2012 Giro d'Italia, May 23rd, stage 17: Falzes → Cortina D'Ampezzo, 186 Kms

[DominicDecoco]

Exellent race. Much better than what we've seen so far.

 

[Zinoviev Letter]

Uran

3 minutes is a lot of time to make up. And he looked very slightly weaker on the climb than JRod, Basso and Hesjedal. He can definitely end up on the podium, as the guys ahead of him are capable of cracking badly, but it seems more than a bit unlikely that all four will crack, which is what Uran would need to actually win.

 

[cineteq]

It was a good win by Rodriguez and he did what he had to do. But the poster I quoted called it a beautiful win. Like it was some amazing feat.

It was beautiful because he didn't have to do it, and did you catch how he did it (heli view)?
ps: in your face

 

[nvpacchi]

Yes exactly and that's why it's a normal win. Not an AMAZING BEAUTIFUL WIN OMG

Time for you guys to use your brain like Rodriguez did. Maybe then you'd understand what I exactly mean.

My oversight, I thought you were bashing the win, not its beauty.

Nothing spectacular about it, just a solid win

 

[Timmy-loves-Rabo]

Why on earth would he have been holding back there? If he had been capable of tightening the screws even a little more, Scarponi, his biggest rival in theory, would be out of the reckoning.

Just saying how I saw it, IMO he looked like he was holding back at times, on and off the hard pace. Maybe it was the descent that deterred him, but I believe he will be top dog on the weekend.

 

[SafeBet]

Szmyd didn't have mechanical. He cramped. And he wasn't gonna be a factor anyway.

 

[Carl0880]

He didn't look great from the beginning of Giau to me.
But he's got great recovery.

I would chalk that up to his plan going array. He didn't expect to have to start making effort that earlier so he wasn't mentally prepared for it. This was the first time that this Giro has not gone to his team plans.

 

[phanatic]

I liked Pozzo's teaser in the last 500 meters (of the climb). He and Basso are just waiting for an uphill finish. I expect one of those two to win the overall.

 

[Frosty]

8.36 and still no Kreuziger

 

[hmronnow]

Basso at ~1.2km to go ?

Hi,
Basso had a little gap at ~1.2km to go. It seemed more to me as he stopped pedaling than hejsedal catching him. Did I read that wrong? If not, why didn't he keep going?

 

[dlwssonic]

the stage was kind of disappointing IMO. Could have been more exciting but probably no one dared to attack with that descent and flat..

 

[the asian]

Yr agree. Certainly a good stage. If Szmyd doesn't have any mechanicals on the weekend it should be a easy win for Basso! Looks really strong!

 

[whittashau]

Now will the world's best climber make the time limit?

 

[hfer07]

So are we down to four serious contenders now?

JRod
Hesjedal
Basso
Scarponi

+ URAN
+POZZO

anyone falters eaither on Friday or Saturday & it's game over. Hesjedal did good today-but can he repeat it in the coming mountains? Can Purito hold on to the MR? Can Scarponi surprise them? Can Basso drop them all at the Stelvio?Will Pozzo do a daring Attack & claim the magglia?

damn-this is just getting really good!!!

 

[Libertine Seguros]

Is that really true though? Surely if he has only 30 seconds on Hesjedal before the ITT he will lose.

I think that JRod, Basso, and Scarponi still aren't treating Hesjedal like a real contender. They expect him to crack one of these days, and so are only thinking about each other.

Disagree. By stage 17, you are required to take anybody who is at the sharp end of the GC seriously. Especially if they can do a decent ITT.

Rodríguez just didn't have it in him to attack today, so he made sure to mark the important wheels; Hesjedal can't be allowed to go by anybody other than Rodríguez because he's ahead of them, so if he went, anybody capable of responding would respond. Rodríguez thereby let Basso do that work for him.

 

[Zinoviev Letter]

Just saying how I saw it, IMO he looked like he was holding back at times, on and off the hard pace. Maybe it was the descent that deterred him, but I believe he will be top dog on the weekend.

I think he's the biggest favourite. Scarponi has shown a little weakness by getting dropped. Hesjedal has never been right at the sharp end before. JRod has a record of absolutely pooing the bed in crucial TTs.

But I don't agree that he was holding back there. If he was doing so, he's a fool because he could have had Scarponi out of it.

 

[hatcher]

More interesting, tense, and painful than exciting, but good to finally see for sure who the strong guys are.

 

[CobbleStoner]

Well he was in the pink and it was up to everyone else to try and do something. Don't hate him for riding tactically well.

He has often been the animator in stages such as this.

...and he had the best looking bike, that black Canyon with pink was sic!

 

[Bernie's eyesore]

I liked Pozzo's teaser in the last 500 meters (of the climb). He and Basso are just waiting for an uphill finish. I expect one of those two to win the overall.

Pozzo will need to take 5 or 6 minutes in two stages given his crap time trial. He blew it big time today, looked like he had the legs to take some real time if he had been bothered.

 

[Parrulo]

No way it sucked, it was good has me very excited for the weekend. Could have been better, but again it was an entertaining stage.

Just saying how I saw it, IMO he looked like he was holding back at times, on and off the hard pace. Maybe it was the descent that deterred him, but I believe he will be top dog on the weekend.

i completely agree with both posts

 

[will10]

Now will the world's best climber make the time limit?

It wouldn't surprise me if he'd packed.

 

[SafeBet]

If Szmyd doesn't have any mechanicals on the weekend it should be a easy win for Basso! Looks really strong!

Again, no mechanical. He just cramped. And Basso said he struggled on the Duran as well.

 

[whittashau]

Szmyd didn't have mechanical. He cramped. And he wasn't gonna be a factor anyway.

what makes you say that? He was looking down at his bike as if he had a mechanical.

 

[Frosty]

Kreuziger 11.26

26th place finisher Felline was the last one to finish less than 10 minutes back.

 

[dlwssonic]

Can't wait for Basso to set the high pace up the Stelvio