Any chance of G launching an attack before the end of the race? Or content to latch onto a wheel and rest on TT results?
He wouldn't risk blowing up so it would be foolish to go early but I bet he would try to gain a few more seconds if he thinks there's a chance in the last couple of k of a climb.
It's taken me till stage 18 to realise that there's actually a rider called Gee. I just thought the commentators were talking about Geraint.
one problem G has is in the last 2 mountain stages his backup has been given a right kicking by the opposition backup first by the UAE on monday then today by Sep Cuss.
True. I think he'd be feeling a bit more secure if Tao was still around as backup.
Thomas seemed to close the gap after Roglic attacked with no problem at all.
Reckon he's the strongest but there's very little between them. Intriguing final few days
So basically if Thomas can hang in today on Rogs wheel, he's got this hasn't he ? I can't see him losing 29s on the TT personally, so he's just just to bury himself today if needed.
The one thing i don't always understand is the 'team-mate' thing. When Kuss went a bit yesterday and dropped DePlus and Arensmann, does it matter then if Thomas is following Rog/Kuss or the other Ineos men ? If you're sitting on a wheel, it doesn't matter who's ?
Obviously if it's someone like a Contador rider who's up in pace, down in pace, then maybe, but if they're just tempoing, then surely it's not important is it ?
My only concern is that JV has a full team and Ineos are short.
PR is great at bluffing, but 'G' has years of race craft and experience on his side.
The TT is going to be interesting and exciting (for once).
Your team mate will drop back to the car to get your a drink or a gel to save you energy
My only concern is that JV has a full team and Ineos are short.
they seemed very controlled when they dropped off the peloton on the final climb in an orderly manner almost like they were saving something for today :/ they were probably just fried so no worries 😉
Your team mate will drop back to the car to get your a drink or a gel to save you energy
True, but not likely/possible when in the thick end.
I think Geraint won't go on the attack unless he is feeling very good, he has never been one to attack repeatedly, more one for the constant high effort and just drop others out of the back.
Fingers crossed for today..
My only concern is that JV has a full team and Ineos are short.
Sorry to pick on you, but do people see Sir Jim's Brexit Bombardiers as the "home team"? Prob'ly just me but I think I preferred Sky, even if that's not exactly very ideologically pure either.
it's a knotty ol' question of who to support
Oily Brexit Jims green wash vs Oily Arab green Wash vs iffy once almost thrown off the tour Rabobank
Geraint can do it......
The pious support Pinot, the GC battle is secondary.
Hugh Carthy out with dicky "to many gels" tummy
Sorry to pick on you, but do people see Sir Jim’s Brexit Bombardiers as the “home team”?
Only because they have a bit of history with Wiggins/Froome/Cav/Tao/Swift/etc and of course Thomas. So yeah a little bit, but it's more seeing Thomas making a proper comeback in this Giro and taking Roglic to the sword. I must admit i didn't think he had this in him and would struggle at times, but he's really not.
Crikey - just seen the stage map. Ouch – this is going to be one hell of a day. Almost tempted to pay to watch it.
EDIT (DOH!!!!!) - I forgot that Virgin recently gave me a free upgrade and I actually have Eurosport now FFS. I can't believe that I had forgotten about that.
It's on the others to attack, not G
Pinot. He's so tragic. That's why the mums love him.
I can’t see him losing 29s on the TT personally, so he’s just just to bury himself today if needed
It won't be any normal 19km time trial @weeksy and I think there's potential for quite big gaps. The profile reminds me of Bologna TT (available on Zwift;) but it's a hell of lot more elevation with pitches >20%. The top 3 are all good/excellent against the clock so hopefully G has a decent pacing strategy. I actually think the prospect of this might neutralise today's race a little. Roglic might think he can take 30s back on G and not attack today (he would probably get a couple of bonus seconds at the line today if there was a sprint from a group). The time gaps between 4th and 9th are really tight so we might well see those guys pushing on to make up places.
Well no, but he's a brilliant climber and brilliant TTer, so Roglic is going to have to find something exceptional to pull that over what is a relatively short TT. Thomas is Ineos/Sky through and through in terms of getting the perfect power/performance for his ability/form, so he won't be doing anything daft and blowing up. (he says... lol)
both G and roglic have had "bad" tt's in le tour, G lost 14 sec to Alaphillipe on a relatively flat and Rog to Pog on La Planche des Belles Filles
I also can't see G losing >30s to anyone in the TT, so if there's going to be a change I think people need to go on the attack today. G has ridden the last two weeks perfectly and he seems to have the measure of both his opponents, let's not forget they have both shipped time over the previous mountain stages. He doesn't need to do anything more than follow wheels.
Just a quickie to link to today's inrng preview
https://inrng.com/2023/05/giro-stage-19-preview-lavaredo/
Team Lantern rouge are rapidly closing in on their rightful position!
Been enjoying EF Education as a team over last few years, Ben Healy, Magnus Cort have brightened up this and previous grand tours, having the freedom to stage hunt and race, like to see Hugh Carthy come good again
Ben and Thibaut sitting in a tree K.I.S.S.I.N.G
Look like Rohan was amused by Ben.
Carlos Verona in the break has gone down - Alberto Contador on the moto says it's becuase the AG2R car touched his back wheel!
DrJ - I hear you, but I am a Huge (read ginormous) fan of Geraint Thomas. Yes the politics of ineos and their owner is definitely questionable but I would support any team that included 'G'.
Agree about EF Education easypost - a fabulous team, this is why I have Cort and Healy in my Velogames Italy team.
The finish today is brutal. Nothing will happen on the Giau but the final climb will see it explode.
Can't wait.
wow, robbie mcewen saying that Roglic has a bike prepped on the team car that has a 10-44 gravel cassette on it, in case he needs it for the final climb
Roglic has 44-10 option on his spare bike ?
Jumbo have moved up in the train
Said a few minutes later it might be for tomorrow. I reckon I'd need a 22 granny gear up front and still get off and walk.
and on cue - PR goes 1x with an UGLY dinnerplate at the back
Eurospprt just discussing the 44 tooth cassettes on Roglics bike
well he's on it now
I'd have changed my shoes for hiking boots, not my bike 🙂
Cheeky Roglic bike change in the valley. GCN said 10-44 cassette, and something like a 40-44T single front chainring.
Be more impressed if he'd swapped to an old school 11-25 and beasted them all...
knowing he was going to change, would it have been advantageous for Ineos to go hard for basically as long as he was changing, it's not a mechanical so it's all fair? He's already given up a distance he then needs to work harder on the rejoin the group, why not maximise that distance to just make it that bit harder?
lashing it down now
