2014 Giro d'Italia, Stage 4: Giovinazzo - Bari (112 Km)

[jens_attacks]

Looking forward to the cobbled stage in the TdF being neutralised by 'wise' racers, preventing probably not-so-wise racers to actually ride how they want to.

it won't be the case. this was a fuccin criterium on ice.

 

[Eshnar]

I'm so happy I was at work.

So, did Vegni say something already? An interview, maybe?

If I was the head organisers of such an event, I'd be seriously considering to resign. But it's just me ofc.

Edit: Maybe he even feels proud of how he managed the situation today.

 

[SafeBet]

I'm so happy I was at work.

So, did Vegni say something already? An interview, maybe?

If I was the head organisers of such an event, I'd be seriously considering to resign. But it's just me ofc.

He said he doesn't want his riders to get injured, conditions were not safe enough, the usual PR bullcrap.

Of course no media asked him why they had such a stage if roads were so dangerous in the first place.


Edit: he looked proud indeed.

 

[Netserk]

it won't be the case. this was a fuccin criterium on ice.

But where's the line?

What if the stage was a cobble A to B stage with huge amount of rain. Neutralize that too?

Pramatino descent in rain. Neutralize that too? What if the roads are partly wet, but it doesn't rain? What if it hasn't rained the whole day, but some corners are still a little wet?

 

[SafeBet]

I saw a lot of them shaking their heads.

i'm going to put it out there that maybe Orica actually wanted to race as aussie mentality isnt conservative (sometimes a bit stupid )

Michael Matthews seemed sheepish in the post interview when he delivered his statements on behalf of the peloton

Dunno. I was not watching the stage at that time, only reading the forum.
I wouldn't say Orica wanted to race it though. Quite the opposite in fact.

 

[Jagartrott]

it won't be the case. this was a fuccin criterium on ice.

Of course not! Cobbles don't ever get slippery!

 

[Eshnar]

Edit: he looked proud indeed.

Called it.
I was thinking of writing him, if only there was a good chance for him to read me. He does follow me on twitter, but I doubt he's really active there. In fact, he hasn't been tweeting since ages ago. And tweets are too short for that anyway.

PS: Gianni, sono ottimista!

(Non-Italians won't understand this, it's just a citation guys.)

 

[Arredondo]

But where's the line?

What if the stage was a cobble A to B stage with huge amount of rain. Neutralize that too?

Pramatino descent in rain. Neutralize that too? What if the roads are partly wet, but it doesn't rain? What if it hasn't rained the whole day, but some corners are still a little wet?

They neutralise it, because it is a stage where you can't win anything. It's just a flat stage, so the only thing you can get is broken bones.

With a mountain stage or a stage where you can make difference, the riders have to race in every kind of circumstance (till a certain point of course) imo.

 

[BigMac]

Of course not! Cobbles don't ever get slippery!

Not very likely in the summer.

 

[Lupi33]

But where's the line?

What if the stage was a cobble A to B stage with huge amount of rain. Neutralize that too?

Pramatino descent in rain. Neutralize that too? What if the roads are partly wet, but it doesn't rain? What if it hasn't rained the whole day, but some corners are still a little wet?

more chance of serious injury or death on a high speed city criterium under such conditions due to all the turns and immovable objects to crash into

wet descents are totally different. its a case by case depending on the course.

 

[Netserk]

They neutralise it, because it is a stage where you can't win anything. It's just a flat stage, so the only thing you can get is broken bones.

With a mountain stage or a stage where you can make difference, the riders have to race in every kind of circumstance (till a certain point of course) imo.

So a cobble criterium should be ridden in rain? There's certainly something to win there (in dry and wet conditions).

 

[The Hitch]

I can think of a stage just 3 years ago that was much worse!

RIP WW.

Yes, though that was a descent, into a rock.

On wet open roads, crashing isn't any kind of fun, and can cause some damage, no doubt, but they don't really reach the kinds of speeds, nor meet the kind of obstacles, for, god forbid, a fatality to happen. Casartelli also crashed on a descent.

Having said that, I had no love for this stage to begin with, so if a stage gets neutralized when it wasn't going to be good to begin with, no big deal imo.

 

[Arredondo]

So a cobble criterium should be ridden in rain? There's certainly something to win there (in dry and wet conditions).

Yeah sure, why not?

Putting cobbles in a stage, means you want to create gaps. They have ridden PR's in rain in the past.

 

[Netserk]

But why only neutralize the last lap? Shouldn't the whole stage have been neutralized, and then those who wanted to race could attack from the beginning, and not only in the last lap.

 

[Carols]

OMFG!!!!! I was out this AM and just finished watching the recorded stage. Many know I have little time or patience for flat boring sprint stages so I FFed through to the final 20 km.

