Giro 2018 stage 18: Abbiategrasso – Prato Nevoso 196 km

[red_flanders]

Re: Re:

And some were critical of the stage design

They would say gaps would have been more decisive on a tougher stage; a chance for Domoulin to get more time or Froome, Pozzovivo and TD to separate themselves from each other.

Tomorrow works well for that. Some people just like to complain.

 

[May0maniac]

Re:

Almost happened again for Poels

Just dutchie things.

 

[LaFlorecita]

Dumo really put Yates into the red with his long attack. But he has to thank Froome for his attack and Poels for working, otherwise he wouldn't have gotten nearly as much time back.
A thought: Pozzo might even win this race???

 

[Screecher]

Re: Giro 2018 stage18: Abbiategrasso – Prato Nevoso 196 km

Yates didn't look good at all. Wondering if it's just a bad day or if he's running out of gas. