Bike Forums - The Giro Thread

Bike Forums (https://www.bikeforums.net/forum.php)

- "The 33"-Road Bike Racing (https://www.bikeforums.net/33-road-bike-racing/)

- - The Giro Thread (https://www.bikeforums.net/33-road-bike-racing/540084-giro-thread.html)

Stage has been neutralized.

Funny how the riders win when they want to.

Universal commentator just said Lance did Ironman triathalons to stay in shape during retirement. Wow.

Quote:

Originally Posted by daytonian (Post 8932861)

Universal commentator just said Lance did Ironman triathalons to stay in shape during retirement. Wow.

Yeah, I heard that too. He also did competitive rowing, crocheting, and woodwork.

Waz going on right now?

Stage 9...
I've never watched the Giro before, always at work, never seen it.

I've watched all the stages so far. I have to say BORING AS HECK.
Stage 9 today? Why the hell would anyone wanna watch a "race" thats 10 laps of 32km/hr?? I can do that and I suck. Not only that. we have to stop with <100km left at the start line so Di Luca can have a chat with the organizers? This is not a race, its a parade. Theres nothing interesting about it.

Temporary halt?! WTF?

Quote:

Originally Posted by bbgobie (Post 8932894)

It was intentional. The peleton wanted to stop to complain to the race organizers. This isn't normal as a stage goes. Would have been much, much more exciting. I'm just waiting to hear what happened. I don't understand Italian.

Looks like the Giro's attempt to add a criterium style stage has fallen on its face.

Apparently the riders decided that the course was too dangerous to compete on. Damn. Did nobody test the course before race day?

The last couple of stages have had finishes that are completely insane. Does the organizer get hurt when that happens? No. It's the riders themselves. So if they felt the need to complain about it I say party on, dudes.

--Steve

Looks like they've decided to make today a recovery ride.

"test" the course? In downtown milan?

Giro organiser Angelo Zomengnan has said, "I don't agree with the riders on this decision. If this circuit is dangerous, then races like Amstel Gold and Liège-Bastogne-Liège should be canceled."

Oh look, they're pedaling.

Quote:

Originally Posted by marsh283 (Post 8932978)

"test" the course? In downtown milan?

Perhaps that might not have been feasible. Still, did no one consult with the riders? This outcome is an embarrassment for the Giro organizers.

As a spectator, it looked like a perfectly safe course to me. Any racers out there who have an idea as to what specifically the riders thought was dangerous?

Quote:

Originally Posted by bbgobie (Post 8932894)

Huh?

Do you actually race bicycles?

Today, I understand, but the stages before that?

Italian commentator is saying the riders were complaining about badly parked cars and too many spectator crossing points.

Can't imagine what they wold have done in the rain.

Quote:

Originally Posted by RockyMtnMerlin (Post 8932997)

Giro organiser Angelo Zomengnan has said, "I don't agree with the riders on this decision. If this circuit is dangerous, then races like Amstel Gold and Liège-Bastogne-Liège should be canceled."

One day classics / Grand Tour, there is a difference.

Quote:

Originally Posted by rollin (Post 8933063)

Italian commentator is saying the riders were complaining about badly parked cars and too many spectator crossing points.

Can't imagine what they wold have done in the rain.

Badly parked cars and too many spectator crossing points? As much as I love the sport, that sounds like a bunch of Prima Donnas to me. What happened to HTFU and freakin' race?

I am waiting for Lance to twitter from the peleton.

They're up to 54 kph, more like it for pros...

Quote:

Originally Posted by Racer Ex (Post 8931405)

There is no such thing as the "best steady state climber". The guy who gets to the top first is the best climber. If the discussion proceeds to how much time he'll lose, he's probably not the best climber in the race. There are several guys who can/will put time into him on the climbs on one day, and he'll take back some on the next.

Basso already had Levi on his back foot in one stage, I've watched the midget for quite a while and I could see some strained body language and cadence from Levi when Basso was on the front for a long period.

I wouldn't bet against Levi in the TT. Given the course though, he may not gain as big as advantage as people might think.

If he doesn't come out of stage 12's TT with a 3+ minute lead, he could well lose this to Basso, with an outside chance of guys like Di Luca, Sastre, or Menchov finding their way in front of him. An on-form Basso could take several minutes out of him in one of the mountain stages, cumulatively he could take enough to win.

Levi's best GT finishes have been when his teammate has won. Like Cunego working off the other's fear of Simoni, Levi has benefited greatly from Alberto's presence. The record backs that up, much as Sastre would not have won the TDF without the Schlecks.

If I'm Astana's DS I would have been screaming in Levi's ear today to shut down the bridge. He had a great opportunity to either make teams chase the break then counter, or leapfrog Horner up on GC and force the other teams to watch him also. Instead he took a moron pill and doomed a perfect set up while burning matches needlessly. And Popovich needs to quit being a self indulgent stage hunter. Great idea, launch a weak attack at the end on the race...burn some matches. Levi who? Why are we here again? Shades of his horrid riding for Lotto in the TDF last year.

Finally they need to cut Lance loose to fend for himself and send those guys up the race. He's done, and he's not going to be a GC factor in the tour either. Horner broke his collarbone in April too, missed about the same amount of training time, and has been flying. Lance has been at this since November and while he's looked good if his name was Frenchy Cameratime, he's shown zero vestiges of Tour winning form.

Astadiscomailboxes looked brilliant when they had the strongest guy in the race. Lately? Not so much.

Finally, Levi could just implode. He's had a lot of racing to this point.

I think he will be in form at the tour, if there is a team. I think the collarbone was good reason to make it look like he's lost the edge and get that in Cadel and Sastre's head over June. He and Bruneyl put spin every Spring to downplay his form, and then magically in July he'd show up. And remember who he'd be racing against at the tour (assuming Cantador ops for 2nd string - Evans, Sastre, and Vande Velde (now injured). Kohl is done, Schleck is Schleck, Valverde is out, Kirchen 7 minutes back.
Armstrong came back because of what he saw at last years tour - Evans laboring up climbs, Schleck's TT unability, and Sastre winning alp de huez. The best guy didn't win last year. Fun to watch with close times but the talent pool or lack of is why he is here. If Ullie or Pantani were in the mix he may have opted out. Just my .02

Quote:

Originally Posted by bac (Post 8932025)

They forced LPR, and specifically DopeLuca, to use much energy in the chase. Also, they damn near pulled off the move. I wouldn't call it dumb by any stretch.
... Brad

Did you watch the race? They didn't come "damn near". They got gobbled up with 17km to go and barely made 10km out there once Levi joined the group.

DiLuca, BTW, never saw the front during the chase. He did give it a shot on the final climb and had enough to try to sprint for the finishing time bonus.

So you believe that Levi should keep working in doomed small breaks on downhill stages, making the GC contenders teammates chase him while the other GC contenders sit in.

Interesting tactic. I'm not sure it'll work, but it looks like he might try it.

Me, I might conserve every bit of energy until the stages where I might actually make up some time. I'd send other guys up the road like Horner, and stay put, then counter. It's worked for me when I've won stage races.