Giro d'Italia 2023 Giro d'Italia, Stage 7: Capua - Gran Sasso d'Italia (Campo Imperatore), 218 km (Friday, May 12)

[Gratemans]

I think he’s right, actually. All he has to do is follow wheels; if he loses 10-20 seconds,no worries. Any serious contender who can take more time than that on him tomorrow is going to regret going so deep, if he’s in the shape he seems to be in…I’m most interested in how Ineos play this; I don’t think Roglic has the team to take the fight to him this week.

Yes he's right. If he were to sit on Roglic wheel all day you won't hear me complain. He's the one in front. No problem with him stating just that.

But why call Roglic nervous? Trying to play mind games like that is a bit lame to me. Besides, saying stuff like that more often than not backfires and only tends to motivate your opponent.

 

[peterfin]

Yes he's right. If he were to sit on Roglic wheel all day you won't hear me complain. He's the one in front. No problem with him stating just that.

But why call Roglic nervous? Trying to play mind games like that is a bit lame to me. Besides, saying stuff like that more often than not backfires and only tends to motivate your opponent.

He says what he thinks. He doesn't play mind games. The reporter asks a question and he gives his honest feedback. It's as simple as that and the media loves it. Others give that boring standard statement: "I am only looking at myself". Actually, the latter is a bit egotistical no? He actually cares about Roglic. That's why he mentions him. As he said, he is a huge fan of him 😄

 

[tobydawq]

He says what he thinks. He doesn't play mind games. The reporter asks a question and he gives his honest feedback. It's as simple as that and the media loves it. Others give that boring standard statement: "I am only looking at myself". Actually, the latter is a bit egotistical no? He actually cares about Roglic. That's why he mentions him. As he said, he is a huge fan of him 😄

I think it's great that he is so outspoken and you're right, it certainly is not usual!

 

[DenisMenchov]

View: https://youtu.be/90ryT8QwSgg

 

[BR2]

It's fine to answer honestly, but do you have to say a team and rider rides nervously (which others of course havee said about Jumbo, too) after you didn't act super cool yourself just yesterday?

 

[Bonimenier]

It's fine to answer honestly, but do you have to say a team and rider rides nervously (which others of course havee said about Jumbo, too) after you didn't act super cool yourself just yesterday?

If someone asks me my impression of Ganna, I'm not going to avoid saying he's handsome just because I'm handsome as well.

 

[Riek s]

Yes he's right. If he were to sit on Roglic wheel all day you won't hear me complain. He's the one in front. No problem with him stating just that.

But why call Roglic nervous? Trying to play mind games like that is a bit lame to me. Besides, saying stuff like that more often than not backfires and only tends to motivate your opponent.

Because he tried to go for an intermediate sprint, tried to contend a final sprint and probably the way he rides in the peleton trying to avoid crashing. Saying someone seems nervous is a statement of opinion. That is not a statement of fact, which for some seems to be the case...

And he is right in saying he is ahead in time... But he still crashed hard... And if I were roglic today seems the day to get time back in the first part of the giro. Remco still banged up and probably not having his full abilities, so they should at least test him.
Remco should wheelsuck and avoid losing time while he recovers.

 

[Pantani_lives]

For those who think the Giro is too backloaded here's a major MTF in the first week. The Ineos train will make pace, because that's what they always do. Roglic will cling to Remco's back wheel, because that's what he always does. GC action will be limited to the final 4 km, but then we can get some decent gaps, up to a minute between the favorites. It will be the first big confrontation between the climbers.

Evenepoel is likely to regain the pink, willingly or not. The altitude will be a test. If he's feeling well he might try to expand his lead, but a weaker performance is also possible two days after the crash.

Other questions will be partly answered. Who's the leader at Ineos? Are Almeida and Vlasov real contenders? Can Vine or other secondary favorites throw themselves into the mix? Fingers crossed for a short but exciting final!

 

[QueenStagiaire]

So, the fight among the behemoths of the bicycle tomorrow will be ilmaestro-ean but this is one of the biggest opportunities for the GC riders who tackle their task following the philosophy of the wise Guillaume Martin, using the disinterest of weaker contenders to acquire a glorious eighth place, savoring the little successes the blue-blooded climbing elites would never celebrate. Also, the Bahraini trident or the Ineos hydra or other teams which have multiple cards to play could start using their numbers before they dwindle.

 

[Escarabajo]

In the interview with the French, Evenepoel is outpolic about his competitors at Jumbo-Visma and especially Primoz Roglic. “I think Roglic is nervous. He knows he’s 44 seconds behind,” the world champion said. “They’re also nervous in the peloton. They push a lot, that is the style of Jumbo.
“We will see tomorrow if he will try to get closer, after the time trial and the stage of the day before. I think I’m the strongest right now,” thought Evenepoel. “For us, this is the ideal scenario. I was behind in Catalonia, now it is the other way around. We have no stress, for Jumbo-Visma it is different.”

Giro d’Italia | Remco Evenepoel na etappe 6 - “Heb de indruk dat Roglic nerveus is” - Eurosport

Na de helse dag met twee valpartijen kwam Remco Evenepoel etappe 6 door zonder problemen. Bij de Franse show ‘Rois de la Pédale’ keek de Belg vast naar morgen.

www.eurosport.nl

Translation: "I am nervous!"

 

[red_flanders]

Evenepoel is obsessed with Rogla.

He spent last month in Tenerife sharing a hotel (& bar) with Rog, now he's with him in Italy riding around in the sun & rain.

I feel a real bromance is brewing here.

Possible. Or a reporter asked him some questions and he gave a straight answer.

