2012 Giro d'Italia; May 14th; Stage 9: San Giorgio nel Sannio - Frosinone (166km)

[gustienordic]

The preliminary results did not show Kreuziger... good to see he did not lose time today!!

 

[JRanton]

5th Schorn
8th Brändle

NetApp with a more than decent Giro so far.

Very respectable performance so far. Huzarski will win a stage in the third week.

 

[Bernie's eyesore]

I have no problem with that last bend today but if they are going to have a tricky bend like that near the finish then at least have a few different cameras in place to film it so we can enjoy the crash from several angles.

 

[will10]

Very respectable performance so far. Huzarski will win a stage in the third week.

Avatar bet?

 

[seldon71]

Not the easiest sprint/crash to get a read as cameras miss a lot of the movement, but some notes I made :

1) OK, Pippo owned the blame for himself so I guess he was going to crash anyway. However, Goss selects an imbecile line to a corner!!! Slows down a lot and tries to perform an outside-inside sweep in front of whole pack. Terrible maneuveur - shoulda just stayed on Impey's wheel. After all, Daryl did not have a problem to get through...

2) The corner would have played a major role even without the crash. Compare the position of Kristoff vs. Ventoso entering the corner and right after it... Kristoff makes it safely thru' in the 3rd spot but goes too close to barriers and has to slow down losing all the momentum. Suddenly he is trying to accelerate again with at least Schorn & Caruso having passed him easily.

OTOH, Ventoso may ENTER the corner quite far away but comes out of it in 6th or 7th position having already passed many other riders than just crashees...

3) Right read in that corner was to go inside just fast enough to keep the line. I just can't see how the people trying to come around outside would have had a chance in this one. EVEN without a crash, you were bound to be forced to brake as some people from inside would swerve outwards due extensive speeds and cut in front of you while forced to slow down to avoid barriers (see Kristoff)

4) Yes, it was a dangerous to put such a corner at 350 m. Still, one was able to do it in high speed (see Impey, Nizzolo, Caruso, Ventoso, Schorn) so I don't think it was OUT of PLACE one anyway... It was just that some people were overly aggressive (Pozzato), some were absolutely mindless in their line (Goss) and some others read their approach&positioning absolutely wrong (Maes, Haedo, Cavendish). Renshaw was unlucky to get caught in-between Pippo&Goss. He had read the sprint very well...

So, my 2 cents is that IF this was just a straight sprint - yes, Cav was close enough to likely win again.

But even if not victim of Pippo/Goss crash, the outside riders would have been clogged to a standstill speeds by Kristoff (effect worse behind than for the rider causing it) and have had no chance to rework he speed up in time... These riders were Cav & Haedo.

 

[dgodave]

...4) Yes, it was a dangerous to put such a corner at 350 m. Still, one was able to do it in high speed (see Impey, Nizzolo, Caruso, Ventoso, Schorn) so I don't think it was OUT of PLACE one anyway........

Very dangerous.
.
Everyone seemed to know up front that the odds of wreck right there were high, with a big group expected to be barrelling to the finish.
.

 

[Pippo_San]

So no sprinter complained about that last corner, why this forum should?

Pozzato wrist doesn't look too good

 

[PCutter]

Not sure how this is supposed to be Goss' fault. I think in the excitement of the crash Pippo might have gotten a bit confused of who was where in the race. The still shot below the video feed on the webpage below shows Pippo completely locked up, crossed up and boxed in...and nowhere near Goss who was looking at the wide line for a 120deg turn....coming into the corner. My only guess is that Nizzolo (based purely on the positioning in this photo) is the rider who may have grabbed breaks and Pippo just thought it was Goss in the heat of the moment as he was following him earlier.

http://www.cyclingtips.com.au/2012/05/2012-giro-d’italia-–-stage-9-results/

 

[greenedge]

Ventoso did very well to position himself to come out of the corner well. I like Ventoso a lot- there were a few stages at last years TDF where Movistar should have rode for him other than Rojas ( though maybe the fact he was Spanish RR champ counted ). I don't get why Goss got off Impeys' wheel but i think he still would have won the stage.

Odd attack by JROD- he should have conserved for stage 10. Pozzato must be bitterly disappointed to not force a major gap/ crash.

 

[greenedge]

I shall go Goss, Pozzato then Cav.

I jinxed them all.

 

[Mellow Velo]

Ventoso did very well to position himself to come out of the corner well. I like Ventoso a lot- there were a few stages at last years TDF where Movistar should have rode for him other than Rojas ( though maybe the fact he was Spanish RR champ counted ). I don't get why Goss got off Impeys' wheel but i think he still would have won the stage.

Odd attack by JROD- he should have conserved for stage 10. Pozzato must be bitterly disappointed to not force a major gap/ crash.

Just watched Pozzato live on RAI. Again made a big apology to Goss for rear ending him and causing the general pile up.
RAI experts were slightly surprised at from how far back Ventoso came. (indeed, Felline, even further)
Watching again, it was a substantial distance.
The rider the ideal distance back, coming into the bend............according to them.........was.............Mark Cavendish.
(now don't shoot, I'm just the messenger)