2014 Giro d'Italia, Stage 20: Maniago-Monte Zoncolan (167 Km)

[FoxxyBrown1111]

Either way (attacks or attrition racing/or both) the results of this Zoncolan stage were the same as always (and as expected):

Around 2 mins difference between the T-10 riders at the end of the stage (meaning the ML group, but not the escapers) being together at the valley.

Nairo +/- 0
Dupont + 2.21

So I don´t get all the fuss. That´s normal cycling. If it´s not satisfying, well... change the sport you guys watch.
As long as we don´t go back to non action/backwards riding like in the TdF-11 and Giro-12, all is good.

 

[Netserk]

he snuck away in a break on a flat phase
weird stage

i felt so disappointed for purito that year

No he didn't. He dropped him on a hill.

 

[roundabout]

Vuelta should have a MTF on the last day in my opinion. Preferably one with a flat run-in.

And? What would be different there compared to 10 previous MTFs with a flat run-in?

 

[roundabout]

Either way (attacks or attrition racing/or both) the results of this Zoncolan stage were the same as always (and as expected):

Around 2 mins difference between the T-10 riders at the end of the stage (meaning the ML group, but not the escapers) being together at the valley.

Nairo +/- 0
Dupont + 2.21

So I don´t get all the fuss. That´s normal cycling. If it´s not satisfying, well... change the sport you guys watch.
As long as we don´t go back to non action/backwards riding like in the TdF-11 and Giro-12, all is good.

7 people within 25 seconds

 

[movingtarget]

No he didn't. He dropped him on a hill.

On the downhill wasn't it ?

 

[Bavarianrider]

Most boring Giro ever, thank god the TT were good.
As always the Zoncoloan did NOT deliver. Those super steep climbs simply kill every action.

 

[UlleGigo]

You surely caught that it was passing judgement on Evans' climbing time rather than Rogers' then, which makes your defence of Rogers' time seem a bit strange.

I really wonder sometimes if its worth making comments on here that aren't wholly literal because it seems people struggle immensely with just the slightest bit of nuance. Your last reply to me ranking the quality of the last 10,000 Giros after I pretty much said I don't look at things like that highlights this pretty nicely I think.

To be clear. I understood the comment. I found the comment irrelevant and had some fun with my response to it. If that has proven hard to comprehend I apologise. If required I can attempt to dumb it down even further for you but I'm tired and its getting late.

 

[roundabout]

On the downhill wasn't it ?

No.

It's been less than 2 years, and it was one of the best stages in recent years and people don't remember where the attack happened.

 

[Lupi33]

No he didn't. He dropped him on a hill.

i remember him attacking and 'time trialing' away on the flat...that winding section in a valley. Purito didnt have the strength to bridge the split

 

[Arnout]

And? What would be different there compared to 10 previous MTFs with a flat run-in?

You killed my joke

 

[spalco]

Exactly mate. It's hilarious. As though Quintana owes it to a few peons on this forum to put minutes into people everyday. Or that the challengers owe everyone equally to attack until they either get away or die on the side of the road trying.

It's the same after almost every race. Now they'll stand around congratulating each other on recognising that this Giro was in fact the worst ever and they said it would be back in 2010 because they know so much about cycling and how much it sucks.

I for one really enjoyed the race like I enjoy every race.

I agree with you, but although I don't enjoy *every* race, I do enjoy almost all of them because I don't have unrealistic expectations of watching 2006 Morzine every day.

 

[Lupi33]

re vuelta 2012

maybe the cameras didnt catch it?
maybe eurosport's coverage started just after the attack?

i remember seeing the aftermath and believing what the comms were telling me

it wasnt a mountain stage though... if it was a hill it was a little one

 

[Libertine Seguros]

Most boring Giro ever, thank god the TT were good.
As always the Zoncoloan did NOT deliver. Those super steep climbs simply kill every action.

No, 2012 was far worse. This was a decent Giro that just had a disappointing final mountain stage, that's all.

I really wonder sometimes if its worth making comments on here that aren't wholly literal because it seems people struggle immensely with just the slightest bit of nuance. Your last reply to me ranking the quality of the last 10,000 Giros after I pretty much said I don't look at things like that highlights this pretty nicely I think.

To be clear. I understood the comment. I found the comment irrelevant and had some fun with my response to it. If that has proven hard to comprehend I apologise. If required I can attempt to dumb it down even further for you but I'm tired and its getting late.

