2015 Giro d'Italia, St. 8: Fiuggi – Campitello Matese 186 km

[HelloDolly]

Re: Re:

Sky missed an opportunity to put pressure on Alberto today. Sure, they are biding their time and hoping that Astana and Tinkoff-Saxo tire themselves out but you have to capitialize on your opportunities when they arise.

I think the most disappointed from today is SKY Douche Brailsford who was hoping Contador would abandon.

Now Porte is sheeting his pants because Conti seem okay for now. Aru is just waiting for the Annual Grand Porte Meltdown and then try to isolate Contador.

We'll see...

What total rubbish .... and you know Brailsford was hoping Contador retired how ???
Such bile towards Braislford and calling him a douche ...You have a severe case of pathetic bias

ANd the hate towards Porte is uncalled for ....

Astana are not waiting for anything ...

 

[jaylew]

Just watched it. Normally I like Beñat, but I'm disappointed he won today. Shaking his head repeatedly, like he can't pull through, then taking off later. Bush league move.

A shame Sagan isn't here to help AC in the mountains.

 

[Squirbos_19]

Re:

Just watched it. Normally I like Beñat, but I'm disappointed he won today. Shaking his head repeatedly, like he can't pull through, then taking off later. Bush league move.

A shame Sagan isn't here to help AC in the mountains.

What I don't understand is why a lot of people bash Gerrans for wheelsucking now Intxausti does it and hardly anyone cares? I suppose Liege is a much bigger victory than a Giro stage, but it's still the same tactic.

 

[movingtarget]

Re: Re:

Just watched it. Normally I like Beñat, but I'm disappointed he won today. Shaking his head repeatedly, like he can't pull through, then taking off later. Bush league move.

A shame Sagan isn't here to help AC in the mountains.

What I don't understand is why a lot of people bash Gerrans for wheelsucking now Intxausti does it and hardly anyone cares? I suppose Liege is a much bigger victory than a Giro stage, but it's still the same tactic.

It seems that Gerrans is easier to hate for some reason for doing the same thing many others do. Of Course it makes no sense but fans have their favourite riders and hated riders.

 

[elfed68]

Whatever the situation, Contador is still the man and the top rider in the Giro, he was going to win it anyway but if he wins it with a dislocated shoulder he's a legend!!
Sod Aru with his pissy attacks, inconsequential!!

 

[jaylew]

Re: Re:

Just watched it. Normally I like Beñat, but I'm disappointed he won today. Shaking his head repeatedly, like he can't pull through, then taking off later. Bush league move.

A shame Sagan isn't here to help AC in the mountains.

What I don't understand is why a lot of people bash Gerrans for wheelsucking now Intxausti does it and hardly anyone cares? I suppose Liege is a much bigger victory than a Giro stage, but it's still the same tactic.

I'm not a big fan of his but I don't have any problem whatsoever with Gerrans' tactics. This was different and much worse in my opnion. I hate it when riders pretend to be struggling and use it as an excuse not to work and then go on the attack.

 

[Metabolol]

Re:

Just watched it. Normally I like Beñat, but I'm disappointed he won today. Shaking his head repeatedly, like he can't pull through, then taking off later. Bush league move.

A shame Sagan isn't here to help AC in the mountains.

He taught Reichenbach a lesson, you could see that attack coming from miles away. If he can follow km after km then he can pull too.

 

[Metabolol]

Re:

There wasn't an opportunity today. Leaders weren't isolated until very last kms, pace was really slow up the climb.
The opportunity arises in ITT. If Porte grabs pink in that stage, that will put pressure on Contador because so far he was just wheelsucking, and if he keeps pink after stage 14 then he will just wheelsuck until the very end Vuelta style

There was clearly an opportunity for Sky to do something more today, they could have put more pressure on Contador (in addition to what Astana did). I'm not a fan of Porte so I'm glad they didn't. Hopefully Alberto recovers well because I'm confident that neither Porte or Aru can follow Alberto in the high mountains when he really starts to dance.

 

[sienna]

Re: Re:

Just watched it. Normally I like Beñat, but I'm disappointed he won today. Shaking his head repeatedly, like he can't pull through, then taking off later. Bush league move.

A shame Sagan isn't here to help AC in the mountains.

What I don't understand is why a lot of people bash Gerrans for wheelsucking now Intxausti does it and hardly anyone cares? I suppose Liege is a much bigger victory than a Giro stage, but it's still the same tactic.

Probably the worst case of wheel suck was Hincapie's effort in 2004's Tdf.

 

[damian13ster]

Re: Re:

There wasn't an opportunity today. Leaders weren't isolated until very last kms, pace was really slow up the climb.
The opportunity arises in ITT. If Porte grabs pink in that stage, that will put pressure on Contador because so far he was just wheelsucking, and if he keeps pink after stage 14 then he will just wheelsuck until the very end Vuelta style

I thought the stage winner was the much better wheelsucker.

