Eugene Oppelt

@veloncc

The Italian Job

And Simon Yates weeps, after 8 years or so after losing the pink jersey up the very same climb. Chapeau! Some digits from Stravus. 20 race days later. Up a legendary climb. The amount of hard work, grit and consistency in sweat drops, remarkable.

I would sell one of my Bitcoinz to get a transcript of the last 90 minutes of radio communication between GC rider and the DS for both EF and UAE. And footage of the teams’ debriefing. 🫠 Sensational. Dramatic. Beautiful racing. The intrigue of sport at the highest level. Getty Images

Mexico is proud too.

It’s about that time. Red is faster mos.

“When the spirits are low, when the day appears dark, when work becomes monotonous, when hope hardly seems worth having, just mount a bicycle and go out for a spin down the road, without thought on anything but the ride you are taking.” — Arthur Conan Doyle

Stage 20 is the big and threatening speed bump to glory for the Maglia Rosa, according to many reports. Will lack of experience at Grand Tour level derail the Mexican’s GC or is he simply too well conditioned and talented to ‘break the old and conventional ways’ of winning over 3 weeks? Go, Richie!

That’ll warm me up 🫥

The high high and the low lows of professional sport.

Something like 22 000 m vert over the next 4-5 stages. Can the 21 year old surprise and climb like an angel until Rome? Will Roglič exit and reset for the Tour de France after seemingly struggling with injuries on both hips? Can Yates overcome his rivals and win GC after coming so so close in 2018 thereabouts? Great photograph:

The Namibian on a podium in the land of stats and stripes - cool stuff

Recovery-from-gogga week 😝

The high mountains beckon and this is the state of GC affairs. Remarkable.

The Maglia Rosa extends his lead extensively and there’s a moerse GC shake up after a big crash on a wet circuit finalé. There will be quite a bit of strategy discussions now which will lead to more dramatic and intriguing race scenarios up Mont Grappa tomorrow. “After a tough year, the team believed in me and signed me… and after illness in spring, they gave me an opportunity quite soon to go for it… glad I could reward them with a win…” - Kasper Asgreen, Stage 14 winner Pic: Getty Images