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

[Tim Cahill]

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1657064896427589645

Eh?

 

[topcat]

Well, this was to be expected. Roglic is biding his time and waiting till the Vuelta to attack.

 

[Didinho]

Apparently 4-5 beaufort headwind. When all teams were in front next to eachother, you knew nothing would happen. Maybe tomorrow more action with the steep final climb.

 

[red_flanders]

What a disappointing finale by the peloton! This must be the worst 1st week of Giro in a while (in terms of GC fight). Not that stage design helps but come on. Are they so intimidated by the Rainbow Imperatore or simply had no legs to try anything? There will be no major mountain stage in the next few days and on Sunday the Belgian will double (or triple) his advantage.

"the Belgian"?

 

[Ilmaestro99]

"the Belgian"?

remco is Belgian. From belgium

 

[Rechtschreibfehler]

This was quite an enjoyable stage to me. I spend the time reading and working, and every single time I payed attention, nothing had happened, and I could go on working in peace. The Moment I was ready to take a break to eat something the last 4 kilometers had just begun, and there was actually still nothing going on. So I basically saw all the action of the day, dispite spending my time not watching the stage. Brilliant.

 

[Izzyeviel]

i'm starting to think the Italians don't deserve a Grand Tour. Send it to America instead.

 

[Nick2413]

I don’t mind some days being raced like this but hoping it picks up at some point. The riders make the race, but hard to do when everyone’s too scared to attack.

 

[staubsauger]

What did y'all expect from todays stage?

If one had asked me on Monday I would've said the best outcome would be a minor group staying away. Without Dombrowski, so it's exciting who gets that big, meaningful win at the Giro d'Italia. Better than an uphill sprint from the favorites where in fact nothing happens before either.

That I shouldn't have watched this for 5 hours, but rather should have ignored the weather forecast and went on a 2 hours hike at 13.30, because it stayed sunny is another story.

But how was this stage such a big disappointment if you grabbed a coffee, switched on at 15.30 and saw Bais, Vacek & Petilli battle it out for the chance of their lifetime? Based on what should have been the realistic expectations of the viewer.

Who would even dare to watch this stage fully, if it's not constantly raining outside and talking to your husband / wife is even more boring?

 

[RedheadDane]

remco is Belgian. From belgium

Well, I'm gonna start referring to Masnada as "The Italian".

 

[Krzysztof_O]

Well, I'm gonna start referring to Masnada as "The Italian".

What's your problem?

 

[Ilmaestro99]

i'm starting to think the Italians don't deserve a Grand Tour. Send it to America instead.

Permaban please

 

[zlev11]

anyone expecting more than that before the last 4km was set up to be disappointed. but then the last 4km sucked too. what are you gonna do.

 

[Ilmaestro99]

Well, I'm gonna start referring to Masnada as "The Italian".

You can call fausto what you like . Hopefully in June we can call him the Italian champion

 

[titan31]

Rob Hatch yelling: “Campo Imperatore, Campo Imperatore, Campo Imperatore!!” throughout the last hour and then f*ck-all happening in the peloton. Face-palm.

Ya, ES commentary just makes a stage like today worse. Just call a spade a spade and say it's complete crap rather than sat there going oh they'll all start riding fast and attacking now.

 

[Lequack]

Permaban please

He might be right though.

 

[RedheadDane]

You can call fausto what you like . Hopefully in June we can call him the Italian champion

That would be great. Especially because he rides for Quickstep, and they make great National Champion's jerseys.

 

[titan31]

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1657064896427589645

Eh?

Understandable, they had to chase down that attack from Champion.

 

[Lequack]

In protest of today's awful stage I will not be watching tomorrow's boring stage and also the even more boring ITT that follows. Take that Giro!

 

[red_flanders]

Well, I'm gonna start referring to Masnada as "The Italian".

Only problem being no one would have any idea who you were referring to…😂

 

[Krzysztof_O]

Only problem being no one would have any idea who you were referring to…😂

Unless in the previous sentence he mentions the new Fausto Coppi.

 

[RedheadDane]

Only problem being no one would have any idea who you were referring to…😂

Maybe I'll just refer to everyone by their nationality.
I might mix it up by call Küng "The Liechtensteiner".

 

[staubsauger]

i'm starting to think the Italians don't deserve a Grand Tour. Send it to America instead.

The Rocky Mountains actually are just as beautiful as the Dolomites!

 

[Krzysztof_O]

Maybe I'll just refer to everyone by their nationality.
I might mix it up by call Küng "The Liechtensteiner".

Remco is a Belgian but from the context it was obvious who I was refering to so the Belgian is ok.

 

[Breh]

There are more than enough tough climbs in southern Italy and when better climbs are used the racing usually improves to normal 1st week gt standards. Even Etna also hasn't always been horrible, it really only is when they take one of the exposed main roads. The racing was quite decent in both 2020 and 2018 iirc.

The reason why first week Giro mtf's are that bad is simply because the climbs are so often that bad. Gran Sasso, Campo Felice, Roccaraso, the shallow Etna sides, Montevergine, etc. Nobody can look at those climbs and act all surprised the racing isn't good. But the problem is that as long as the media completely eats the story lines of "the first big mountain test" people will keep watching and as long as people keep watching the Giro organizers don't see a reason to change their formula.

Blockhaus was absolute dogshit last year aswell.