Darkglasses

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With a good handful of time lost in Stage 7, it is high time Bradley showed some dominance. This stage is somewhat similar to Stage 19 of last year's TDF, where Brad put over 3 minutes into Nibali, and over 5 minutes into Basso.

The start of the course is relentlessly twisting, where Nibali may be hoping his bike handling skills will give him an advantage over Wiggo. However, after the intermediate time check, it's essentially a drag race to the finish. It ends with a 3 km climb, so going out too fast will be terminal.

YMCA

negative splits (effort, not time) will win the day

Caretaker

Wiggins this time will be going out well before the other main contenders unlike in last year's TdF. Up to now this year and in the Giro in particular he hasn't shown much.

Personally, I wouldn't be surprised if he doesn't finish this years Giro.

chasm54

Since we're in the mood for fearless predictions... personally, I'd be mildly surprised if he weren't in first or second place (behind Hesjedal, possibly) after today's stage.

cthenn

Well he better not do that thinking he's the boss at the TdF, because even if he *thinks* he's the boss, he's not. Froome will not tow Wiggins around France this year, and I'd bet the team (riders) will back Froome.

chasm54

Phenomenal from Nibali today, excellent from Evans, terrible from Hesjedal. Wiggins will be mildy disappointed, but really the story is how well Nibali went.

Nibali with almost 30 seconds on GC. Very difficult to see any of the leading contenders taking that out of him in the mountains. Interesting to see if Sky have the legs or the tactical nous to attack him, but it looks as if this Giro is his to lose.

cthenn

Right, after stage 8, it's his to lose.

Darkglasses

Well I called it...sort of.

Nibali absolutely monstered it in the twisty first section:

t the first checkpoint, in Pesaro:

1 Vincenzo Nibali AST 36:12
2 Alex Dowsett MOV +8"
3 Cadel Evans BMC +30"
4 Sergio Luis Henao SKY +35"
5 Michele Scarponi LAM +38"
6 Luke Durbridge OGE +45"
7 Robert Gesink BLA +49"
8 Tanel Kangert AST +50"
9 Rigoberto Uran SKY +50"
10 Ryder Hesjedal GRS +51"
13 Bradley Wiggins Sky +1:00

And then Wiggo turned on the power (and got sorted after his crash)

Stage eight final results

1 Alex Dowsett MOV 1h16:27
2 Bradley Wiggins SKY +10"
3 Tanel Kangert AST +14"
4 Vincenzo Nibali AST +21"
5 Stef Clement BLA +32"
6 Luke Durbridge OGE +35"
7 Cadel Evans BMC +39"
8 Manuele Boaro TST +45"
9 Sergio Luis Henao SKY +53"
10 Michele Scarponi +53"

Very dramatic stage. Giro at it's finest. Have to say I got a bit of sick satisfaction hearing that Bradley had chucked his bike in the ditch, following the massive online campaign by Pinarello telling us that their new Bolide was the best TT bike ever.

So, Nibali into pink followed by Cuddles, Gesink, and then Wiggo. Bring on the 14 stages.

DrakeSuperbus

I'm sure Wiggins is kicking himself for sauntering through the first seven stages thinking he would dominate the TT and march to Breschia in pink.

YMCA

What could he have done better?
His team won the TTT for him.
And attacking, just for the sake of attacking would lead to nothing in the first week, considering his abilities.
His small time losses on a couple stages didn't help, nor did the flat tire in the TT.
All in all, he's still in the hunt and up against excellent competition in Nibali/Evans/Ryder/etc

DrakeSuperbus

He could have put some effort into his descent yesterday instead of practically coasting downhill after his crash. You didn't see Nibali out for a joyride after he went down. He also could have put a little more work into trying to remain at the front. Half the time he showed up on camera he was dicking around the back of the peloton, which caused him to get caught behind crash after crash.

Darkglasses

Never mind Nibali, even the long-dropped and GC no-hope domestiques were putting in more of an effort to get down the hill.

