8 stage Giro

[Pimich]

What do you think about stage???? Sprint, gap or classik sprint

 

[Leopejo]

What do you think about stage???? Sprint, gap or classik sprint

A sprint between "classics" riders.

The stage started fast with 7, and then 10, riders breaking away. After an hour their advantage is a couple of minutes.

The first hour was again raced very fast: 44,9 km/h (27.9 mph), amazing considering the race profile.

 

[Leopejo]

Lampre is not happy with the breakaway and they are chasing hard. Now they are hitting the first climb of the day and someone in the peloton will get tired legs, I fear.

 

[Leopejo]

The peloton came down to less than one and a half minutes in the climb, but after the KOM they slowed down. Three minutes now for Tschopp and Cataldo followed by Visconti and Petrov.

EDIT: 39,2 km/h is not bad considering the climb.

 

[Mellow Velo]

I wonder who that might be?
They are using the old Tour of Lombardy finish, so expect some of the contenders to struggle to avoid time gaps.
Very easy for a big name to lose 30-40 seconds in the last 6kms....

 

[ingsve]

10 men in breakaway and LPR leading the chase. The breakaway will make it with 15 minutes today.
Edit: It's even 10 diffrent teams represented so alot of teams ought to be happy with the break.

 

[Merckx]

I could see Visconti taking it today.

 

[Leopejo]

I wonder who that might be?
They are using the old Tour of Lombardy finish, so expect some of the contenders to struggle to avoid time gaps.
Very easy for a big name to lose 30-40 seconds in the last 6kms....

And for a reminder (strange to see such "old" names mixed to others racing today): Lombardy 2001.

 

[Mellow Velo]

10 men in breakaway and LPR leading the chase. The breakaway will make it with 15 minutes today.
Edit: It's even 10 diffrent teams represented so alot of teams ought to be happy with the break.

No chance.
Petrov is in the break and at 4 and a half on the GC.
Break currently being held under 4.
Can't see wise owl Bruyneel, letting anybody do an "Oscar Pereiro."

 

[ingsve]

No chance.
Petrov is in the break and at 4 and a half on the GC.
Break currently being held under 4.
Can't see wise owl Bruyneel, letting anybody do an "Oscar Pereiro."

Ah, that's true. I hadn't bothered checking if anyone was close on GC. I went on feel and most of them were people I knew were far behind.

 

[Leopejo]

No chance.
Petrov is in the break and at 4 and a half on the GC.
Break currently being held under 4.
Can't see wise owl Bruyneel, letting anybody do an "Oscar Pereiro."

And Cunego wants the stage.

Horrillo fell on the descent and is being transported to the hospital via helicopter.

 

[Merckx]

And Cunego wants the stage.

Horrillo fell on the descent and is being transported to the hospital via helicopter.

Hope everything is alright

 

[Leopejo]

It was Armstrong who forced and broke the peloton on the climb.

 

[Mellow Velo]

It was Armstrong who forced and broke the peloton on the climb.

That'll have the fanboys going all weak at the knees.

Looks like Astana are, as predicted, helping LPR to nullify the break.
Wonder if DDL will pay them back by chasing those bonus seconds?
I've given up picking Cunego.
He was so good at Coppi e Bartali, but that was his peak!

Can't understand how Cadel E doesn't give up his less than no chance of winning the Tour and concentrates on the Giro.
He always ride so well, when he races in Italy.

Maybe he just can't get over that 2002 bonk.

 

[Leopejo]

Now the time gap is increasing again, with only LPR pulling.

It seems they are quite concerned in the peloton about Horrillo's crash.

Oscar Gatto tore his cycling bibs in a crash too. He has big, sprinter leg muscles, for those interested.

 

[Leopejo]

Now the time gap is increasing again, with only LPR pulling.

And as soon as I wrote that, the peloton is in a single line and pulling the time gap back with Lampre.

 

[Bala Verde]

Horillo fell down a ravine... Apparently he had to be recovered by mountaineers, and the helicopter Uni Sports announcer was talking about, was used to localise him as well.

Hope he is well, but it seems like a terrible crash. I'll keep an eye out for announcements on the RAB site...

hmm Cunego and/or Gasparotto seem to want to have a go at it today. I wonder how Gilbert and Rodriguez are feeling. Since Pozatto, Garzelli, and Visconti have shown some interest in a stage win, I think they'll be in contention today as well.

How would the sprinters like Davis, even EBHagen dasz, be doing today...?

 

[Leopejo]

Horrillo is not risking his life. His situation is 3.5 out of 5 in some medical scale, meaning "serious - very serious".

He was found 60 meters down from the road.

 

[Leopejo]

Cunego, Pellizzotti, Horner,..

 

[Leopejo]

Cunego, Pellizzotti, Horner,..

.... and Rogers too, with Scarponi

 

[ingsve]

Interesting...Columbia and Astana covering with their 2nd riders in the GC. The advantage of having several in the top.

 

[ingsve]

Boasson Hagen following Leipheimer like it's nothing...

 

[Zoncolan]

Finally, some cojones being shown by Pellizotti, Rogers and Co.
Levi attacking now?

 

[Merckx]

Nice move so far!!

 

[Zoncolan]

Almost a minute between the two groups. Only about 30 riders left to chase.
Could the break stay away?