2021 Giro d'Italia, Stage 19: Abbiategrasso - Alpe di Mera 166 km

[KZD]

Bernal really faded at the end though. Caruso almost got back to him.

He is clearly not on his best shape but he will probably hang on to win

 

[Bolder]

A different year a different super domestique same old story of Ineos winning with the strongest team but not the strongest rider

Bernal was clearly the strongest until 2 days ago, though. Luckily it gave him a good cushion...

 

[Leinster]

Great win by Simon Yates. And great job by Ganna, Castroviejo and Dani Martinez.

Bike Exchange played it almost perfectly but Yates went too hard too soon for my money. Bernal learning how to ride when you're the top man at the top team.

I think between BE and DQS they measured it pretty much as best they could with the resources they had. If either team had one more climber available to work Martinez over before launching the attacks, it would've been nice, but once Knox pulled over they had to go.

 

[jmdirt]

Congrats SY AND EB!

 

[Wvv]

Dani Martinez appreciation post.

 

[woodburn]

I still think Bernal was quite clearly the strongest rider overall. He distanced Yates in every MTF before the last two...

Weather was a big issue for Yates. Part of the race, but definitely had an impact on him.

 

[Anybody_but..]

End Ineos.

You probably mean 'finish'?

 

[Gigs_98]

Not great from Bernal but good enough that I'm still pretty sure he is not gonna be in huge problems tomorrow. I think for him to lose the giro Yates or Caruso would have had to properly smell blood today and that just didn't happen. Now I just don't think there will be a situation where someone puts everything on the line for the win

 

[titan31]

That crash on Wednesday that got rid of Schultz and Remco really paid off for Ineos today. If those two were there to do dom duties for Yates and Almeida, you likely distance Castro earlier or have them ride up the rode to help Yates and Almeida.

Just wish last Monday had been dry and raced in full as this could be a much different race if it was.

Today losing Mottarone helped him too here tbf.

 

[Escarabajo]

If only we had good mountain stage designs in these last 2 days.

Please stop!!

 

[dgodave]

Bernal looks worked over.... which is how one should look in such a circumstance, I think.

 

[Red Rick]

Overall Bernal clearly has been the strongest rider this Giro. He's been the best uphill apart from the last 2 mountain stages.

Hard to estimate how much time Yates would lose if he were surrounded by 19 domestiques every time he got dropped by 2 meters

 

[Pricey_sky]

Nice win from Yates.

Bernal played it correctly, he’s not as strong as Yates now but did show today he’s strong enough. Lost a few more seconds in the final k but probably not wanting to go totally in the red. He can lose over a minute to Yates tomorrow and still be comfortable for the TT.

 

[TourOfSardinia]

 

[jaylew]

A different year a different super domestique same old story of Ineos winning with the strongest team but not the strongest rider

I've never been a big Ineos fan either but that's ridiculous. As much as I hate to say it, Froome was the strongest when he won, and so were Geraint and Egan. Egan has also been the strongest in this Giro to this point.

 

[Forever The Best]

Bernal 2'49" Yates in GC with Caruso at 2'29"

 

[Pricey_sky]

A different year a different super domestique same old story of Ineos winning with the strongest team but not the strongest rider

Didn’t watch the first 2 weeks, Breezy?

 

[Devil's Elbow]

Bouwman 8th and Covi 13th today, both of them have quietly reached a new level this Giro.

 

[Samu Cuenca]

Yates really gave it a shot there, so the stage win was well deserved. Maybe he could have gained a few more seconds if he hadn't been constantly glancing back.

Almeida trolled Bernal into pushing a bit too hard perhaps. A great ride again by him.

 

[HelloDolly]

Can someone tell me why George Bennett was out ahead of Fosse for the whole climb

he is 10 minutes behind Fosse on GC and was never going to win that stage ???

 

[Mayomaniac]

Yates got his well deserved stage win.
I still don't know how to rate him on a stage like the one that we get tomorrow and how consistent he is.
Tomorrow should be better for a diesel like Caruso and Almeida could try a long range attack to get a podium spot.

 

[limak_]

I've never been a big Ineos fan either but that's ridiculous. As much as I hate to say it, Froome was the strongest when he won, and so were Geraint and Egan. Egan has also been the strongest in this Giro to this point.

Exactly. Bernal was the strongest climber in 1st and 2nd week. Yates being stronger for two days so far doesn't make him strongest rider of the race

 

[JosefK]

Bernal was clearly the strongest until 2 days ago, though. Luckily it gave him a good cushion...

A good lesson about taking time on rivals when you have the opportunity.

 

[roundabout]

Even on stage 18 it seems it's very difficult to gain a lot of time on a 30 minute climb in a relatively easy 4 hour stage. Even with Yates/QS doing their best to make it a difficult climb

 

[TourOfSardinia]

GC