Giro d'Italia 34th Giro d’Italia Donne, June 30th - July 9th, 2023

[Samu Cuenca]

Due to a higher risk of rain later on, a lot of big names have opted to start early today, which means they won't ride during the live broadcast. If we're lucky we might get to see Antonia Niederrmaier or Lorena Wiebes finish, but they probably won't be done with the sign-in and other pre-race stuff by then.

Of the potential podium or top 5 contenders, only Niamh Fisher-Black, Elisa Longo Borghini and Liane Lippert will start in the last hour.

 

[yaco]

I like the short prologue because it gives a wider variety of riders the chance to win the stage.

 

[Samu Cuenca]

The early starters haven't avoided the rain, and García crashed during her ride. Dygert will finish soon in what promises to be a very good time.

 

[Samu Cuenca]

Dygert got the best time despite crashing as well, but Van Vleuten has gone a second faster and apparently stayed on her bike throughout her run.

It has stopped raining for now, so that will benefit Georgia Baker, if she has the same legs as last year.

 

[theyoungest]

And now it says heavy rain again. I hate TTs like this, where it's basically just a casino.

edit: race paused. Not sure I've ever seen that in a TT. Must be pretty heavy rain.

 

[Samu Cuenca]

Baker didn't really get an advantage, but she still managed to equal Dygert's time.
Let's hope the weather improves, and that they decide to let the riders who'll possibly be OTL start tomorrow. And also that all of the crashing riders are alright.

 

[awavey]

On the plus side with the delay there will be more riders shown on the live coverage right ?

Ignoring the fact we seem to be having the standard 20min waffling delay to showing any actual live coverage

 

[Izzyeviel]

how many men does it take to decide if its to wet to race?

 

[yaco]

I suspect that unless the weather conditions improve then the Commissars will give Paternoster the stage but no official times will be recorded.

 

[SafeBet]

Italian commentators saying the stage has been cancelled.

 

[Izzyeviel]

they've waited for the sun to come out before cancelling it.

 

[theyoungest]

Poor Paternoster... OTOH, she probably wouldn't have won in normal conditions.

 

[yaco]

.Tomorrow is a deceptively hard stage and it is the day that other teams control the race to try to ensure Wiebes does not make the finish - It will be hard because Wiebes is climbing better in 2023 - Anyway, potentially its an interesting stage.

 

[JosefK]

A handful of riders finishing within a second of each other. Too bad it got cancelled, but with the rain, it was pretty dangerous. So Dygert finished within a second of the lead despite crashing? That's impressive. Also, it was good to see Van Vleuten looking sharp. I thought she wasn't as rail thin as she's been in the past. Or maybe it was just the skinsuit she was wearing.

 

[Samu Cuenca]

.Tomorrow is a deceptively hard stage and it is the day that other teams control the race to try to ensure Wiebes does not make the finish - It will be hard because Wiebes is climbing better in 2023 - Anyway, potentially its an interesting stage.

Even an improved Wiebes won't be able to hold on in the last 7 km of the climb, and they won't have to go full gas to drop her either. They should be much more focused on trying to get rid of Dygert.

 

[theyoungest]

Even an improved Wiebes won't be able to hold on in the last 7 km of the climb, and they won't have to go full gas to drop her either. They should be much more focused on trying to get rid of Dygert.

The obvious one is Vos. Dygert should get rid of Vos. Which might be possible, the current iteration of Marianne Vos struggles on longer climbs.

 

[Leggitte]

Are there any times know other than the top 10 they showed? How did Wiebes do, and Fem van Empel? Did they get to start at all?

 

[Samu Cuenca]

The obvious one is Vos. Dygert should get rid of Vos. Which might be possible, the current iteration of Marianne Vos struggles on longer climbs.

Vos doesn't target the GC, so the GC teams won't have to care whether she makes it or not (not that I think she will anyway), but Dygert climbed so well in Burgos that they have to see her as a real threat, although she would have hoped to have got an early advantage today.

 

[Samu Cuenca]

Are there any times know other than the top 10 they showed? How did Wiebes do, and Fem van Empel? Did they get to start at all?

Van Empel rode in 5:48 (6 seconds slower than Paternoster), but Wiebes didn't get to ride.

 

[theyoungest]

Van Empel rode in 5:48 (6 seconds slower than Paternoster), but Wiebes didn't get to ride.

Van Empel rode in the pouring rain though. I think we can pretty much discard all the results. Other than that Dygert (apparently) crashed and still almost had the fastest time, which I find a little unbelievable on such a short prologue.

 

[Samu Cuenca]

Van Empel rode in the pouring rain though. I think we can pretty much discard all the results. Other than that Dygert (apparently) crashed and still almost had the fastest time, which I find a little unbelievable on such a short prologue.

Sure, the times don't tell us anything at all. It would have been nice to have had a better clue about the riders' shapes before tomorrow's stage

 

[Izzyeviel]

 

[Samu Cuenca]

Lol, they've only started the climb, and there are already issues with the tv signal.

 

[Izzyeviel]

Raining. Will the descent be ok?

Am i watching the Giro or Paris-Roubaix? Gaia could get lost in those potholes.

 

[Izzyeviel]

Even when they put it on for several hours, we still don't get to watch the interesting parts of the race.