and the top is going twice as fast.
Ah, speed relative to the road rather than rotational speed, allora capisco!
https://twitter.com/INEOSGrenadiers/status/1658926576753360896?t=Bhq4P-TUe--P3cECop1xrA&s=19
☹️
He was on good form.
So, following on from Tao’s crash we are down to one “leader” per team. No-one to chase down an attack other than the other leaders
Ineos have Arensman in 9th, 2 minutes down, he's a credible threat
Quick run down of yesterday's drama and a preview of today's "medium mountain" stage today here:
https://inrng.com/2023/05/giro-stage-12-preview-rivoli/#more-42830
Prediction seems to be one for the breakaway with the main contenders (the ones that are left...) taking things easy before a big day tomorrow.
Really gutted for Tao. He was on my 'velogames team' and was showing great form this season. I'm guessing he may have to have his hip pinned, not ideal in someone so young. Good luck to him.
Same - even if RE had stayed in, I reckon he'd have been on the podium. Without RE, I think he could actually have won again.
He's a genuinely nice guy as well, devastated that he's out, especially after such a great win at Tour of the Alps.
In Evenepoel, Tao and Vlasov I've now lost 3 of my 4 "big picks" from my velogames team and my 4th is Jay Vine who's dropped well out of the top 10 at alsmot 13 minutes down 🙁
I picked Tao ahead of G as I genuinely thought he was in great form and stood a better chance
What a chaotic race this is. Have seen a few complaints about riders leaving the race on social media, and this response from Adam Hansen (basically the riders’ union rep) gives a bit of insight to what it’s been like:
https://twitter.com/hansenadam/status/1659129933619253250?s=46&t=VlnTbr36HbbeUf7htf7B5Q
Nasty flooding in NW Italy
thought I was watching the Giro, Nope back to the tour de wales.
What's going on?
I'm in a meeting - it's online but I have to have my camera on and listen carefully to everything being said...
So I'm relying on this thread!
3 groups on the road
peloton @ 5 mins
main break @ 2 mins
break from the break of four out front
77km to go
Having gone froom mildly interested with 5 min youtube highlights, having bought GCN+ for the XC I am now fully in to this. (edit, the 45 min extended highlights, sadly cant watch at work)
Got no real clue who the teams or main riders are, or what they look like.
And while I understand the physics of road bike riding, drafting etc I dont quite follow the tactics yet.
Is there an idiots guide, or do you just pick it up as you go along?
https://crankpunk.com/2021/05/04/beginners-guide-to-watching-a-grand-tour/
You have to remember its a weird sport, a team sport where an individual takes the glory..
Inrng is a good source that shows you the race profile. Also quite a bit of good reading on there.
And a quick guide that also may help. And then look at the race profile and you may get an understanding of how teams focus on certain stages.
https://www.cyclingtips.com/2016/02/team-tactics-101/
I’m actually surprised today isn’t a breakaway day. Thought the peloton would take it fairly easy based on what is to come over the next few days or so.
Just back to the TV and the peloton do appear to be having a rest day.
@crazy-legs
4 up the road with 3:19 ahead of a following larger group (maybe 20 riders)
Peloton is about 8:30 behind.
Chasing group has a couple of riders interested in catching the leading group, but not everyone in the group is interested. Good opportunity for the 4 in the break.
Still a climb to come, but with a descent to the finish line. Currently dry.
Good breakaway action.
Day off for gc though. Most interesting thing there was orla's outfit. Tomorrow should be good even with the big pass missing.
orla’s outfit.
She's not just all about the legs, apparently!
Stage 13 today over the Grand St Bernard Pass through the Grand St Bernard Tunnel to Crans Montana
https://inrng.com/2023/05/giro-stage-13-preview-crans-montana/
yet more DNS though, Mads Pedersen is unwell - maybe the after effects of the cold and wet racing?
https://twitter.com/TrekSegafredo/status/1659468390854021121
Today's stage shortened and near enough neutralised.
They'll set off from the foot of the Croix de Couer and ride to the summit (from what I can tell) then onto the buses.
Weather is apparently shocking again.
Still a bit of a confused picture, I'm getting this from a mix of social media sources.
All change - Route has been butchered given the weather and the gneral mood of the peloton. As I understand it from Ned, the teams will skip the first section of the race and transfer by bus into Switzerland, then "race" up the Croix de Coeur and onwards.
https://twitter.com/nedboulting/status/1659477475326402560
"Racing" to begin about 13.45 BST
I'm not sure if there's a second neutralised trasnfer based on this
https://twitter.com/100Climbs/status/1659478384584400896
EDIT - nope there isn't
https://twitter.com/TrekSegafredo/status/1659482419928395776
Could be a damp squib, could be a complete "edge of the seat" day
https://twitter.com/BenjiNaesen/status/1659479838573330433
Ben Healy to attack from km0.
Could be a damp squib, could be a complete “edge of the seat” day
As usual I'm watching The Breakaway on delay and they're very much leaning towards the latter, but I'm remembering all the hype about the "mountain sprint stage" with the grid style start that was going to provide very exciting riding
https://www.cyclingstage.com/tour-de-france-2018-route/stage-17-tdf-2018/
In the end as I recall, there was nothing out of the ordinary about it
https://www.cyclingstage.com/tour-de-france-2018-results/stage-17-results-tdf-2018/
Start time FURTHER delayed from 14.30 CET to 15.00 (2pm UK time) as some team buses didn't get to the start venue so the riders could warm up on rollers in a sports hall as planned, presumably due to traffic
presumably due to traffic
Bloody cyclists, clogging up the roads...
how embarrassing 😀
This is a tough start!
Ben Healy to attack from km0.
Yep and Hugh Carthy in there too. Could be a cracking day for EF.
Christ this descent looks well sketchy... 😬
Even the motorbike is tip-toeing down it.
don't tighten up! well perhaps your sphincter 😉
This is a stage for Pidcock, he'd be phenomenal down here!
not looking like any gc fireworks not until the last 500m :/
I miss when Pog sends his troops to the front you know he's going to attack!
Felt for Pinot there, gave that everything.. more exciting stage than i thought it was going to be, although little GC action