Bouhanni what a Hero!!! Off the back, Long difficult chase back, makes his way through the field, gets up there while avoiding total carnage and Hunts down Nizzolo for the win. Holy Crap what a performance. I am Impressed Young Man!!! Chapeau to Nacer and FDJ, what winners they were today!

EDIT: It was Veelers he hunted down yes? That guy went to early and fizzled late.

 

[Lupi33]

Yes, though that was a descent, into a rock.

On wet open roads, crashing isn't any kind of fun, and can cause some damage, no doubt, but they don't really reach the kinds of speeds, nor meet the kind of obstacles, for, god forbid, a fatality to happen. Casartelli also crashed on a descent.

Having said that, I had no love for this stage to begin with, so if a stage gets neutralized when it wasn't going to be good to begin with, no big deal imo.

yes i remember watching that stage before it happened and thinking oh sh** that looks dangerous the way they were flying past those cuttings with inches to spare

 

[deValtos]

EDIT: It was Veelers he hunted down yes? That guy went to early and fizzled late.

That's because Veelers was leading out Mezgec who had a mechanical in the final corner.

 

[Dazed and Confused]

Overhead replay of the last 40s of the sprint:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d7uHXtVAWfU

 

[barmaher]

I thought these guys were pu$$ies, I thought how bad could a bit of rain be.

Then I saw the last 4km. I was wrong. The riders were entirely justified to protest.

I don't know how frequently it rains in Bari in May, but if it is more than 2 days a month on average, the organisers should have avoided a city circuit to finish this race.

As has been said before, some people on here seem afraid to admit they are wrong. Saying that they got what they deserved as it would have been dry when they finished had they gone full pelt is silly in my opinion. How were they to know when it rained. The forecast was for showers, they materialised. They were justified.

 

[manafana]

people will always hate and not understand, this isn't the 80s anymore riders safety and power actually means something I am glad they decided not to race, but also understood why they allowed them to sprint, Bari paid for a finish and got one, but those surfaces get so slick.

 

[jens_attacks]

is this for real or a mistake and they got the same time?

164 Giorgio Cecchinel (Ita) Neri Sottoli - Yellow Fluo
165 Jan Polanc (Slo) Lampre-Merida 0:00:31
166 Janez Brajkovic (Slo) Astana Pro Team
167 Michele Scarponi (Ita) Astana Pro Team
168 Fabio Aru (Ita) Astana Pro Team
169 Dario Cataldo (Ita) Team Sky

 

[BigMac]

is this for real or a mistake and they got the same time?

164 Giorgio Cecchinel (Ita) Neri Sottoli - Yellow Fluo
165 Jan Polanc (Slo) Lampre-Merida 0:00:31
166 Janez Brajkovic (Slo) Astana Pro Team
167 Michele Scarponi (Ita) Astana Pro Team
168 Fabio Aru (Ita) Astana Pro Team
169 Dario Cataldo (Ita) Team Sky

I believe stage times were recorded normally, only it won't have any effect on general classification.

 

[Netserk]

is this for real or a mistake and they got the same time?

164 Giorgio Cecchinel (Ita) Neri Sottoli - Yellow Fluo
165 Jan Polanc (Slo) Lampre-Merida 0:00:31
166 Janez Brajkovic (Slo) Astana Pro Team
167 Michele Scarponi (Ita) Astana Pro Team
168 Fabio Aru (Ita) Astana Pro Team
169 Dario Cataldo (Ita) Team Sky

It's real, but I think you read it wrong

It means Polanc (and Malori) lose(s) 31 seconds (Carretero and Keisse lose a little more), while Scarponi, Aru, Cataldo and Bol(last rider to cross the line) all are in the same time as Bouhanni.

If you see on other stages they write the time loss for everybody in the group and not just the first rider when there is a gap

 

[SafeBet]

I thought these guys were pu$$ies, I thought how bad could a bit of rain be.

Then I saw the last 4km. I was wrong. The riders were entirely justified to protest.

I don't know how frequently it rains in Bari in May, but if it is more than 2 days a month on average, the organisers should have avoided a city circuit to finish this race./QUOTE]

5 days of rain on average.

 

[roundabout]

is this for real or a mistake and they got the same time?

164 Giorgio Cecchinel (Ita) Neri Sottoli - Yellow Fluo
165 Jan Polanc (Slo) Lampre-Merida 0:00:31
166 Janez Brajkovic (Slo) Astana Pro Team
167 Michele Scarponi (Ita) Astana Pro Team
168 Fabio Aru (Ita) Astana Pro Team
169 Dario Cataldo (Ita) Team Sky

When in doubt, use the official site

http://www.gazzetta.it/Giroditalia/2014/classifiche/it/t_04_class.shtml?lang=it&t=04