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Giro 2017, stage 12: Forlì – Reggio Emilia 229 km

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Robert5091 said:
G went too hard in the ITT after the crash. Not 100% so he's paying for it now.

Chapeau the other G - Gaivira. TJ hung in there - hope he feels in a better place.

He probably had to as it was an opportunity to improve his GC position but injuries often have a delayed effect especially in endurance events. He might not even finish the race depending on how he goes in the hard stages coming up.
 
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carton said:
Superb execution from Quick Step today. Great job by Richeze setting it up, and by Gaviria delivering yet again. Consistency is the true hallmark of a champion.

Zinoviev Letter said:
Short of a very lucky breakaway, which he's unlikely to be allowed, how far up the GC could he reasonably expect to climb?
Coming out of the 12th stage of the Giro in 2014, a budding GC rider, who had only placed in the top 30 in a Grand Tour once before, was fighting off a cold, 6th, 3:29 behind the previous year's runner-up. Nairo Quintana ended up winning the Giro, 2:58 ahead of Rigoberto Urán.

Coming out of the 12th stage of the Giro in 2016, a budding GC rider, who had only placed in the top 30 on a Grand Tour once before, was 8th, 2:43 behind Bob Jungels, who had hung with the favorites up the climbs and taken 34 seconds of the next-best GC man in the time-trial, and about whom the other contenders were really starting to worry after his stellar performance up Sestola. Esteban Chaves ended up 2nd, less than a minute (or a hill) from winning the Giro, 8:31 ahead of 6th place Bob Jungels (so, in the top-5 by [over] a Mortirolo mile). And that wasn't even (by a long shot) the biggest comeback of that Giro.

I think achieving his goal of podium placing would a huge ask for Geraint Thomas at the moment. But it's not impossible, if he is the rider he (and Sky) think he could be. Yes, there is some talent on offer, but of the riders ahead of him in the GC, only three (Nibali, Quintana & Pinot) have managed a Grand Tour podium before. He's been training for years for a shot at the GC. He likely won't get another one for a year, if that. So with a flat stage, a Unipublic stage, and a medium mountain jaunt to go before the rest day, there's no way he should pull the plug unless he literally can't hang on. And if he's hanging on by then, and he can just hang on with the best on the climbs, then there's nowhere to go but up mountains, and up into the top five.

Push has come to shove. This is when the hitters get going. Life doesn't always give you second chances.

There are two key differences between Quintana and Chaves on the one hand and Thomas on the other. Firstly the first two are very much younger and so had more room to improve and secondly both were already in GC relevant positions. Thomas is much older and is starting from a much worse position. He is also quite obviously carrying injuries. It's not impossible that Thomas could podium or top 5 but it's a significantly bigger ask than it was for the Colombians.

I can understand the argument that 8th or something similar is a prize still worth fighting for for Thomas. It would show that he can handle 3 weeks even if the crash means that he will finish in an insignificant position. But at the moment he is going in the wrong direction. Don't get me wrong, I understand the pressure to be a semi good GT GC rider, but I hate it. If Thomas was challenging for a big GC result I'd be happy about it, but if he's not at that kind of climbing level I want him to avoid being a mediocre GC man and actually win the cobbled races he was born for.
 
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Samamba said:
Cance > TheRest said:
Greipel somehow managed to mess up his leadout again. He needs to be more cool and follow his teammates, like when Hofland went to the front. No wonder Gaviria wins, when he's got such great trust in his leadout train and cleverly folloes Richeze around everywhere he goes.

Greipel forgot his balls in Germany, not the first time.
Let's hope he brings them to the Tour because no way he's gonna beat Kittel like this.

He'll do what he always does and will bag a stage at the Tour but I think Kittel will smoke him on most occasions, pity we wont have Cav in flying form at the Tour.