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I hate rest days
we'll get an idea of how everyone is climbing tomorrow - nice mountain finish with a 20% in the closing KMs
long range weather forecast for Sunday at the foot of the Galibier is for rain.I wouldn't be suprised if it will be snowing on the col. Hmm wonder if I'll ride up or take the thermos.
David Millar tweeted something yesterday saying that Wiggins has just lost a bit of confidence and it happens to everyone.
I think we can all relate to that - who on here has had a bad crash then struggled to regain the same sort of commitment? Gone through a period of riding like a bag of spanners for a bit? I'd hazard a guess at most of us.
Better to lose 30 seconds on a descent and work back on than crash, break your collar bone and be out for 6 weeks. And those roads were SOAKING wet, it was like a river at times.
Mind you, it's livened up the race no end, it's a great spectacle this year. Tomorrow should be a good stage as well, first of the properly mountainous days.
Just remember, a fall in the 2011 Tour put him out. Im sure that's still sitting in the back of his mind
But that was a huge pile-up on the road before an intermediate sprint and was not a skill failure from his PoV. It's not like he binned it descending from a mountain. If anything it should show him the value of being at the sharp end of the race not stuck in the middle/back where someone elses accident becomes yours quite fast.
it's sunny!
at the moment
nibble's turn for some bad luck
What happened to Nibbles?
Chain off. Reports of bike change, but it wasn't shown on telly.
He's now right behind the sky train.
That descent is a corker.
Plan B swings into action - Uran goes for it.
Nibali could have rode that stage with one leg. He's head and shoulders above the rest.
Good win for Uran , I think Sky should now be looking at switching there priorities.
i think they just have switched
Oh Bradley, those steep bits really don't suit you me old mate. 🙁
And this is when he's in the best condition he's ever been in according to 'the numbers'....
So, does this mean all those Bradley Wiggins autobiographies from last year are going to start turning up in second hand bookshops?
Difficult to see how Nibali can be touched given that he's going for every bonus point and second over his rivals as well. Great to see Evans is such good shape as well
It's simple - to win a grand tour- you have to be consistent in the mountains. Bradders isn't without good support - and all the other teams know it.
Indurain was able to attack in the mountains - it was never exciting to watch because all he used to do was up his cadence and eventually everyone cracked. Pure climbers like froome and uran are exciting to watch - but they do crack. Wiggo needs to keep doing what he is doing and limiting time loss. Sky need to keep him paced and let him crack the others by upping cadence instead of chasing off all the time like froome or Uran.
Even after today - Wiggo still only a second behind Uran on general classification. In the mountain time trial Uran is likely to lose 2-3 minutes on wiggo. Still all to play for.
Tactically wiggins has lost 30 seconds on a top 10 finish in the mountains. Not a bad effort.
I still reckon a top 3 finish.
I remember the last time Wiggins was gibbering on about numbers. He made a mess of that grand tour too.
How exactly is Uran going to lose 2-3 mins to Wiggins over a 20.6KM time trial?
Nibali looks far too strong to be overhauled at the moment, it's still relatively early days though.
Yes, Uran has just shown how useless he is at climbing 🙂 Still two weeks to go though, anything can happen, and probably will.In the mountain time trial Uran is likely to lose 2-3 minutes on wiggo.
Those Italian climbs aren't like the consistent gradient French Alpine climbs, Bradley just doesn't go well on these variable gradient climbs.
He'll probably be top 10 at the end, but not top 5.
Nice to see Cadel going well after the illness last year.
I don't think Wiggins will do well at the Mountain TT, not famed for his solo climbs is he?
so is it that sky let Uran push ahead because it gets them a stage win and also inflicts a little extra pain in everyones legs, attack rather than defence? (defence = helping wiggins 'chase' down breaks)
Fascinating Giro. I'm trying to guess what's going to happen, but really can't!
I can't work out whether Nibali is in the shape of his career, or whether Wiggo is slightly down on his. Cadel is the thing that's adding to the confusion. He hasn't even been talking about targeting the Giro!
Either Wiggo will know of a summit finish where he can be stronger than Nibali and his biding his time, or he's got no chance.
Come on guys, he's had a right mare
of a first week, but still in there
fighting.
Thought the team tried really hard
today, great to see cataldo back to
fitness, and to see uran win.
Think nibali is on top form, but was
on the peyresourde at the tour last
year when he was dropped 😀
Looks like my comment to the aussies
last year of "taxi for cadel" may come
back and bite me in the ass this time
though.
