2013 Giro D'Italia, Stage 4: Policastro Bussentino - Serra San Bruno

[Ryo Hazuki]

Wiggins hates the rain. Wiggins hates the cold. Wiggins hates the hot.

this pretty much and he can't palce himself well at all without teammates and especially not on wet technical roads. although today wasn;'t even that technical. let's hope it rains the rest of the giro

 

[TANK91]

Lol guys Wiggins is on the same time as Hesjedal and his time as been wiped out to Nibali, he is only 4 or 5 secs behind Nibble's what is so bad about that. I find it hilarious because Wiggins will take time in the ITT and you expect Nibali to destroy Wiggo in the mountains, I have never underrated Nibali on the climbs but when did Nibali become this super climber that can take 30 plus seconds on climbs each stage from Wiggo or Hesjedal, when as he done it. The fact is he has not done it on climbs he is not Contador, Froome or Schleck is he.
If last year is anything to go bye i think Wiggo will take 3 mins on Nibali in the ITT and will probably take 20-25 secs on the MTT, so your relying on Wiggo to have a really bad day in the mountain's where he cracks completely.

 

[Ruudz0r]

I remember Hejsedal got dropped on an uphill finish last year, was very vulnerable and could have been killed off if they wanted to.

Come the dolomites he was as strong as anyone.

Wiggins said a few days ago team numbers show he's better than before the tour last year. While he is hardly someone who has any reservations about lying, it would be pointless in this case to claim to be in the form of your life if you've got nothing.

Hesjedal has superb recuperation, he doesnt really get worse. Thats why its pretty awesome he was already that active yesterday. He normally should get better as the giro progresses (in comparison to his opponents)

 

[Cookster15]

So will Evans.

Yep, Evan's passed another test. Once again he's finished near the front - a good sign of his confidence. It was a big group so the climb did not seem very selective. However I still sense he's going to get stronger as this Giro progresses - not weaker. Why? - because he has been underdone all season - perhaps not wanting to risk recurring health problems, needing to back up for the Tour - plus perhaps recognising his age won't allow him to hold a high level so long as in the past. Much sterner tests ahead - beginning with Stage 8 TT. If he stays healthy it will be very interesting. We will see

 

[cineteq]

But has he?? nothing is set on stone-plus folks here aren't looking in detail the ITT route with all the amount of turns during the first 3/4 of the length plus the hills- which isn't quite of his liking-but then- he should have been 2 minutes ahead after the TTT, right?

there is so much race ahead for Wiggo & Co. to be just fixed on one single stage as the main card to win Il Giro...

You gotta love the 'black or white' posters. They must love video games, where everything repeats over and over.

After today, I can say Sir Bradley Wiggins is in big trouble. I even venture to say he'll be a DNF.

 

[TANK91]

Even at 50% Wiggo will be in pink after stage 8. No matter the gap.
After that, Sky will only need to defend, especially if Wiggo is not in shape...

I agree, Wiggo also has not raced as much as usual I think he will be in great shape in the last week to hang on, Nibali looked a touch better on the stages in Trentino, he may pay for that in 3rd week.

 

[TANK91]

So has it been announce that he will not get the time back guys?

 

[hrotha]

Lol guys Wiggins is on the same time as Hesjedal and his time as been wiped out to Nibali, he is only 4 or 5 secs behind Nibble's what is so bad about that. I find it hilarious because Wiggins will take time in the ITT and you expect Nibali to destroy Wiggo in the mountains, I have never underrated Nibali on the climbs but when did Nibali become this super climber that can take 30 plus seconds on climbs each stage from Wiggo or Hesjedal, when as he done it. The fact is he has not done it on climbs he is not Contador, Froome or Schleck is he.
If last year is anything to go bye i think Wiggo will take 3 mins on Nibali in the ITT and will probably take 20-25 secs on the MTT, so your relying on Wiggo to have a really bad day in the mountain's where he cracks completely.

At this point of the race it's not about time taken or lost (unless someone loses minutes obviously) but about impressions of relative strength. And having trouble on a stage like this is not a good sign, whether he lost 17" or stayed with the group.

 

[maxmartin]

So has it been announce that he will not get the time back guys?

yes it was already settled

“Wiggins was already behind at three kilometers [to go],” said Brocque. “After the last 3km, we had all the time checks thanks to the transponders. We saw who crashed. We had the time at the 3K and finish, and we gave back the time to those that were left behind.”

http://velonews.competitor.com/2013/05/news/race-jury-explains-wiggins-giro-stage-4-time-loss_285496

Are they saying W is not delayed at all by the accident?

Others should smell the blood, more fantastic racing is ahead of us.

 

[gustienordic]

You gotta love the 'black or white' posters. They must love video games, where everything repeats over and over.

After today, I can say Sir Bradley Wiggins is in big trouble. I even venture to say he'll be a DNF.

In the times the camera focused on his face, he looked like he was grimacing or something like that.

 

[Cookster15]

At this point of the race it's not about time taken or lost (unless someone loses minutes obviously) but about impressions of relative strength. And having trouble on a stage like this is not a good sign, whether he lost 17" or stayed with the group.

Plus if he has trouble on a stage like today, who says he's going to be a monster on the TT? Wiggins might still take some time but not the 2 or 3 minutes some have been predicting. It's game on

 

[JRanton]

Are you trolling or hyperventilating?

