Giro d'Italia 2021 Giro d'Italia, Stage 2: Stupinigi - Novara 179km

[RedheadDane]

Merlier making the "W" gesture.
Good thing the barriers held up.

 

[movingtarget]

Lotto made a mess of that one.

 

[Tim Cahill]

What happened to Groenewegen there? Seemed to half give up then start pedalling again to try and save a podium.

 

[Panda Claws]

Keisse and the QS boys staying respectably far back. Like others pointed out though Ganna and Bernal were being too much of a dynamic duo.

 

[Offline]

Richeze put Gaviria into the barrier.

***Molano

 

[titan31]

What happened to Groenewegen there? Seemed to half give up then start pedalling again to try and save a podium.

Looks like that alright. Think he stopped pedalling when he realised he wasn't winning and then looked around and saw Viviani so started pedalling again. Cost himself 3rd there.

 

[SafeBet]

Super strong sprint by Merlier. Nobody even dared to get around him.

 

[KZD]

The fastest man in Belgian as Van der Poel said. Great win.

 

[BlueRoads]

That Gaviria situation looks worse with every replay to me.

 

[Zinoviev Letter]

It’s funny just how much QS are baked into other sprinter’s tactics. Nobody seems entirely sure what to do when there’s no QS wheel to fight for.

 

[bigcog]

Looks like that alright. Think he stopped pedalling when he realised he wasn't winning and then looked around and saw Viviani so started pedalling again. Cost himself 3rd there.

Looked he was trying to be extra careful not to impede anyone or I could be reading more into it than it was.

 

[titan31]

Looked he was trying to be extra careful not to impede anyone or I could be reading more into it than it was.

I dunno, the bike slam of him being disappointed doesn't lend to that imo.

 

[Samu Cuenca]

Giro stage podium no. 15 for Nizzolo. Must be annoying for him to see Merlier win at his first attempt.

 

[movingtarget]

That Gaviria situation looks worse with every replay to me.

That looked like a pretty narrow gap but I haven't seen the replay.

 

[Ranagazoo]

Keisse is right, GC guys (Bernal) should not be up there fighting for the front at 1km to go. Leave the chaos to the sprint teams

 

[Mayomaniac]

Poor Nando, who needs opponents if you have teammates like this?

 

[Zinoviev Letter]

That Gaviria situation looks worse with every replay to me.

Yeah, I initially thought he was unlucky to have a chance to contest the win taken from him. After seeing the replay, I think he’s lucky not to be mangled.

 

[movingtarget]

Looked he was trying to be extra careful not to impede anyone or I could be reading more into it than it was.

Looked more like he was coasting into third place then he saw the other rider late and couldn't do much about it.

 

[Rackham]

What happened to Groenewegen there? Seemed to half give up then start pedalling again to try and save a podium.

I thought he did really well tbh, i.e. all things considered.

He hasn't lost the nous for placement in a fast sprint & was still brave enough to get into the fight (& finished just ahead of Sagan). That's probably step one for him.

 

[Mayomaniac]

Keisse is right, GC guys (Bernal) should not be up there fighting for the front at 1km to go. Leave the chaos to the sprint teams

Sky started that trend and it won't stop until we get a big crash because of it that takes out multiple top gc contenders...

 

[Bonimenier]

Richeze's choice of letting the wheel go was actually perfect for UAE, so Molano decided to even out the odds again.

 

[SafeBet]

Credit where it's due. RCS barriers prevented a possibly very dangerous crash there.

 

[Red Rick]

Sky started that trend and it won't stop until we get a big crash because of it that takes out multiple top gc contenders...

And then it'll get worse cause the front GC rider squeeked through and is now in pole position to win

 

[Rollthedice]

Congrats to Mercier, Viviani looks sharp. Remco's raid for a couple of seconds is more like a statement than anything else. Could be useful in Eneco Tour but here, give me a break.

 

[Orbit501]

Well there's the answer all us Classics and Semi Classics fans were after.

Can Merlier hold his own against the big guns in the big races? (Bennett absence accepted)

Yes he can!

Brilliant result!