2012 Giro d'Italia; May 19th; Stage 14: Cherasco - Cervinia(205km)

[jens_attacks]

kind of disappointing stage,chapeau to the breakaway guys and to the favourites who really tried something.
hopefully tomorrow it will be a better stage.

about the speed on the climbs,got to recheck it later though:

Col de Joux
2012:22,4@5,6%---54:14---average speed 24.78 km/h(Jose Rujano)

Cervinia
2012:26,7 km@5,5%---1:03:42---average speed 25.15 km/h(Ryder Hesjedal)

they went fast but they were still hiding behind the lieutenants,most of them.
that's why climbs like punta veleno will become the rule,because nobody tries from long range on these ones.

 

[El Pistolero]

That's right, yea. That was the first disaster of a long, bitter year for Movistar. He nearly won a stage of Tirreno-Adriatico last year but the break didn't co-operate, still held on with the GC men at the end. He was lanterne rouge for a few days at the Tour last year after injuring his ankle in the crashes on stage 1.

If I remember correctly the GC men only caught them at the finish line, so no surprise he hung on

 

[Gloin22]

If I remember correctly the GC men only caught them at the finish line, so no surprise he hung on

Yea, they caught Amador & Poels just on the line. Still Poels would have beaten Amador.

 

[El Pistolero]

Oh yeah and as i kept telling y'all, Thomas de gendt, he is the real deal.

I still think he's going to fade on the steeper mountains, but it's looking promising indeed. In an interview he said "If I can do top 20 here in the Giro without good preparation for GC, things are looking very good for the Vuelta where I'll specifically prepare my self for the GC."

I think the mountains of the Vuelta will also suit him better than the climbs in the Giro. Too bad the Giro doesn't have an extra long time trial because he would be able to make up a lot of time. Vacansoleil also did a very bad team time trial where he lost the bulk of his time.

 

[hrotha]

How could that be "disappointing", when no one expected any different?
.

I call BS on that one. I've seen very few mountain stages with two big climbs one after the other, with no flat in between, and a MTF, being wasted like this. They only upped the pace with 6 km to go (the last, what, 3 km? being flattish). With domestiques.

It was definitely one of the worst mountain stages I've ever seen in a GT, and while I wasn't expecting much, I expected at least a semi-hard first climb, a hard second climb, and the actual contenders going at it, first person mode, with at least some 6 km to go. I don't think that's asking for much, and if modern cycling can't even deliver 6 important kms per mountain stage, it's doomed.

 

[rxgqgxnyfz]

Yeah, really disappointing stage.

Just came from astanafans meet-up, barely nothing happenned.

Highlights of the day are Hesjedal and Tiralongo.

Kreuziger should be renamed to "mr. disappointment". All that training and preparing... for what?..

Still, i'm sticking to my guns and will keep rooting for him till the end

 

[The Hitch]

neutralize the stage? since when does liqui neutralizes stages? they were the ones that upped the pace and started the attacks with basso today . . . .



yup, give hesjedal the giro already no need to watch the super mountain stages to come

Hejsdal was super impressive. rodriguez couldn't match him, and he finished 25 seconds in front of a pace that was proving tough for henao frank and kreuziger.

 

[whittashau]

I'm not sure why people here expect Liquigas to expose their un-explosive leader to attacks. They're doing exactly what they should be doing. If anything it's impressive how well and often they do control these climbs.

 

[The Hitch]

I still think he's going to fade on the steeper mountains, but it's looking promising indeed. In an interview he said "If I can do top 20 here in the Giro without good preparation for GC, things are looking very good for the Vuelta where I'll specifically prepare my self for the GC."

I think the mountains of the Vuelta will also suit him better than the climbs in the Giro. Too bad the Giro doesn't have an extra long time trial because he would be able to make up a lot of time. Vacansoleil also did a very bad team time trial where he lost the bulk of his time.

De gendt to get 2nd at the vuelta

 

[spalco]

I don't agree with the Rujano mockery today. Yeah, he failed big, but at least he went for the big win. Isn't that what we want to see?

I think it's hypocritical to complain about scared riding from the favourites when you make fun of those who try to make the race and don't succeed.

 

[Waterloo Sunrise]

Hejsdal was super impressive. rodriguez couldn't match him, and he finished 25 seconds in front of a pace that was proving tough for henao frank and kreuziger.

Calm down.

Ryder was allowed to ride out the front. When Purito attacked, everyone followed but for Ryder they let him go. Simplly no basis for comparison - wait until he is treated like a serious threat and then see if he can go off the front.

Not sure where the idea Henao was struggling comes from, other than the final result sheet. In reality, everyone watching could see him pull the favourite group himself on the last Km and then decline to join in the final sprint, hence 'losing' 3 seconds.

 

[Pippo_San]

I call BS on that one. I've seen very few mountain stages with two big climbs one after the other, with no flat in between, and a MTF, being wasted like this. They only upped the pace with 6 km to go (the last, what, 3 km? being flattish). With domestiques.

It was definitely one of the worst mountain stages I've ever seen in a GT, and while I wasn't expecting much, I expected at least a semi-hard first climb, a hard second climb, and the actual contenders going at it, first person mode, with at least some 6 km to go. I don't think that's asking for much, and if modern cycling can't even deliver 6 important kms per mountain stage, it's doomed.

You guys are forgetting tomorrow's an even harder stage...let's wait and see, I'm sure there will be fireworks...and come on, it was clear looking at the stage profile that Cervinia was such a climb made for domestiques, the kind of climb you like to sat on wheels especially with a headwind...

