Giro d'Italia 2023 Giro d'Italia, Stage 4: Venosa – Lago Laceno 175 km (Tuesday, May 9th)

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Albanese has been climbing really well in Sicilia and Asturias.
I can see him catching the others after the final climb and winning the sprint.

yeah, agreed. Can't really see anyone in that group dropping him by more than a couple of seconds, and he'll always find someone chasing for pink.

But the way Quickstep is racing so far, I also wouldn't rule out that it comes back together.

 

[Bushman]

Can Albanese climb well enough to contest this? Normally I would say no but he must have quite good legs to be where he is at this point in the race and the tough part of the final climb is not that long…

 

[Salvarani]

What about Barguil. His season wasn't that great until know but he was 10th at Fleche Wallon

He has won stages in all three GTs, if he wins this one.

 

[Izzyeviel]

How is Williams doing btw?

Still in the race. Will probably be heading to A&E after though.

 

[Samamba]

Still in the race. Will probably be heading to A&E after though.

Ok but not too bad then, good news.

 

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Can Albanese climb well enough to contest this? Normally I would say no but he must have quite good legs to be where he is at this point in the race and the tough part of the final climb is not that long…

I would think so. There is no really good, explosive climber in the break, apart from Barguil maybe, who isn't in shape. All others are better at a steady pace, which should suit Albanese.

 

[Poursuivant]

Remco won’t lose pink today, I don’t think he wants to give it up

 

[DNP-Old]

Maybe a breakaway arrives on stage 7 or 8 but I expect Remco to be in pink after stage 9 to be honest and I'm not even sure he loses it today.

That's what I'm fearing. They're keeping it too close.

 

[search]

it may also come down to Almeida. If he gets dropped on the next descent again, Bora, EF and so on have the full team this time to work in the peloton. Then the break won't survive

 

[red_flanders]

Jumbo should stir the pot a bit and bring it back to stop them giving Pink away

I think a team would have to be imperiously strong and its leadership a bit petty to play games like that. Jumbo isn’t that strong anymore, and Roglič is smarter and more level-headed than that.

 

[Samamba]

I don't think Albanese will be far on the climb, but I doubt he will be with the first guy over the top.
My guess is Paret Peintre for the stage, Leknessund 2nd and pink.

Albanese 3rd.

 

[houtdffan]

QS is chasing the break, bringing it back

Remco is not giving up pink until sometime next year

 

[JosefK]

The gap is dwindling. Remco to add another 20 seconds to his GC lead.

 

[fox]

Strange tactics risking that Roglic takes the boni seconds. Or he must be feeling invincible.

 

[JosefK]

This is not the Roglic of 2020 (pre Dauphine crash). Remco isn't worried.

 

[red_flanders]

Meanwhile Adam Blythe prattles on about leg warmers. The dude is seriously a bit obsessed with Evenepoel.

 

[Roku]

Meanwhile Adam Blythe prattles on about leg warmers. The dude is seriously a bit obsessed with Evenepoel.

Flecha as well on Spanish Eurosport.

 

[Nick2413]

I don’t really get the concept of giving away the jersey. Are the media commitments that bad? Some random breakaway rider being in pink doesn’t remotely change the dynamics of the race. Remco is not giving away the jersey to Almeida, Roglic, Tao…

 

[repre]

I don’t really get the concept of giving away the jersey. Are the media commitments that bad? Some random breakaway rider being in pink doesn’t remotely change the dynamics of the race. Remco is not giving away the jersey to Almeida, Roglic, Tao…

Remco is diva and attention seeker, so pink for him=life

 

[noob]

I don’t really get the concept of giving away the jersey. Are the media commitments that bad? Some random breakaway rider being in pink doesn’t remotely change the dynamics of the race. Remco is not giving away the jersey to Almeida, Roglic, Tao…

More sleep without leader jersey though

 

[fox]

I don’t really get the concept of giving away the jersey. Are the media commitments that bad? Some random breakaway rider being in pink doesn’t remotely change the dynamics of the race. Remco is not giving away the jersey to Almeida, Roglic, Tao…

The team of the pink jersey will do a lot of work in the peloton. Therefore the helpers of Evenepoel can have easier days and be fresh when it really matters.

 

[red_flanders]

Flecha as well on Spanish Eurosport.

Is he also talking about lubing up his teammates with lotion? No, I’m not kidding. He just said that.

 

[Logic-is-your-friend]

I don’t really get the concept of giving away the jersey. Are the media commitments that bad? Some random breakaway rider being in pink doesn’t remotely change the dynamics of the race. Remco is not giving away the jersey to Almeida, Roglic, Tao…

You have the podium ceremony, and after there is a press conference which is obligatory for the GC leader (it is not for the BYR for instance). That means he loses at least one hour per day. Later at the hotel, later at the masseur, more interviews at the start... doesn't matter much for one or two days, but after two weeks it adds up.

 

[houtdffan]

QS has really backed off over the past 10 minutes Gap going up a good amount now

 

[red_flanders]

You have the podium ceremony, and after there is a press conference which is obligatory for the GC leader (it is not for the BYR for instance). That means he loses at least one hour per day. Later at the hotel, later at the masseur, more interviews at the start... doesn't matter much for one or two days, but after two weeks it adds up.

Also the matter of controlling the peloton, as well as the daily doping controls for the leader. And before anyone reading this freaks out, I’m just referring to the extra time and annoyance of the latter.