Giro d' Italia 2014

[Jakkals.]

That is carnage! Nice to see my dark horse of Wilco is hanging in there!

 

I think Cuddles is going to still be hard fought as soon as the mountains come. There are still a lot of class guys and mountain goats in the 2 - 3 minute range. Cuddles is a war horse but he's not a 60kg specialist. Jeez, Dennis put 24 seconds onto Wiggins on 500 meters in the TdUSA.

 

Thing is that cuddles knows the pressure of a GT, he knows his form and he is tactically heads and shoulders above most of the contenders. He also knows he's going to get slammed on a fair few stages in that last week so needs to make a buffer. Best believe he's going to one out and give all in the 2 ITTs uphill or not.

 

Yes Dennis did put time into Wiggo, however they could only come pass him in the last 500 as he was riding tempo on the last climb for 5km. I think Wiggo will surprise with a hill top finish in TOC.

[GrumpyOldGuy]

Cuddles and BMC is being hauled over the coals for racing on and gaining an advantage.

That's racing though as they've worked consistently on positioning themselves near the front.

 

If someone has a technical, that's another matter.

Chain drop - hmmmmm?

 

Yah, I see that, they really did race on and take advantage, so I think the comments are fair.

 

Personally I would have thought, Evans of all people, been the personality he is, would have at least sat up and not conscientiously looked for the advantage. I am also not convinced on the positioning issue, when the crash happened many of the guys around him also went down, Evans just got lucky in my opinion and I think it was unfortunate he decided to take advantage of the incident.

 

But, Yah, I guess he sees it differently, and he isnt here to make friends, still very opportunistic though.

Edited May 15, 2014 by GrumpyOldGuy

[GrumpyOldGuy]

Well, we'll, well. What looked like a pretty innocuous stage on paper has just torpedoed the plans and aspirations of a whole bunch of hopefuls.

 

What a difference a day makes.

 

Advantage Evans.

 

Yah, but he didn't make any friends today either, Uran seems to have been the luckiest of the remainder and lost the least time, Scarpo, Quintana, Pozzivivo, Rolland all around the same time but Rodriguez at almost 10 minutes back is done for.

[Gen]

 

 

Yah, but he didn't make any friends today either, Uran seems to have been the luckiest of the remainder and lost the least time, Scarpo, Quintana, Pozzivivo, Rolland all around the same time but Rodriguez at almost 10 minutes back is done for.

 

Rodriguez has 2 broken ribs and a broken thumb.

[tombeej]

Then it means Evans has a short memory.

 

Remember this day in the 2012 TDF:

http://www.theroar.com.au/2012/07/16/tour-de-france-diary-stage-14-saboteurs-cause-chaos-for-evans-field/

['Dale]

 

 

Rodriguez has 2 broken ribs and a broken thumb.

 

Yeah, he was rolling gently to the finish.

I reckon he'll check out and recover for TdF.

[T-Bob]

Yah, I see that, they really did race on and take advantage so I think the comments are fair, personally I would have thought Evans of all people been the personality he is would have at least sat up and not conscientiously looked for the advantage.

 

I was a bit surprised but where do you draw the line? Punctures, mechanicals, keep an eye on the top ten plus contenders? few in trouble (is that top 3 or 5) or just the favs? Pull the pin? I'm sure if it was like the tour de Tack then he would also have sat up. Crashes happen every race to all riders. It's as much as skill to avoid as missing an echelon starting.

 

Who knows, it's a minefield. He obviously targeted this stage as part of his overall race strategy from way back and it was key one at that. He know he's a 37 year old in a young mans game and he's a dead set competitor. I'm not sure how to feel about the charge but I also know that safest place is at the front. From Classics to GTs that truth is solid for all contenders.

 

Yes Dennis did put time into Wiggo, however they could only come pass him in the last 500 as he was riding tempo on the last climb for 5km. I think Wiggo will surprise with a hill top finish in TOC.

 

For sure, just using it as a measure of how easily 2-3 minutes could get wiped out especially in the craziness of this last week. Dennis did the perfect ride - let the jersey pin it on the front, hang on and then hit him in the last 500 once he's had to deal with the last flurry of attacks. Bang, halved his deficit. Twiggy can't do that explosive thing, he's an amazing TT, track and measured tempo guy and need distance for that to claw back riders. That's why he should be a great Roubaix guy but also why you can nip bits out of him in the last 500m - 1km on a hill top.

 

Loved the classics and loving the start to the GTs. So far it's been a great year for riding.

 

Shame on the Jrod news. I still want him to come good in a GT.

[GrumpyOldGuy]

Then it means Evans has a short memory.

 

Remember this day in the 2012 TDF:

http://www.theroar.c...or-evans-field/

 

Yah this part may give him something to think about......With the notable exception of ninth-placed Pierre Rolland (Europcar), the main field (led by Sky) showed great sportsmanship by slowing down for Evans.

 

Not impressed by his attitude today.

[GrumpyOldGuy]

Rodriguez has 2 broken ribs and a broken thumb.

 

Wow, he really has been in the wars of late. Sad to see him go, but I really cant see how he could continue.

[T-Bob]

Then it means Evans has a short memory.

Remember this day in the 2012 TDF:

http://www.theroar.c...or-evans-field/

 

May be Matthews should have stood up as well as the wearer of the Rosa as Twiggy did in the Yellow Jersey. I would have expected his DS to have advised a young guy on some of the finer parts of etiquette. Remember, Hinault grabbed the TdF by the scruff of the neck in his 1st year and used the power of the jersey to protest and control actions deemed to be unsporting.

