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Looks like he has a decent record, especially when he has something to ride for. The closest comparable to this year's final stage is a 29km Stage 9 at Suisse in 2017, when he finished 3rd, less than a minute behind Dennis and Kung (Team BMC 1-2-3), and closed his GC gap to Spilak by 4s.
Around 2011 when he was riding for liquigas i thought he was gonna be a big star but it didnt turned out that way obviously.
The real pity is that considering his shape there could have been another chapter of the "free Landa" story, if only Landa hadn't crashed out. Also the race wouldn't feel as much as a foregone conclusion as Landa and Caruso together might have actually been able to apply some pressure on Bernal.
I meant it figuratively. There have been several reports of sightings.
So far Caruso is more successful chasing Bernal than he was two years ago chasing Carapaz on the way to Courmayeur.
Insert here a statement about this Giro field strength
Insert here a statement about this Giro field strength
I have nothing against Caruso, he's doing great so far in this Giro. But, if he's second and two minutes down on Bernal, imagine if Landa was still here and considering he was in big shape, i think Landa would have challenge Bernal for the pink jersey.
Imagine if: The Mikel Landa Story.
Haha, no but it would have been great to have both Landa and Caruso challenge Bernal and be on the podium.
If he didn't ride with or almost for Bernal in the final, he would have been even closer to pink. He should have done what Almeida did to Yates. Sit on him and then attack him in the last km. I know he was riding for the podium. But now, if he doesn't crack, he is sitting almost comfortably in the top3. He has a once in a lifetime chance to win a GT. If Bernal is fading a little, Caruso can gain more than a minute in the ITT. He needs another minute on the road and at the same time he needs to watch out for Yates. It's an intriguing situation and he should go for it!
The "How the race was won" analysts will be having a hard time because there will be no crucial moments or decisive attacks to point to.
How can you be that sure that he'd be able to attack Bernal? I think it was actually very reasonable what he did today.
If Bernal is fading indeed, then Caruso still have 3 more opportunities to gain time on him (while on TT he'll do it regardless of Bernal's shape, just like you said).
I'm pretty intrigued to see how Caruso and Bahrain race after today, conceivably they will need to test Bernal, but probably lack the manpower with only 5 riders to do so riding from the front. I think in all likelihood they'll need to piggyback of BikeExchange pulling like they did today and put Bilbao in a break in order to be there later in the race.
I'd say Bilbao also seems to be coming into slightly better form towards the end of the race, he could be very very useful if Caruso is to try in earnest to pressure Bernal.
I'd say Bilbao also seems to be coming into slightly better form towards the end of the race, he could be very very useful if Caruso is to try in earnest to pressure Bernal.
There will be bad moments for all the other contenders to point to and that's how he would have won- by not having one while all others did.
Banking on two mtf's to be enough to gain at least 2 minutes on Bernal is highly optimistic though, even if he does fade. The way Bernal looked when Caruso caught him and the fact that he actually lost 2 seconds on the line absolutely convince me that he could have gained significantly more if he had tried. But that's the thing, try telling a 33 y.o. dude whose best gt gc result is an 8th place from 6 years ago that he is supposed to risk his podium to go for 1st place. If Caruso gets 2nd that is so far and beyond the biggest result of a career that looked to end entirely without such a result, that I kinda understand why Caruso is focussed on keeping his position.
I guess we will all be a lot smarter after stage 19. Yates wants nothing but the win, I'm pretty sure about that, so he will 100% attack Bernal. If it turns out Bernal only had a bad day then we will all think back with a smile to the day we thought Damiano Caruso might win a gt. If it turns out Bernal didn't just have a bad day and Caruso is stronger than him I'm absolutely certain he will start thinking of the win too.
Yates was talking about the podium in the backstage pass after the Giau. I can understand it for him too, Bernal hadn't shown any weakness and he himself hasn't had a podium in 3 years/didn't even podium 3 years ago.
I doubt Yates will go all in, but if he has legs I'm sure he'll just go for it on the final climb.
If Bernal struggles in stage 19 too, I think Yates may go all in at stage 20. It's not like you can gain big time before stage 20 either.
What if Landa still being in the race after losing about 7 minutes in the stage to Montalcino will work his a** off to keep Caruso on the podium?
They will have to point to the bonus sprint on stage 10. That sprint obviously killed both Remco and Bernal.
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