2017 Giro d'Italia, Stage 3 - Tortoli - Cagliari 148km

[Arredondo]

So no echelons today?

 

[Laplaz]

Re:

I don't mind sprint stages, but it's a little bit annoying that they're climbing Etna on a Tuesday when most people have to work, but this is on a Sunday.

Not avoidable

 

[Hugo Koblet]

The tour is often criticized but these 3 stages haven't been great! It's what happens when there is such a hard 3rd week, riders hold back.

I'm pretty sure we are going to have a regular bunch sprint today. The headwind will kill the racing.

Yet they have still been infinitely more exciting than Fleche Wallone.

 

[Gigs_98]

Re:

So no echelons today?

Theoretically echelons could still happen

 

[Red Rick]

The tour is often criticized but these 3 stages haven't been great! It's what happens when there is such a hard 3rd week, riders hold back.

I'm pretty sure we are going to have a regular bunch sprint today. The headwind will kill the racing.

It has nothing to do with the third week

It has everything to do with starting with 3 stages that can't cause selection

 

[Valv.Piti]

Is the terrain generally more demanding at Corsica or Sardegna? I seem to remember people were not too fond of the Corsica stages, but they seem very good compared to the ones here at Sardegna.

Anyways, ETNA

 

[sir fly]

Maybe the TV production should do better when there's no action on the road.
Another difference between the Tour and Giro coverage.

 

[More Strides than Rides]

For anyone curious about the wind:
https://www.windy.com/39.185/9.362?39.050,9.411,10,m:eKtagqL

 

[deValtos]

Maybe the extended coverage isn't that great after all. It's pretty boring but I still feel compelled to watch it because it's a GT. If they just broadcast the last 40km it seems like a proper show even if nothing happens.

Only 10 years ago having 8 flat stages in a row was perfectly normal but cycling is evolving. We need more classic-type stages in GT's and sprinkle them between the sprints.

 

[SafeBet]

Re:

Is the terrain generally more demanding at Corsica or Sardegna? I seem to remember people were not too fond of the Corsica stages, but they seem very good compared to the ones here at Sardegna.

Anyways, ETNA

The terrain is there, but as soon as the profiles went public everybody knew these would have been three sprinter firendly stages.

I don't know why people expected action here.

 

[GenericBoonenFan]

C'mon QS, let's make some echelons, Faisez des bordures!

 

[deValtos]

Why Landa doesn't stick himself to Thomas' wheel I'll never understand. You just know if there's a split Geraint will be in the first split and Landa will be 3 groups behind. He's way down the pack right now.

 

[Rollthedice]

Zaka with another mechanical.

 

[Scarponi]

Was that Zakarin held up again ?

 

[Guybrush]

Zakarin fighting his way back to the peloton, doesn't matter when you're reading this

 

[Eagle]

Break about to be caught

 

[Orbit501]

All these punctures are a bit of a worry. Will be a real shame if a dull stage then has the added disappointment of any of the top sprinters missing out due to a puncture. Same if a GC rider losses time because of one.

 

[Eagle]

Last 10km pure crosswind according to Eurosport

 

[More Strides than Rides]

Re:

Last 10km pure crosswind according to Eurosport

"It's been boring but please please please don't change the channel"

 

[Jungle Cycle]

k'mon. to many flat tires. at least way more than avg...

 

[Orbit501]

These punctures are getting silly now. It's looking odds on at this rate that someone is going to be caught out by one near the business end of the stage

 

[spalco]

Re: Re:

Last 10km pure crosswind according to Eurosport

"It's been boring but please please please don't change the channel"

Yeah, they sound a bit desperate. :lol:

 

[Flamin]

Hella windy out there.

 

[TommyGun]

Re:

k'mon. to many flat tires. at least way more than avg...

Yeah on L'Equipe TV they said it might be due to the areas with many cacti and fig trees they are crossing: these plants have very strong and thin needles.

 

[Valv.Piti]

When everyone have the same informations, pure madness. I wouldn't sit in the middle of that.