So come on brad grow them sideburns back
and allez wiggo, my italian no so good.
In some respects, I think it shows how much British cycling talent has come on in that everyone is slagging Wiggins off for being 4th.
5 years ago, there wouldn't have been a Brit inside the top 50!
He's had more than his fair share of bad luck. I don't believe he can actually win it without something seriously bad happening to Nibali but hey, it's a Grand Tour - anything can happen. And Cadel is a bit of a dark horse as well - has he been targeting the Giro but telling everyone he's going for the Tour? Bit of reverse psychology. Sky would do well to learn from that rather than banging on about how great Wiggins is going at the moment cos then you just look a bit silly when he goes out the back door...
Has to be said, it's a properly nail-biting race so far, great team performance from Sky in the TTT, two incredibly close sprints from Cav, some persistent attacking over the last few days and more than the usual speculation and guesswork.
he germinator - Member
Come on guys, he's had a right mare
of a first week, but still in there
fighting.
Yes but the first week was the easy week, into the high mountains soon I can see Uran taking lead now, he' s obviously in brilliant form and the rest of the course suits him better.
[i]Oh Bradley, those steep bits really don't suit you me old mate.[/i]
He was still climbing stupidly fast. Just not as fast as the others.
[i]And this is when he's in the best condition he's ever been in according to 'the numbers'....
[/i]
And if everyone else is in better condition, according to 'the numbers' they will beat him.
He's 4th overall and managed a top ten finish on a hard day in the mountains. He's not exactly doing badly, yet everyone slags him off.
[i]I can see Uran taking lead now, he' s obviously in brilliant form and the rest of the course suits him better. [/i]
I don't know anything about Uran. Is he the sort of rider that can maintain that form over the next two weeks or the sort of rider that might only have a couple of good days in his legs?
At least this means Froome will be team leader for The Tour.
I don't know anything about Uran. Is he the sort of rider that can maintain that form over the next two weeks or the sort of rider that might only have a couple of good days in his legs?
Best young rider last year. I would suspect that given protected status he could maintain his performance levels for the duration of a grand tour.
cant see him winning it now tbh but yes he is still world class just not at the peak of his trade
Shame if he could do it in the mountains he would be unbeatable but the reality is he cannot quite fight with the best
The team needs to get behind uran now,froome-dog must be thinking,i hope brad gets in form by TDF to support me
Shame if he could do it in the mountains he would be unbeatable but the reality is he cannot quite fight with the best
Arguably the best aren't there. If Contador, Valverde and Froome were there the race would have atomized today.
Today:
[img] 
?1368549430[/img]
Yes presumably on this form its Froome for the Tour?
But I'm pausing just for a moment to think that this is now the 5th Grand Tour I've watched with British riders in GC contention and I for one find that this has made them much more enjoyable to watch.
Oh and 2 different British riders have already one stages. 10 years ago that alone would have been note worthy
JCL - Member
Shame if he could do it in the mountains he would be unbeatable but the reality is he cannot quite fight with the best
Arguably the best aren't there. If Contador, Valverde and Froome were there the race would have atomized today.
Both Wiggins and Nibali above all 3 in the World Tour Rankings 2012/2011 and Nibali above all 3 in 2010 so I don't know why you think they aren't two of 'the best'.
I don't get it, the man looses time in the TT due to a mechanical, swaps to a normal road bike and still come second. He's 4th overall and not exactly looking bad. It's hardly surprising that a 6ft 2 inch guy who's awesome at TT's and steady paced/gradient climbing is left slightly lacking over little pure climbers is it
Why is this country in general obsessed with slagging off people for winning and not winning simultaneously.
He swapped to his standard TT bike. (Graal, which is what Dowsett won on).
It's not slagging someone off to say 'I don't think he'll win it'.
I didn't want him to win it tbh, as I've said before he's boring to watch.
I don't get it, the man looses time in the TT due to a mechanical, swaps to a normal road bike and still come second.
He swapped from the new Pinarello Bolide TT bike to his usual Graal TT bike.
At least this means Froome will be team leader for The Tour.
Alternately, could it mean Wiggins decides he has something to prove and wants the Tour for himself?
I don't get it, the man looses time in the TT due to a mechanical, swaps to a normal road bike and still come second.
This is what the BBC reported but, as pointed out, they were wrong.
Both Wiggins and Nibali above all 3 in the World Tour Rankings 2012/2011 and Nibali above all 3 in 2010 so I don't know why you think they aren't two of 'the best'.
World Tour Rankings? Come on.