He moved to the back on a fast wet run in - you're making it sound like he was dropped on a climb with a 50 man peloton. Did you expect him to be smiling for the camera on the climb in the rain?

He was in a group behind the peloton at 3km to go. What do you think he was doing there?

 

[Netserk]

Wiggins hates the rain. Wiggins hates the cold. Wiggins hates the hot.

ROFLMAO

Wiggo the anti-Vino

 

[JRanton]

I remember Hejsedal got dropped on an uphill finish last year, was very vulnerable and could have been killed off if they wanted to.

Come the dolomites he was as strong as anyone.

Wiggins said a few days ago team numbers show he's better than before the tour last year. While he is hardly someone who has any reservations about lying, it would be pointless in this case to claim to be in the form of your life if you've got nothing.

He said similar before the 2010 Tour (that he was in his best shape ever). It was nonsense of course.

 

[jens_attacks]

ROFLMAO

Wiggo the anti-Vino

riccardo ricco about wiggo:

"un morto in bici"

 

[maxmartin]

riccardo ricco about wiggo:

"un morto in bici"

care to translate?

 

[Waterloo Sunrise]

He was in a group behind the peloton at 3km to go. What do you think he was doing there?

That is 3km after the top of the climb. Its entirely consistent with him wanting to take wet corners very easily. It gives no evidence to suggest an issue with his legs.

And I'd be interested to know the definition of behind in any case - the peloton was split in 3 sections with no more than 2 seconds between each section. You need to stop acting like he's been dropped, or put your money where your mouth is because betfair will give you amazing odds to lay if he's as weak as you think you saw.

 

[maxmartin]

That is 3km after the top of the climb. Its entirely consistent with him wanting to take wet corners very easily. It gives no evidence to suggest an issue with his legs.

And I'd be interested to know the definition of behind in any case - the peloton was split in 3 sections with no more than 2 seconds between each section. You need to stop acting like he's been dropped, or put your money where your mouth is because betfair will give you amazing odds to lay if he's as weak as you think you saw.

When the white smoke finally arrived at the press centre, however, it was simply to confirm that the race jury had opted not correct Wiggins's time, the reason being that the Englishman Wiggins had already been distanced from the leading group when he was caught behind the fallen Cristiano Salerno (Cannondale).

Hervé Broecke, president of UCI commissaires on the Giro, explained the decision in detail to reporters. "Wiggins was already behind the bunch when the crash took place because there was a split in the peloton, which was very strung out," he said. "The crash took place with less than three kilometres to go, we watched to see who had been affected by this crash and they were given the time of the riders they were with."

http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/wiggins-loses-ground-at-serra-san-bruno

 

[jamesmasters]

Can someone who watched the race say what actually happened here? On a stage like this, a GC winner really shouldn't be so weak that his own domestiques leave him behind.

I'll give you three options.

(a) He is weak, out of shape, and is likely to finish several minutes down. All the chat about his numbers being better than last year is just empty talk.

(b) He had the legs but screwed up the race and put himself in a bad position.

(c) He was unlucky.

Or some combination of the three?

 

[Netserk]

Can someone who watched the race say what actually happened here? On a stage like this, a GC winner really shouldn't be so weak that his own domestiques leave him behind.

I'll give you three options.

(a) He is weak, out of shape, and is likely to finish several minutes down. All the chat about his numbers being better than last year is just empty talk.

(b) He had the legs but screwed up the race and put himself in a bad position.

(c) He was unlucky.

Or some combination of the three?

Option (b) is my best guess, but we won't know until later.

 

[maxmartin]

Can someone who watched the race say what actually happened here? On a stage like this, a GC winner really shouldn't be so weak that his own domestiques leave him behind.

I'll give you three options.

(a) He is weak, out of shape, and is likely to finish several minutes down. All the chat about his numbers being better than last year is just empty talk.

(b) He had the legs but screwed up the race and put himself in a bad position.

(c) He was unlucky.

Or some combination of the three?

it is not showed on TV and so far there is no clear video about what is going on? That is why there is so much fuss about it. And every party has its own explanation.

 

[Richeypen]

Can someone who watched the race say what actually happened here? On a stage like this, a GC winner really shouldn't be so weak that his own domestiques leave him behind.

I'll give you three options.

(a) He is weak, out of shape, and is likely to finish several minutes down. All the chat about his numbers being better than last year is just empty talk.

(b) He had the legs but screwed up the race and put himself in a bad position.

(c) He was unlucky.

Or some combination of the three?

A mix of B and C. He was positioned too far back but on most other days the peleton would have stayed together and he would have been given the same time. He did a similar thing in the 2009 tour.

 

[JRanton]

At this point of the race it's not about time taken or lost (unless someone loses minutes obviously) but about impressions of relative strength. And having trouble on a stage like this is not a good sign, whether he lost 17" or stayed with the group.

Exactly.

...

 

[Netserk]

Wiggo's arrogance bites him in the @ss.

 

[jamesmasters]

I don't hate Wiggins the way most on here do but it would be quite funny if the answer were (a), after all the talk from him about his numbers and doing the Giro-Tour double. But I can't believe he is that stupid, to run his mouth so much if he is nowhere near strong enough to do anything at all (other than get dropped).