Yeah, that was absolutely terrible. But what can you do? Is it Spanish riders' common trait
Just kidding.
I feel bad for the Swiss rider

 

[tokenron]

Re: Re:

Just watched it. Normally I like Beñat, but I'm disappointed he won today. Shaking his head repeatedly, like he can't pull through, then taking off later. Bush league move.

A shame Sagan isn't here to help AC in the mountains.

What I don't understand is why a lot of people bash Gerrans for wheelsucking now Intxausti does it and hardly anyone cares? I suppose Liege is a much bigger victory than a Giro stage, but it's still the same tactic.

It seems that Gerrans is easier to hate for some reason for doing the same thing many others do. Of Course it makes no sense but fans have their favourite riders and hated riders.

Not to mention that Gerrans' win in LBL was from a reduced bunch rather than a breakaway...basically, exactly what sprinters are lauded for on a daily basis.

His win in MSR was more 'questionable', if you can call it that, although I don't think many people in his position actually could have pulled for Cancellara in that form.

And, in his all his wins where he's been 'tactical', at least he's had the grace to admit he's conserving for the sprint rather than pretending to be blowing up. What Beñat did leaves a slightly sour taste in my mouth, but at the end of the day, results talk. The IAM rider learnt a valuable lesson.

 

[Volderke]

Maybe because Reichenbach got 3rd. If it wasn't for Intxausti's attack, Landa could have won the stage.

 

[hfer07]

Re:

Just watched it. Normally I like Beñat, but I'm disappointed he won today. Shaking his head repeatedly, like he can't pull through, then taking off later. Bush league move.

A shame Sagan isn't here to help AC in the mountains.

but that's racing- both were in the breakaway with the same chances to get the stage- Intxausti was the smartest one to know when to attack.

BTW - that comparison to Gerrans is stupid- there is HUGE difference between sucking wheel the whole time and out sprint your rivals in the last 50 meters than being in a breakaway and attack with a 1k to go

 

[TheGreenMonkey]

Gerrans did nothing wrong to win MSR, the team was racing for Goss the previous winner, his job was to mark attacks on the Poggio which he did perfectly.

 

[IndianCyclist]

Benat's move was sneaky underhanded but part and parcel of the game. Maybe unsportsmanlike but not wrong. Reichenbach however should have realized that a rider who can hang for so long is faking.
Gerrans on the other hand is pure tactics not sneaky. The other riders knew what he was doing

 

[Netserk]

As long as there will be idiots ready to keep pulling over and over again, there will be savvy riders taking advantage of that.

 

[Squirbos_19]

Re:

As long as there will be idiots ready to keep pulling over and over again, there will be savvy riders taking advantage of that.

Exactly it's a good tactic when it works, but there's a chance that in this situation Reichenbach stops pulling to get Intxausti to take a pull, he doesn't and they slow down and get caught. This time it worked for the spaniard, and Reichenbach couldn't really do much else.

 

[Netserk]

Re: Re:

As long as there will be idiots ready to keep pulling over and over again, there will be savvy riders taking advantage of that.

Exactly it's a good tactic when it works, but there's a chance that in this situation Reichenbach stops pulling to get Intxausti to take a pull, he doesn't and they slow down and get caught. This time it worked for the spaniard, and Reichenbach couldn't really do much else.

Agree. As with all tactics there's a certain amount of risk. The most savvy riders will be able to read their opponents and adjust their tactic accordingly, so if forced to pull, they would probably do so (but of course still not as much as the other rider).

 

[TheGreenMonkey]

Maybe if Intzausti had worked with Reichenbach then Reichenbach would have got 2nd instead of 3rd.

 

[Poursuivant]

Re: 2015 Giro d'Italia, St. 8: Fiuggi – Campitello Matese 18

Very special day for me becouse I treated a lot with Intxausti in Vuelta 2010, Landa is almost a friend, Rigo is the rider I have follow more since he started, and I am happy as well to see Contador with any problem. Amador as well is a friend of a friend, so... what can I say:

W IL GIRO.

Thank you riders for this day

I would like to explain why Landa did that, but I cant. Maybe the future will talk. Anyway he will lose a lot in the ITT, he is not good in the plain at all.

That dude to the right needs to get his teeth fixed.

Either that or don´t smile.

Why so rude... sheesh

Agreed.

 

[T-Nielsen]

Re: 2015 Giro d'Italia, St. 8: Fiuggi – Campitello Matese 18

Very special day for me becouse I treated a lot with Intxausti in Vuelta 2010, Landa is almost a friend, Rigo is the rider I have follow more since he started, and I am happy as well to see Contador with any problem. Amador as well is a friend of a friend, so... what can I say:

W IL GIRO.

Thank you riders for this day

I would like to explain why Landa did that, but I cant. Maybe the future will talk. Anyway he will lose a lot in the ITT, he is not good in the plain at all.

That dude to the right needs to get his teeth fixed.

Either that or don´t smile.

Why so rude... sheesh

Agreed.

Hear hear.