 

[Waterloo Sunrise]

I don't agree with the Rujano mockery today. Yeah, he failed big, but at least he went for the big win. Isn't that what we want to see?

I think it's hypocritical to complain about scared riding from the favourites when you make fun of those who try to make the race and don't succeed.

I don't complain about sensible riding, but I do mock big mouthed failure.

And to be fair, the mockery is mainly of Ryo, not Rujano, although he has shown more mouth than talent at times.

 

[The Hitch]

Looking at the results well done to pardilla and benat. very impressive.

 

[Pharazon]

Calm down.

Ryder was allowed to ride out the front. When Purito attacked, everyone followed but for Ryder they let him go. Simplly no basis for comparison - wait until he is treated like a serious threat and then see if he can go off the front.

Not sure where the idea Henao was struggling comes from, other than the final result sheet. In reality, everyone watching could see him pull the favourite group himself on the last Km and then decline to join in the final sprint, hence 'losing' 3 seconds.

Henao was leading out Uran in that final sprint, hence the lost 3 seconds

 

[El Pistolero]

Calm down.

Ryder was allowed to ride out the front. When Purito attacked, everyone followed but for Ryder they let him go. Simplly no basis for comparison - wait until he is treated like a serious threat and then see if he can go off the front.

Not sure where the idea Henao was struggling comes from, other than the final result sheet. In reality, everyone watching could see him pull the favourite group himself on the last Km and then decline to join in the final sprint, hence 'losing' 3 seconds.

Contador was allowed to ride out the front. When Nibali attacked, everyone followed but for Contador they let him go. Simplly(sic) no basis for comparison - wait until he is treated like a serious threat and then see if he can go off the front.

^ That's how ridiculous your post sounds. Can you guess which stage I'm describing by the way?

This mountain was suited to Hesjedal and that's why he got away. Of course things will be different on the Mortirolo and Stelvio, but that has nothing to do with today's performance. Remember when Wiggins was channeling "Indurain" on some mountain stages during the Vuelta? Similar stages, similar riders.

 

[Waterloo Sunrise]

Contador was allowed to ride out the front. When Nibali attacked, everyone followed but for Contador they let him go. Simplly(sic) no basis for comparison - wait until he is treated like a serious threat and then see if he can go off the front.

^ That's how ridiculous your post sounds. Can you guess which stage I'm describing by the way?

This mountain was suited to Hesjedal and that's why he got away. Of course things will be different on the Mortirolo and Stelvio, but that has nothing to do with today's performance.

Sorry, you're right, just re-watched and no one tried to go with him because they were on the rivet and he was so obviously going to win the race that it didn't make any tactical sense to put themselves in the red following his superhuman pace.


...

Yep, perfect parallel, well done.

 

[Mellow Velo]

How could that be "disappointing", when no one expected any different?
.

I didn't say it was.
This was my way of an explanation to somebody else, who found the stage disappointing.
Please don't take my comment in isolation.

Guardini hunting down the maglia nero.

 

[Vino attacks everyone]

Sorry, you're right, just re-watched and no one tried to go with him because they were on the rivet and he was so obviously going to win the race that it didn't make any tactical sense to put themselves in the red following his superhuman pace.


...

Yep, perfect parallel, well done.

lol

.........

 

[The Hitch]

Calm down.

Ryder was allowed to ride out the front. When Purito attacked, everyone followed but for Ryder they let him go. Simplly no basis for comparison - wait until he is treated like a serious threat and then see if he can go off the front.

Not sure where the idea Henao was struggling comes from, other than the final result sheet. In reality, everyone watching could see him pull the favourite group himself on the last Km and then decline to join in the final sprint, hence 'losing' 3 seconds.

Yeah he was let go, but if he wasn't climbing very well you would expect someone like rodriguez to have come a lot closer in his attack rather than gain 3 m then fade.

If henao lost that time purely in the sprint fair enough, but the pace was still no joke and hejsdal put 25 s into it. Im not saying he will win the giro or anything but for someone who was barely hanging on on a climb a few stages back, this was a very impressive performance.

 

[hrotha]

In other news, Huzarski and Gárate lost a truckload of time, so they won't be doing any sort of top 25. Pinotti and Larsson also lost more time than they should have, so a top 20 is dubious. Oh and Slagter got another sign that he should probably focus on the hills in the future.

Exciting stage.

 

[Waterloo Sunrise]

Yeah he was let go, but if he wasn't climbing very well you would expect someone like rodriguez to have come a lot closer in his attack rather than gain 3 m then fade.

If henao lost that time purely in the sprint fair enough, but the pace was still no joke and hejsdal put 25 s into it. Im not saying he will win the giro or anything but for someone who was barely hanging on on a climb a few stages back, this was a very impressive performance.

Not saying it wasn't a great ride, just not convinced it proves too much about Ryder outclimbing anyone yet.

Having said that, most of the supposed favourites here were rank poor in their last GT, so I wouldn't be too surprised if Ryder did turn out to be right at very sharp end.

 

[FabulousCandelabra]

Ryder smoked them fools, just admit it.

Go Canada wooooo!!

 

[jens_attacks]

Caruso looks a lot like Di Luca

thanks a lot,i wasn't the only on thinking like that.
it looks like killer was invited in this giro after all

 

[Lexman]

Hejsdal was super impressive. rodriguez couldn't match him, and he finished 25 seconds in front of a pace that was proving tough for henao frank and kreuziger.

Henao worked for Uran the last 1,5 km so that explains he was a little behind at the finish, Kreuziger well just couldn't follow