2013 Giro d'Italia, stage 16: Valloire - Ivrea (238 km)

[JRanton]

I wonder if some of you guys watch the racing. Movistar have won THREE stages.The amazing Alex Dowsett as well as Giovani Visconti and Benat Intxausti. It may not be quite 2 years since Xavi Tondo sadly left us but I am sure that he is lookig down and celebrating for Benat in particular.

Yup, fantastic Giro for them. Not surprising though because they have unbelievable depth in their team. Probably better depth than any world tour team (even Sky).

 

[Dazed and Confused]

Ruined? He was 18th going into today's stage. I'm glad he showed some moxie and tried to race instead of protecting a top-20 placing.

Agree, it was the right move and it could have paid off.

Navardauskas managed to survive from the break and came in with the favorites.

 

[JRanton]

De Greef moves up to 21st! Can he break into the top 20? He's 1 minute 12 seconds behind Atapuma in 20th. Edge of the seat stuff!

 

[qwerty16]

5th isn't too bad I suppose.

Leaves Cav 7 points ahead with 3 stages Evans is likely to score on, 1 for Cav, and 1 wildcard.

Cav really does need to get something from tomorrow - either a great stage win, or get the break pulled back for intermediates if he really can't.

Taking an optimistic view of the 2nd option, he could get 35 more points, so a 42 point gap for Cadel to go for. A lot will rest on the TT - need Cadel off the podium and it starts to look pretty good.

He could get 10 in the intermediates in the last stage as well. That would probably compromise his train in the last km's, but I think he would like to take that red jersey rather than conceding the jersey just to go for another stage win.

 

[whittashau]

Ruined? He was 18th going into today's stage. I'm glad he showed some moxie and tried to race instead of protecting a top-20 placing.

I see what you're saying, but he was only a few minutes away from a top 10 finish whereas now he's destined for mediocrity GC wise, but I guess now he'll be given more freedom by the peloton to go stage hunting.

 

[qwerty16]

Ruined? He was 18th going into today's stage. I'm glad he showed some moxie and tried to race instead of protecting a top-20 placing.

Well, he was stupid enough to keep hanging on in the GC AND goin in the break today. As a result the break was pulled back and he lost his GC too. If he was planning to go on the attack he should have let the GC go long time ago.

 

[SafeBet]

His DS said he was in the break for the stage, not to improve the GC.

 

[Dazed and Confused]

His DS said he was in the break for the stage, not to improve the GC.

I wish more riders in Caruso's position would go into breaks on key stages more often. Makes the race excellent.

 

[Waterloo Sunrise]

He could get 10 in the intermediates in the last stage as well. That would probably compromise his train in the last km's, but I think he would like to take that red jersey rather than conceding the jersey just to go for another stage win.

Yep - interesting point will be if Cadel contests the intermediate sprints tomorrow, if the opportunity arises.

To be honest, I suspect Cav will be 100% for the stage win tomorrow, even if it's a bit of a reach.

 

[theyoungest]

Ruined? He was 18th going into today's stage. I'm glad he showed some moxie and tried to race instead of protecting a top-20 placing.

It's just strange he managed to lose 15 minutes after being invisible all day in a 20 man break. Whereas Kelderman, who was off the front for the final 40 k, lost just 2 minutes.

De Greef moves up to 21st! Can he break into the top 20? He's 1 minute 12 seconds behind Atapuma in 20th. Edge of the seat stuff!

The universe will have to turn inside out for that to happen.

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

poor Gesink, just read the news after i got back.

definite proof he has 0.0000 luck

 

[SafeBet]

poor Gesink, just read the news after i got back.

definite proof he has 0.0000 luck

Don't watch the highlights, it's painful

 

[Leadbelly]

DQ GAVAZZI Mattia AND 17'17"

Anyone know the reason?

Edit - or has cqranking got it wrong?

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

Don't watch the highlights, it's painful

i won't. I don't want to

 

[SafeBet]

DQ GAVAZZI Mattia AND 17'17"

Anyone know the reason?

Edit - or has cqranking got it wrong?

http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/gavazzi-disqualified-from-the-giro-ditalia-for-taking-a-tow

 

[Samson]

Such a shame that Kangert went to sleep when Intxausti attacked.

 

[search]

DQ GAVAZZI Mattia AND 17'17"

Anyone know the reason?

Edit - or has cqranking got it wrong?

no, it's correct. He was disqualified for getting a tow from a car. He already had multiple rule violations on his record in his giro, so today they put an end to it

 

[Viking]

I see what you're saying, but he was only a few minutes away from a top 10 finish whereas now he's destined for mediocrity GC wise, but I guess now he'll be given more freedom by the peloton to go stage hunting.

But how does he get into the top ten? Just roll along and hope 8+ guys in front of him have a bad day or two?

Well, he was stupid enough to keep hanging on in the GC AND goin in the break today. As a result the break was pulled back and he lost his GC too. If he was planning to go on the attack he should have let the GC go long time ago.

I didn't see the stage. What teams did the chase work? It's possible he wasn't a factor in the chase at all.

It's just strange he managed to lose 15 minutes after being invisible all day in a 20 man break. Whereas Kelderman, who was off the front for the final 40 k, lost just 2 minutes.

I'm guessing Kelderman wanted to hold onto 3rd in the young rider classification and Caruso decided to just coast in to perhaps try another day.

--

Anyway, this comes down to the old "try and fail" vs "fail to try". The immediate result is the same, but actually trying shows some possibility for the future. I wish more guys would ride to win, but I understand why they're generally conservative, especially in a brutal grand tour.

 

[seldon71]

Great stage!

Astana was able to play numbers for Kangert and select whom to let fight for the win! Tanel just misplayed the end, but still - bonus seconds went to non-threats.

Great win for Intxausti, who has nice package of ALMOST A-class GC ability and opportunism for stage wins and small gains.

BAD, BAD luck for Gesink - he was impressive despite no late team support.

Vini Fantini-disaster already much talked about, but Colombia-riders disappointed too. Atapuma & Chalapud meekly surrendered from the early break, Duarte's attack wasn't that convincing either, but maybe it saved him to finish in the Gruppo Maglia Rosa (almost) instead of being in Pozzovivo's group. Maybe. For a rider no longer part of GC, that's rather meaningless.

CHAPEAU to inexhaustible Pirazzi! He must come back & re-attack from being dropped about 200 times per Giro. What a heart, what a re-covery and what an absolute ***-hole to be in break with

CHAPEAU to Navardauskas! He is not supposed to survive hills this tough, but there he was, persevering and finishing a credible 4th. Many supposedly superior climbers/puncheurs from the original break being annihilated. He is sole-handedly saving the Giro for Garmin. Who'd have thought?

Vacansoleil, Orica GreenEdge & Cannondale have been absolutely worthless throughout. Lotto-Belisol saved by one great day by Hansen and RadioShack yo-yoing without results, but at least occasionally visible via Nizzolo or Kiserlovski.

 

[Cimber]

Just his normal level.

As the secret pro tweeted 2 days ago:

The Secret Pro ‏@IamtheSecretPro 20 May Menchov retires, Santambrogio wins a stage and sitting in 4th. Pro cycling is still in same balance.

 

[RedheadDane]

You know how they say that a picture says more than a thousan words?
Well: