2014 Giro d' Italia: Stage 14 Aglie - Oropa (162 km)

[ILovecycling]

they didn't know uran wasn't riding well until 5 k for the finish. they were never going to take big time on him anyway and uran never looked in trouble either. more like he didn't care somehow

Its pretty weird,but it looked like it.When Pozzovivo upped pace he just slowed down and let Nairo ride past him with no interest at all.Maybe he just wanted to ride his pace ,concetrate on himself and not go into red with tomorrow stage in mind - which is wise,on the other hand he didnt follow Poels sprint to the line (but Poels is punchy) so this confused me a lot.

A voice of reason,how do so many know that is Uran finished,at this point its one bad day and he's still in pink.Huge overreaction on Uran's chances IMO.

Pretty much this.He is not done yet,maybe he just chose to limit losses and ride tempo with Poels as he didnt feel good.I think he will be better in next days,or it can be the other scenario that he doesnt have good climbing legs this spring like we talked about it here couple days ago.




Other thing...Im shocked how anybody can think Quintana looked 'better'. How better?He told to journalist (this morning) that he has same kind of problems like in previous days.This is just his not top shape performace.I hope his problems will be solved after monday 3rd rest day,then we will see his 'better' climbing.

edit: Uran is tranquilo,so the first scenario is realistic
http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/uran-says-no-need-to-prove-strength-every-day-at-giro-ditalia

 

[el_angliru]

It's have been pulled back if any of the real contenders had gone for it - they let them go because they are no massive overall threat, outsiders at best.

Whether the acceleration to create a gap is with 50km to go or 500m to go, it makes little difference if the gap at the finish line remains the same. If Quintana and Pozzo had gone with Rolland and Thurau then Evans, Uran, Aru etc would have chased them and they'd have all arrived at the final climb together, either as the main peloton or a chasing group. You can't attack constantly for 50km.

What you say is probably correct for 90% of race situations. Possibly even more than that! And I'll gladly admit that I'm a bit of an old-school romantic - and probably a bit naive. But it sometimes happens that riders are riding way over their limit, "cooked", risking a total bonk. But they're able to "hide" their crisis and manages to lure their rivals into riding at "grupetto speed", like one of the commentators said today (Rolf Sorensen).

We sometimes see a gap of 30 seconds or even a minute open up in the last k of a climb. Then I always wonder what would have happened if the attack had come earlier?

When Saxo-Tinkoff attacked with more than 30K's to go in the cross-winds in the 2013 Tour it seemed futile. But it paid off. It sometimes does. And (as a viewer of cycling) I'm happy that some riders are willing to take the risk. It's fun to watch

 

[ILovecycling]

That, to you, suggests he is "clever"???

I think he meant it suggests he is not a non-inteligent flathead

 

[trevim]

Some notes from today's stage:
- Hats off to Giant, showing their colors in the big mountain stages. Much better than most of the "climbers teams". Good effort from Timmer.
- Good job from Rolland and Hesjedal, very good tactically. I hope to see them both in the top10, maybe with stage wins.
- Lol at Trek chasing to protect a 10th place or whatever that was. Look at Hesjedal and Rolland and learn something.
- Also, EBH seems strong but it will be difficult to win a stage if he keeps hitting the break on MTF.
- Uran may have a long defense ahead. Evans and Majka may not be the biggest threats but Pozo (if he doesn't have a bad day) and Quintana are capable of killing him on the mountains.
- Also nice one from Pantano. Probably one of the few decent riders of that team.

 

[DirtyWorks]

Also if Evans was really so much stronger than Uran it would be stupid not to go in the last 1k or so to try and take back 15 or 20 seconds, rather than sprint for a worthless 3.

But, he grabbed a few seconds on his GC rival and he's within striking distance with huge climbing stages to come. He doesn't dig too deep to get them either.

If he grabs a few seconds every day, he remains in contention and can wait for the GC leader to crack, or, the GC leader launches an enormous attack late in the race and buries him.


Grabbing a few seconds is sensible strategy with the greatest likelihood of working.

 

[Arredondo]

Because he had done a record time on Galibier just before?

Yes true, but saying Evans only won the Tour due to the TT is a little bit harsh. Evans rode the Galibier stage in a impressive way. He only had to take full responsibility behind Schleck.

 

[Trond Vidar]

- Also, EBH seems strong but it will be difficult to win a stage if he keeps hitting the break on MTF.

According to Kurt Asle Arvesen he was working for Cataldo today

 

[Cookster15]

Other thing...Im shocked how anybody can think Quintana looked 'better'. How better?He told to journalist (this morning) that he has same kind of problems like in previous days.This is just his not top shape performace.I hope his problems will be solved after monday 3rd rest day,then we will see his 'better' climbing.

It beats me how anyone can expect a rider to "recover" from a respiratory illness in the middle of a grand tour - especially successive mountain stages like those to come. The human immune system does not work like that no matter how special you are. Quintana might just pay the price for his efforts today - even with the rest day. No antibiotic will help a virus. And no virus weakens when you put the body under extreme duress. If fact you can think you have an illness beat but if you over extend yourself too soon it will surely worsen.

 

[FoxxyBrown1111]

Yes true, but saying Evans only won the Tour due to the TT is a little bit harsh. Evans rode the Galibier stage in a impressive way. He only had to take full responsibility behind Schleck.

OK, apologize. Let me correct it then. The less coward won over the big one, who always needed big siz to pamper him (outside of the single lone career stage at Galibier).
Now he´s gone, our little cry baby. Too bad AC wasn´t in form (whatever reasons ) back then. I stand by my words Evans should never ever have won a GT.

 

[The Hitch]

I get it might be annoying to see someone wheelsuck and eventually win, but you have to understand riders play with the cards they have. Evans is not as strong as the others here and an attack/spending time at the front is suicide. Simple as that.

That's such a cop out. If it becomes justified to wheelsuck and gain the fruits of other people's labour, then everyone will just pretend to be weak and the few honest men will be punished.

 

[Eyeballs Out]

I don't think there is much to be read into today GC-wise. It was a short stage and they did the first two-thirds at Petacchi's pace. Uran picked a good stage to have a bad day

 

[The Hitch]

I fully understand that. Let me add that Evans should never have won that dull TdF back then. Only the late ITT helped him out.
Ok, hardly to blame him for that, but the organizers; who make the GTs easier and easier, thus the strongest not always wins.

That was the hardest tour de France in years, and not a very tt friendly one at all.

Evans won because he was super strong that year. If anything aided him it was the Schleck's stupidity of not attacking in the Pyranees, acting as if that Tour was gods gift to them , then finding themselves with too much to do in the Alpes.

Certainly not the organizers.

 

[FoxxyBrown1111]

That's such a cop out. If it becomes justified to wheelsuck and gain the fruits of other people's labour, then everyone will just pretend to be weak and the few honest men will be punished.

Don´t worry. Won´t happen we are in the Froome days Attacking style beyond 500 m to finish is back ....
Cowards (and riders gotten GTs gifted like Hesjedal was) never again will win a GT.
Even if the clinic will go down in a nuclear meltdown any day, I take every GT after the TdF-11 and Giro-12 a tousand times over (yes, even the one trademark grandpa won)...

 

[The Hitch]

Can we now conclude Basso's days as GT rider are over?

Was nowhere today

They've been over for a while. Not doing anything in the 2012 giro which was made for him, was the final straw.

 

[FoxxyBrown1111]

That was the hardest tour de France in years, and not a very tt friendly one at all.

Evans won because he was super strong that year. If anything aided him it was the Schleck's stupidity of not attacking in the Pyranees, acting as if that Tour was gods gift to them , then finding themselves with too much to do in the Alpes.

Certainly not the organizers.

Yop. It was soo hard that Hushovd and EBH won mountain stages.

 

[The Hitch]

Because he had done a record time on Galibier just before?

But Andy said to the interviewers that he thought he could defend his margin in the tt. Besides he was looking around talking to Evans and Frank the whole climb. They should have at least had Frank who had an armchair ride in the peloton earlier, attack.

Its not that he wasn't strong enough, its that the idiot actually thought he could defend the lead in the tt

I also think Evans got very lucky to get that mechanical then. Because he was falling off and knowing Evans he would almost certainly have gone into the red for a while trying to keep up like Voeckler did. Instead the mechanical forced him to just go back to the peloton .

 

[The Hitch]

Yop. It was soo hard that Hushovd and EBH won mountain stages.

They won breakaway stages where the mountains were 50km from the finish and the gt riders were resting from the real mountains.

These were the proper mountain stages.

3 HC climbs in 1 stage. At the time highest altitude finish in Grand tour history, one of highest TDF points ever - Col d Agnel, one of steepest climbs in TDF ever as well. Don't know if there's been a harder TDF profile this millenium.

In addition to the 3 you mention which had high mountain climbs in the middle, the Gap stage which had a cat 2 climb near the finish and 3 htfs.

Compared to 1 50km itt for the whole race.

Probably the most climber friendly Tour de France in history. If climbers can't get it done there, they never can.

 

[Butterhead]

After having seen a recorded version of todays stage I would say Roche missed a stage win, was not the most brilliant move I have ever seen trying to go alone 40 k from the finish with a 30k downhill in between.

Of course Uran should be tested after yesterdays hard TT, well done by Pozzo and Quintana, but the race have just started, there´s a long way to go, it can end up with anything.

 

[Cookster15]

Don´t worry. Won´t happen we are in the Froome days Attacking style beyond 500 m to finish is back ....
Cowards (and riders gotten GTs gifted like Hesjedal was) never again will win a GT.
Even if the clinic will go down in a nuclear meltdown any day, I take every GT after the TdF-11 and Giro-12 a tousand times over (yes, even the one trademark grandpa won)...

Hesjedal was "gifted" the 2012 Giro? . Did you miss when he dropped JRod to Alpe di Pampeago? That climb was a man against man test of the strongest and Ryder showed he was stronger than JRod when it really counted. You can't attack when you are already at your limit as JRod was that day.

Plus stages 18 and 19 of the 2011 TDF were two of the most epic in recent GT history - and since. Maybe you should try to pick better examples to support your arguments?

http://www.cyclingnews.com/races/giro-ditalia-2012/stage-19/results

 

[trevim]

Yop. It was soo hard that Hushovd and EBH won mountain stages.

Hushovd won a stage that probably was at least 30% of Evans Tour win. Yeah the one Contador blew apart on the Col de Manse after a very fast 2-3h of riding. And everyone found out that Andy's descending was embarassing.
The Alps were great; shame on Leopard that they choose to do nothing in the Pyrenees: on Plateau Beille Andy claimed it wasn't steep enough to make a difference (a f**** 8% climb!!) and on Luz Ardiden they lost a golden opportunity. Contador was dead, they could've got ride of him on the Tourmalet. Yet it was Hernandez that pulled over the top.
Simply put, it was a great route. Evans was great and lucky. His competition probably just dumb.

 

[Butterhead]

OK, apologize. Let me correct it then. The less coward won over the big one, who always needed big siz to pamper him (outside of the single lone career stage at Galibier).
Now he´s gone, our little cry baby. Too bad AC wasn´t in form (whatever reasons ) back then. I stand by my words Evans should never ever have won a GT.

You obviously never ever rode a bike your entire life and still claiming you know better. And to be honest, without getting personal, the rest of your post is embarrassing beyond believe. But what else to expect from a guy who never rode a bike.

 

[trevim]

According to Kurt Asle Arvesen he was working for Cataldo today

Thanks for the info
Even in the breakaways he's a domestique. Can't wait to see him out of Sky.

 

[Escarabajo]

It beats me how anyone can expect a rider to "recover" from a respiratory illness in the middle of a grand tour - especially successive mountain stages like those to come. The human immune system does not work like that no matter how special you are. Quintana might just pay the price for his efforts today - even with the rest day. No antibiotic will help a virus. And no virus weakens when you put the body under extreme duress. If fact you can think you have an illness beat but if you over extend yourself too soon it will surely worsen.

Don't believe too much what riders say. Let them speak with their legs. So many excuses and lies in cycling when you are not performing. Or just bluffing. So let's wait and see.

 

[ILovecycling]

It beats me how anyone can expect a rider to "recover" from a respiratory illness in the middle of a grand tour - especially successive mountain stages like those to come. The human immune system does not work like that no matter how special you are. Quintana might just pay the price for his efforts today - even with the rest day. No antibiotic will help a virus. And no virus weakens when you put the body under extreme duress. If fact you can think you have an illness beat but if you over extend yourself too soon it will surely worsen.

1.its pollen alergy
2.I have it all my life,so I know how exactly it works.It can disapear in just two days,we are talking about like four days.

So keep calm
and
believe in monster recovery

 

[Cookster15]

Hushovd won a stage that probably was at least 30% of Evans Tour win. Yeah the one Contador blew apart on the Col de Manse after a very fast 2-3h of riding. And everyone found out that Andy's descending was embarassing.
The Alps were great; shame on Leopard that they choose to do nothing in the Pyrenees: on Plateau Beille Andy claimed it wasn't steep enough to make a difference (a f**** 8% climb!!) and on Luz Ardiden they lost a golden opportunity. Contador was dead, they could've got ride of him on the Tourmalet. Yet it was Hernandez that pulled over the top.
Simply put, it was a great route. Evans was great and lucky. His competition probably just dumb.

The Schlecks attempted several attacks in the Pyreenees - both Luz Ardiden and PDB. It was just that Evans was very strong that year and had no trouble closing then down. He also knew Frank could not TT so he just worried about Andy and let Andy worry about AC. I also noted Evans spun low gears on the climbs obviously to be able to respond to multiple attacks easier and not blow up. He only pushed big gears climbing on the stage 18 chase which was effectively a MTT for him. Plus the headwind meant noone was willing or able to attack him until Frank in the final 200m.