Can't help but feel he hasn't been taking the Giro seriously enough, and now he's paying for it. This is a much harder and more aggressive race than last year's TDF, thanks in no small part to the incredibly positive work of smaller teams.

DrakeSuperbus

Seriously. When the guy in 130th place is passing a GC hopeful like he's standing still, something is very wrong. I feel like he bought way too much into his own he'll-take-minutes-upon-minutes-of-time-out-his-rivals-in-the-TT hype, and has had a very nonchalant attitude about this first week. I bet he dropped a load in his bibs when Nibali crossed the line today.

chasm54

Wow. Smug armchair critic much? Sauntering?

As far as I can see, on seven of the eight stages so far he's done pretty much everything one could expect. No doubt he was overcautious after his crash on stage seven. Maybe a failure of nerve, maybe just an exaggerated avoidance of risk. Certainly that has cost him. But to suggest that he hasn't really tried seems absurd.

Personally I'm disinclined to be too judgmental about these guys. The day I pick myself up off the floor and continue at 50+ mph down a technical descent with a surface like an ice-rink is the day I'll feel qualified to call them out.

bikemig 

I didn't know these guys had it in them to have a bowel movement after a race like this . . . you learn something knew every day on this site.

DrakeSuperbus

Sauntering is probably the wrong word. I don't think he wasn't trying; I just think he made a poor decision. When he found himself at the back of the bunch, got caught out, or crashed on the descent, he probably said to himself, "I'm going to crush the TT, so I'll just play it safe and eat a time loss instead of taking risks that may damage me further. I'll get that time back anyways." I think it was a calculation on his part that ended up being wrong. After all, if Nibali hadn't put in the TT ride of a lifetime, his tactics would have played out just fine.

I feel like he was saying to himself, "slow and steady wins the race," instead of, "I need to get down this hill right now."

YMCA

Well I'll give you that one.

But I've been in that nasty descent situation a number of times at stage races, and it is quite difficult to drum up the courage to keep pace with the more daring. Especially after falling off, or watching others fall off

pigah

I don't mean this to slag on Wiggins, but compare his response to NIbali, who fell twice on Stage 7. I only saw the video of one, but he was almost back on his bike before he stopped sliding.

Bob Dopolina 

Nibali seems hungry whereas Wiggo seems to think it's already his Giro. It's sort of the same attitude that cost the Brits the Olympic RR.

Ryder sucked arse and now has to attack on the steep slopes to claw back the time. It will make exciting racing.

cthenn

Wiggo was stomped again today (stage 9, since there is no stage 9 thread). Finally his dogs Henao and Uran were 'allowed' to let Wiggo struggle by himself. Wiggo was a one hit wonder on a perfect TdF course last year. This year he actually thought he could hang in a real GT, the Giro. No more flat lands of France for Wiggo, he'll be out of the top 10 by the end of the Giro.

Rhinelander

aw .. nice now, he's not without. I'm sure by now they've all looked at the weather forecast for North Italy over the next 12 days. If they're lucky, they'll be dry for stage 10 (Cordenons → Altopiano del Montasio). (if the weatherman is right...) by the 15th (stage 11) it'll rain all over the Alps, only to get worse to have a possible storm system over the Galibier by the 19th. There's mixed air all over Europe and with what it looks like right now, the general alpine region will take the brunt in rain and storms. Feel bad for 'em... Looks like a miserable and soggy Giro... (one Merckx would win... lol)

Rhinelander

I think Wiggo can handle the rain (he's a Brit... lol and they're tuff) as long as he gets to grips with his tyres... friend of mine feels he should take Moto Cross lessons... lol (you know, stick yer foot out in a turn before yer rear wheel breaks out)

chasm54

Good call. Are you the Sky team doctor, by any chance?

Caretaker

No.

His body language and general attitude seemed to me in the first week to be generally negative. I've been away so haven't been following the Giro closely over the past ten days but I understand he has a chest infection.

Hope he recovers his fitness soon. I like the guy and hope he has a good TdF.