Giro d'Italia 2023 Giro d'Italia, Stage 3: Vasto – Melfi 216 km (Monday, May 8th)

[search]

yeah, not saying that Matthews is going to win with the shape he has, but he still shouldn't be dropped (bad enough) on those climbs, or in general, in a stage which looks likely to result in a sprint with half the peloton. Makes sense to give it a try.

 

[hayneplane]

Defeating people like Pinot Soler Bettiol Fuglsang...these climbs are ok for bling

They are if he is on peak form but he appears to be some way short of that.

 

[Armchair Cyclist]

You can tell its a quiet stage when PCS live feed include such gems as 'top riders from' a village they pass through, and the guy who is second on that list of 'top riders' has 3rd in the youth classification of Giro di Basilicata as his greatest acheivement.

 

[Eyeballs Out]

The only "work" any team is doing on the front of the peloton is trying to go slowly enough not to catch these two in front

 

[TourOfSardinia]

When did breaks become so completely irrelevant?

Irrelevant to the race yes
Relevant to Sella Italia as a sponsor to an Italian Pro Team

 

[yaco]

Matthews who won in Mende why should not be able to pass the final climbs ??

He is not in Mende form ! Did you watch Einsborn Frankfurt ? Jayco are better to ride in the bunch and then if Matthews gets dropped a little, then the climber types like Zana, DeMarche or Dunbar can try to bring him back after the climb - And Jayco is better to hold their bullets and get their riders in the stage 4 breakaway in which the pink jersey may change hands.

 

[yaco]

Ok but if he would get dropped before the other sprinters that are putting a guy on the front here, he simply shouldn't be riding this Giro (or even any race) right now.

If there is a stage he can win, it's this one. Obviously they're going to control the break.

Matthews will get better as the race unfolds and there are other stages that suit if he gets in the break

 

[Devil's Elbow]

He is not in Mende form ! Did you watch Einsborn Frankfurt ? Jayco are better to ride in the bunch and then if Matthews gets dropped a little, then the climber types like Zana, DeMarche or Dunbar can try to bring him back after the climb - And Jayco is better to hold their bullets and get their riders in the stage 4 breakaway in which the pink jersey may change hands.

Who is supposed to be dropping Matthews here? It's highly unlikely the GC teams will do anything and even his Frankfurt form (which he'll be a little ahead of by now) is good enough that he won't be outclimbed by the likes of Pedersen or Cort (who is probably in worse form).

 

[JosefK]

Rain and slick roads, now. Hopefully not a crash-fest down the stretch.

 

[Tim Cahill]

Difficult finish, hopefully nobody goes down but terrain for a proper opportunist to have a crack.

 

[search]

I guess everyone just got Hannah Walker live from the descent, but if not: it's newly tarmacked, and looks super slippery

 

[Didinho]

Trek pacing!

 

[Tim Cahill]

Tesfatsion being told to calm down on the radio

 

[Barnacle Bill]

Break's lead down to 30s in no time

 

[Samamba]

Gaviria dropped before Cav is ... interesting

 

[Devil's Elbow]

They're past the steep bit now.

 

[Samamba]

Will there be doms left to control the last 10k

 

[Samamba]

Will be a weird top 10. Maybe some sprinters left, but their legs will be gone in the final

 

[Tim Cahill]

Shaping up nicely for some GC contenders to get in the mix in the sprint

Zana is in great form clearly

 

[Samamba]

Cort dropped

EF not looking good.

 

[Samamba]

Where is Pedersen btw?

EDIT: at the back of the peloton.

 

[Didinho]

Pinooo!

 

[Samamba]

Matthews (ofcourse, no idea what yaco was thinking), Pedersen and Groves still there.

 

[glassmoon]

Cort not good...

 

[HelloDolly]

Pino looking good and will do a very good giro now that he has no pressure