Oh I think Nibali would have been up there with them as he was cruising today but Wiggins would have lost a wack of time if those guys were beating each other up.
Sky really need to sort out who the leaders are, Porte has come out to say he wants the Giro next year, they'll have a different GC contender for every tour at this rate!
JCL - Member
World Tour Rankings? Come on.
Yeah much better to use your own subjective criteria.
I agree some interesting tactics to come. Uran might have been the bait to push the climbers and test recovery over the mountain stages. Lest we forget Nibali was dropped by wiggo at the Dauphine last year.
Just remember you can be a strong guy on the bike, but really it's about the ability to suffer when it gets tough.
10 years ago we were all cheering on doped riders (not convinced contador is clean yet. Seems like an improvement to me.
Wiggo spotted earlier after he dicided he doesn't want the Giro anymore but Le Tour instead...
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http://i242.photobucket.com/albums/ff215/sputnik_photos/67199915_9a5b619293_zps5467bdaa.jp g"/> [/IMG][/URL]
Yeah much better to use your own subjective criteria
No, just awareness of the best climbers. Boonen was 3rd in the rankings last year, do you think he'd be with Nibali at the finish today?
Presumably Uran was sent up the road so Astana would chase and do all the work. I can't see that this changes Sky's plans at all despite it backfiring a bit. Although Wiggo is going to have to do a hell of a ride to get back up. Nibali looked super strong today. The problem with his gears didn't phase him one bit. Still a long way to go but Wiggo can't afford to lose anymore time and Nibali needs some bad days. I would say Sky are the stronger team overall and this could eventually make the difference. Perhaps.
LOL @ Sputnik !
I think people need to calm down a bit. The time gaps are nothing at the moment. Yeah Nibali and Evans look good but one bad day and you could easily lose 5 minutes. Have you seen how hard the final mountain stages are? Anything could happen and in the Giro it often does.
So we know from the tour last year that Wiggo can climb with the best of them. However, the climbs in the giro are different to those in the tour. I haven't looked at the profiles of the stages that are to come, but I wouldn't count Wiggo out just yet.
[i]Why is this country in general obsessed with slagging off people for winning and not winning simultaneously. [/i]
That rant started well but you just tailed off at the end and now I despise you.
Last years Tour was very 'special' because of the total distance of the TTs.
See it as a window of opportunity for someone like sir Brad. This Giro is not anything like last years TdF
JCL - Member
Yeah much better to use your own subjective criteria
No, just awareness of the best climbers. Boonen was 3rd in the rankings last year, do you think he'd be with Nibali at the finish today?
No, completely see what you're saying now, mushy brain earlier. Apologies!
Have you seen how hard the final mountain stages are?
so, in current form how much is wiggins going to lose? I'm intrigued as to how wiggins and nibali have swapped roles from the tour to now. somehings not right, as the differences are massive.
Can't believe how much time Hesjedal lost! It's all to play for, could easily be any of the contenders next.
Uran was an excellent rider back in his Casse D'Epargne days with Valverde et all. He has been brought up on the hills and has the closed mind of a climber.
Sky should reap the benefits of having such a talent rather than limit his abilities.
Wiggs (IMO) will still be in the top 3 at the end of the Giro but won't win it. You can't deny the guy hasn't got the balls to ride hard, watch the chase and speed increase as he comes up the the flattened section near the top of the Altiplano today. Bouy dun good.
All I'd like now is for Heano to pop up a few places and all will be good in the world.
Why is this country in general obsessed with slagging off people for winning and not winning simultaneously
nobody is slagging him off. Wiggins came into the race as the bolted on cant get odds favourite. He's then failed to win the TT he was expected to use to take huge time out of his rivals, descended like he's made of glass compared to Nibali who bounced back on his bike and been dropped by his main rivals when the heat was turned up on a climb.
Which is all brilliant as it makes for an exciting race, rather than the "sky train" which does get slagged off. I'd like to see wiggins add the Giro to his Palmares, but I'd also like to see [i]him[/i] win it, not his team crushing the life out of the opposition.
He's then failed to win the TT he was expected to use to take huge time out of his rivals
to be fair the mechanical inc slowing down, bike swap, getting back up to tempo cost him the TT.
Without the puncture he would have smashed the TT. I don't think it's fair to say he 'failed' to win it. No one else had punctures and all but one came in behind him. That's quite incredible in my book.
Good [url= http://www.cyclingnews.com/blogs/robert-millar/come-in-number-one-your-time-is-up ]article[/url] in cycling news by Robert Millar.