Oh yes please, as I'm sure you can tell from my posting history, I like things to be dumbed down so my fragile mind can understand it, I and my feeble-minded brethern need you to make it 100% literal at all times.

 

[FoxxyBrown1111]

7 people within 25 seconds

Not for the first time at MTFs like Zoncolan. Splits that make observers/fans unhappy happen. But in the big picture, the outcome was as expected...

 

[FoxxyBrown1111]

Most boring Giro ever, thank god the TT were good.
As always the Zoncoloan did NOT deliver. Those super steep climbs simply kill every action.

Yep, we should have every GT designed like the TdF. Did you watch this Giro BTW?

 

[UlleGigo]

No, 2012 was far worse. This was a decent Giro that just had a disappointing final mountain stage, that's all.

Oh yes please, as I'm sure you can tell from my posting history, I like things to be dumbed down so my fragile mind can understand it, I and my feeble-minded brethern need you to make it 100% literal at all times.

That's good. The first step is always acceptance.

 

[Publicus]

So Tinkoff trying to steal in on the glory at the end, even though he hinted Rogers would be fired if he didnt win his appeal. Classy to the end.

Unless I'm mistaken that is required by UCI regulations. You can't have a banned rider under contract.

 

[Lupi33]

was a good Giro until Quintana blew it apart earlier in the week
i started to lose interest after that and missed two stages

hoped today might deliver something but i knew it wouldnt shape the race

job done for him though. he'll now be a TDF regular from 2015 on.
this was a pure climbers race though and he wont be afforded that luxury in France

 

[roundabout]

Not for the first time at MTFs like Zoncolan. Splits that make observers/fans unhappy happen. But in the big picture, the outcome was as expected...

I think I might have witnessed all Zoncolan finishes on TV.

I think 2003 was relatively close at least before the Simoni attack.

Checks results

2nd at over 30 seconds

7th at 1 minute

2007 Simoni, Piepoli, Schleck, Di Luca, Cunego pretty close

2010 Basso won by over a minute

2011 Anton won by 40 seconds or something like that, but 7th place was 2 minutes back?

So only 2007 was close, but 7th from the favorites was at 1:40

 

[Libertine Seguros]

That's good. The first step is always acceptance.

The thing I find weirdest on the whole 'rating the Giri against one another' thing was that I was one of the people *defending* this edition as having been a good one (rather than talking about how much it sucked and we said so since 2010 as your rather sarcastic adjoin put it), and people are going overboard complaining because of one disappointing stage where expectations were perhaps too high from previous editions. I've enjoyed the Giro.

In all honesty though, I'm more disappointed in it because Mick Rogers won than I am because there wasn't much GC action. As has been detailed before, the best climber already had the jersey, and there's no stage to come where he can lose it other than in freak circumstances. So he doesn't need to attack, the others likely can't attack him, none of them care about the bonus seconds, and then some idiot fan ruins the race of the last guy that could have saved us from Rogers winning.

Edit:
The other problem is I haven't seen enough of your posts to know when you're being sarcastic or snide and when you're being literal, and in a race thread where discussion moves fast, such intentions are easier to miss, especially as you don't have an avatar. For prolific or long-term posters like Hitch, hrotha, Dekker Tifosi, Ryo, LaFlo, Pistolet etc. it's a lot easier to spot the "nuances" as you kind of know what their likes and dislikes are and their posting styles.

 

[Jspear]

little harder doing no hands on the bike on a steep hill.

 

[FoxxyBrown1111]

2010 Basso won by over a minute

That one was the best, while today bad splits happened (7 riders inside 25 seconds). But overall, the 10th from the ML group always finishes around 2 mins down, as today.
Overall this was a good Giro starting with the first ITT...

 

[roundabout]

When the better climber recoups all the losses from the better TT rider in 1 stage, all the other MTFs become superfluous.

The Zoncolan non-race today was the direct consequence of Vegni and co's idiocy on the Stelvio stage.

Hell, make it the whole race from that point on.

 

[FoxxyBrown1111]

As has been detailed before, the best climber already had the jersey, and there's no stage to come where he can lose it other than in freak circumstances.

That´s how it was normally going for the last 100+ years. It´s pro cycling. Gaps were even bigger in the past.

If people wan´t a CG fight until the last second where the T-10 is within a minute, they could watch the World Ports classic or something like that...

 

[movingtarget]

No.

It's been less than 2 years, and it was one of the best stages in recent years and people don't remember where the attack happened.

I missed it but I seemed less surprised than Rodriguez and his team. I only saw the aftermath when Rodriguez realized that the race was slipping away.