 

[Tim Cahill]

Worth a little dig for Almeida and Hart I think as the two favourites have been in the wars and you never know how they will respond two days after, both have a decent uphill kick too, Evenepoel and Roglic may risk neutralising each other a bit.

Perhaps some lesser contenders can take an opportunity for the stage/time from a bit further out too if the favourites teams aren't strong.

 

[hayneplane]

Trying my best not to have high expectations for tomorrow so that I can be pleasantly surprised if there is any longe range action or big contenders dropped significantly

 

[search]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1656745865703219201

View: https://twitter.com/AlternativaCol/status/1656745865703219201?s=20

just recently I read an inerview with his DS (I think it was Breschel?!) who said that Uran doesn't talk much, but if he does, it always makes a lot of sense.

 

[red_flanders]

There's a difference between sitting in the wheel and not doing any work, and rotating with someone. We'll see if Remco will just suck wheel the whole stage. He said that he won't attack himself, and his focus is on the TT of Sunday. So I guess he'll just follow, and maybe try to win the sprint if there are bonus seconds to gain?

I'll never understand the why the term wheelsucking is bantied about like it is. A wheelsucker is someone who never has enough to attack. That can't be said of Roglič or Evenepoel, both great riders who use their talents to attack and win. Leipheimer was a wheelsucker.

If I'm leading a race (any race) and I'm alone in front with my closest competitor, AND I'm the best in time trials, why on earth would I rotate? I mean, I can see it if I'm 5 mins ahead with one stage to go, and I like the guy and want to help pull him onto the podium or some rare scenario like that. Otherwise, the decision is either drop them or follow them. Drop them only makes sense if you're feeling great and you know the other rider is laboring. Follow them is the right call in 95% of the scenarios. Losing 4 seconds in a sprint finish is nothing compared to the TT and potential mountain stage time losses. It also discourages them from attacking or upping the pace, all which help me save energy in a long stage race.

So I say he follows wheels unless he feels like it's another easy chance to take a chunk of time.

 

[red_flanders]

Trying my best not to have high expectations for tomorrow so that I can be pleasantly surprised if there is any longe range action or big contenders dropped significantly

Former unlikely, latter very likely...depending on one's definition of "big competitor".

 

[fox]

I'll never understand the why the term wheelsucking is bantied about like it is. A wheelsucker is someone who never has enough to attack. That can't be said of Roglič or Evenepoel, both great riders who use their talents to attack and win. Leipheimer was a wheelsucker.

If I'm leading a race (any race) and I'm alone in front with my closest competitor, AND I'm the best in time trials, why on earth would I rotate? I mean, I can see it if I'm 5 mins ahead with one stage to go, and I like the guy and want to help pull him onto the podium or some rare scenario like that. Otherwise, the decision is either drop them or follow them. Drop them only makes sense if you're feeling great and you know the other rider is laboring. Follow them is the right call in 95% of the scenarios. Losing 4 seconds in a sprint finish is nothing compared to the TT and potential mountain stage time losses. It also discourages them from attacking or upping the pace, all which help me save energy in a long stage race.

So I say he follows wheels unless he feels like it's another easy chance to take a chunk of time.

You have it wrong. A wheelsucker is a rider who doesn't do the work in the group and then takes the win in the last few kilometers.

 

[red_flanders]

You have it wrong. A wheelsucker is a rider who doesn't do the work in the group and then takes the win in the last few kilometers.

Yeah I definitely don’t understand why being smart has a derogatory label. If someone is dumb enough to pull me to the finish I’m definitely taking advantage.

 

[Devil's Elbow]

After the damp squib that was Lago Laceno, it's finally time to sort out the contenders from the pretenders. Roglic and Evenepoel will probably sprint it out like they did on the Catalunya MTFs (I don't buy that Roglic is lacking form, and I also don't buy that Evenepoel took a significant knock yesterday), Hart seems the likeliest bet to mix it up with them. Also curious as to how Vine goes here.

 

[Ilmaestro99]

Evenepoel and Roglic to finish together, Almeida to win the stage and gain 20 seconds.

Portuguese Zubelida is no winning any stage with 20 seconds, he would have to do an attack. I've not seen Almida attack ever once on his career, he literally just rides numbers.

Maybe almida can win the stage but it would be a sprint like Simon Yates in 2018 (after they catch Masnada )

 

[Ilmaestro99]

Worth a little dig for Almeida and Hart I think as the two favourites have been in the wars and you never know how they will respond two days after, both have a decent uphill kick too, Evenepoel and Roglic may risk neutralising each other a bit.

Perhaps some lesser contenders can take an opportunity for the stage/time from a bit further out too if the favourites teams aren't strong.

How can you attack teh favourites if you are 20 metres behind them all the time

 

[Devil's Elbow]

Portuguese Zubelida is no winning any stage with 20 seconds, he would have to do an attack. I've not seen Almida attack ever once on his career, he literally just rides numbers.

Maybe almida can win the stage but it would be a sprint like Simon Yates in 2018 (after they catch Masnada )

How about the Vuelta stage last year where he attacked really early and Soler had to wait for him to everyone's amusement?

 

[houtdffan]

Remco should attack Saturday, only counter punch tomorrow, UNLESS he sees Rog on a bad day

 

[Ilmaestro99]

How about the Vuelta stage last year where he attacked really early and Soler had to wait for him to everyone's amusement?

Don't remember it . I forgot to watch a lot of 2022 vuelta final week. But of course Soler was once again getting scrrewed by his teammates. I don't mind almida but he will never win a gt with his racing style.

 

[Jumbo Visma Fan :)]

How can you attack teh favourites if you are 20 metres behind them all the time

He’ll just slingshot in the final Km.