I wonder if Sky training plan in keeping Brad out of the early season events and having him train in Mallorca / Tenerife instead has affected his confidence in descending in bunches.
Still good to see Cadel back to his best. I hope Wiggins can stay in the top 5 but for the ill informed this will ultimately be seen as a massive failure instead of a good solid GC finish.
I don't dislike Wiggins, I just think the press hype in the UK has been insane. The Tour last year was perfect for Bradley and Sky and they took full advantage of his strength in the TT and pinned everyone back on the mountains. The Giro is far more brutal and he's riding as I'd expected him to which is to say strongly on the flatter stages, really strongly in the TT but he's just not an explosive mountain rider. He's good enough for a top 10 or maybe a top 5 but the big mountains of the Giro are just not playing to his natural strengths.
The thing is, his rivals know this too and the attack at the 20% segment of the climb was proof of that. He just had nothing to respond with until after that ramp and then it was too late.
I think he's still got a good chance of 3rd. In which case it only needs one bad day from the others to still get the win.
So many mountain top finishes to come!
It's only when they go to above 15% that Wiggo can't cope compared to the very best.
--
Today's finale maxes out at 9%
Saturday looks just about doable
Sunday's Galibier looks doable
He could gain a few seconds in the mountain TT
Fridays stage is another tough one - first Stelvio, then a 14%er to finish.
Then - oh dear - a wall! looks like nearly 3km at 18%
---
What a Giro!
I wonder if Sky training plan in keeping Brad out of the early season events and having him train in Mallorca / Tenerife instead has affected his confidence in descending in bunches.
Don't think this is the case as he was descending very well indeed earlier in the season. Just didn't deal well with a combination of slick roads, rain and cold. Maybe he should have raced some classics 🙂
Slightly OT, but...
Tut tut...
AlexSimon - MemberI think he's still got a good chance of 3rd. In which case it only needs one bad day from the others to still get the win.
So many mountain top finishes to come!It's only when they go to above 15% that Wiggo can't cope compared to the very best.
--Today's finale maxes out at 9%
Saturday looks just about doable
Sunday's Galibier looks doable
He could gain a few seconds in the mountain TT
Fridays stage is another tough one - first Stelvio, then a 14%er to finish.
Then - oh dear - a wall! looks like nearly 3km at 18%
---What a Giro!
indeed. my question is, did Brad and Sky not take a look at some of the profiles when the word was put out that this Giro really suits him?
I want him to win it and as stated if he does from where he is I'll be shouting encouragement as loud as anyone but when he's stated as being in better condition than ever and also when he makes statements about also leading the Tour, knowing that this would unsettle his teammate and compatriot, shurley a bit of questioning is allowed?
(come on brad- break them on the galibier!)
think we would all like him to do it but it looks veyr unlikely now tbh
The Guardian are reporting that Wiggins has claimed to have a cold and chest infection in an interview on Italian TV.
So he's got to try and keep safe until Sunday, nursing a cold and hope it's gone by then.
Sounds very tricky given how hard the Giro is, but I guess they're pretty good at managing colds/chest stuff.
unsettle his teammate and compatriot
Rule #1 - Beat your teammate (by whatever means available)
Rule #2 - Belgians & Kenyans are not compatriots.
So he's got to try and keep safe until Sunday, nursing a cold and hope it's gone by then.
He needs to do a lot more than keep safe. As has been said before, his "strategy" of level pegging or losing time on most stages is hardly a winning one.
i think the sky strategy is quite straight forward. shadow nibbles then try to break him on the galibier where the shallower gradient will allow the sky train to TTT up the mountain.
...while Nibali sits on the back?
nah one of them crashes taking him with them 😈
Think they dropped him in the TdF but yes unlikely
shadow nibbles then try to break him on the galibier where the shallower gradient will allow the sky train to TTT up the mountain.
Nibali has got the measure of Wiggins this year, Sky tried that on Tuesday. Nibali was strong throughout.
Uran has more chance than Wiggins IMO
possibly, but mr wiggins has ridden nibali off his wheel a number of times on the longer shallower climbs.
"bit of a cold"
?
MTFU Wiggins
but mr wiggins has ridden nibali off his wheel a number of times on the longer shallower climbs.
Has he? when? In the tour last year Nibali was comfortable sitting in the wheels in the main, admittedly he couldn't attack due to the pace of sky, but he was never dropped, for any great time losses. The damage was done in the TTs.
Its a monsoon today. Thorough miserable riding conditions for all involved.
Unless its a dead straight finish, there will be crashes!