[GrumpyOldGuy]

I was a bit surprised but where do you draw the line? Punctures, mechanicals, keep an eye on the top ten plus contenders? few in trouble (is that top 3 or 5) or just the favs? Pull the pin? I'm sure if it was like the tour de Tack then he would also have sat up. Crashes happen every race to all riders. It's as much as skill to avoid as missing an echelon starting.

 

Who knows, it's a minefield. He obviously targeted this stage as part of his overall race strategy from way back and it was key one at that. He know he's a 37 year old in a young mans game and he's a dead set competitor. I'm not sure how to feel about the charge but I also know that safest place is at the front. From Classics to GTs that truth is solid for all contenders.

 

 

Yah, I guess,........... I always sort of think back to that TDF when Ullrich went over the edge and disappeared down the cliff, he and LA were the only two in contention, and LA, give him his due, immediately sat up and waited for big Jan to climb back up and out over the edge, it took a while, and I clearly remember LA looking around and watching to see Jan's curly mop of hair appear over the top...........maybe those days are gone in the new peleton,... but in that case, I would have to say I am not in favour of the new peleton then.

Edited May 15, 2014 by GrumpyOldGuy

[GrumpyOldGuy]

May be Matthews should have stood up as well as the wearer of the Rosa as Twiggy did in the Yellow Jersey. I would have expected his DS to have advised a young guy on some of the finer parts of etiquette. Remember, Hinault grabbed the TdF by the scruff of the neck in his 1st year and used the power of the jersey to protest and control actions deemed to be unsporting.

 

Indeed, I tend to agree with you there, but perhaps he could argue he wasn't racing, just sitting on, BMC on the other hand WAS racing............I dunno, I guess its still a business, but even in business you sometimes step back and let an unfair advantage go, I think this should have been one of those days.

Edited May 15, 2014 by GrumpyOldGuy

[T-Bob]

Indeed, I tend to agree with you there, but perhaps he could argue he wasn't racing, just sitting on, BMC on the other hand WAS racing............I dunno, I guess its still a business but even in business you sometimes step back and let the advantage go, I think this should have been one of those days.

 

For sure... I've no idea if cuddles was racing because of the crash and issues or racing his race. I think Mathews missed a chance, if the moment warranted it he should have ridden to the front and called it not sat on a wheel but he got the stage. Can't blame him. He's a young guy, on an aussie team and M.White is not a sentimentalist when it comes to these things.

 

Interesting article on this exact thing from cycling weekly. Seems like there is no remorse in these things from the teams.

 

Saddest thing though is JRod has quit. Gutted for him.

 

http://cdn.velonews.competitor.com/files/2014/05/Joaquim-Rodriguez-659x440.jpg

Edited May 15, 2014 by hellocolour

[ScottCM]

Yesterdays Satge 6 crash near the end did a nice shake up in our Fantasy League, Top 3 are as follows:

http://www.velogames.com/giro-ditalia/2014/images/logos/VEL.png supervan jack 1363

 

http://www.velogames.com/giro-ditalia/2014/images/logos/MAR.png Loosey-Goosey Jean Swart 1244

 

http://www.velogames.com/giro-ditalia/2014/images/logos/SUI.png The Racing Snakes Wez-O 1181

Edited May 16, 2014 by ScottC-M

[Jakkals.]

I was a bit surprised but where do you draw the line? Punctures, mechanicals, keep an eye on the top ten plus contenders? few in trouble (is that top 3 or 5) or just the favs? Pull the pin? I'm sure if it was like the tour de Tack then he would also have sat up. Crashes happen every race to all riders. It's as much as skill to avoid as missing an echelon starting.

 

Who knows, it's a minefield. He obviously targeted this stage as part of his overall race strategy from way back and it was key one at that. He know he's a 37 year old in a young mans game and he's a dead set competitor. I'm not sure how to feel about the charge but I also know that safest place is at the front. From Classics to GTs that truth is solid for all contenders.

 

 

 

For sure, just using it as a measure of how easily 2-3 minutes could get wiped out especially in the craziness of this last week. Dennis did the perfect ride - let the jersey pin it on the front, hang on and then hit him in the last 500 once he's had to deal with the last flurry of attacks. Bang, halved his deficit. Twiggy can't do that explosive thing, he's an amazing TT, track and measured tempo guy and need distance for that to claw back riders. That's why he should be a great Roubaix guy but also why you can nip bits out of him in the last 500m - 1km on a hill top.

 

Loved the classics and loving the start to the GTs. So far it's been a great year for riding.

 

Shame on the Jrod news. I still want him to come good in a GT.

 

Very true, but for most guys in the peleton, Wiggins's Tempo is threshold for the other blokes, so the longer climbs will suit him a lot better, then those guys riding at threshold wont have that much more of a kick left in them.

 

I dont like Wiggo, as it may seem, but he has some class. Have to give it to the guy.

[Jakkals.]

Yesterdays Satge 6 crash near the end did a nice shake up in our Fantasy League, Top 3 are as follows:

http://www.velogames.com/giro-ditalia/2014/images/logos/VEL.png supervan jack 1363

 

http://www.velogames.com/giro-ditalia/2014/images/logos/MAR.png Loosey-Goosey Jean Swart 1244

 

http://www.velogames.com/giro-ditalia/2014/images/logos/SUI.png The Racing Snakes Wez-O 1181

 

Well done chaps, pulling a nice lead there, but is it just a break away that will be caught eventually?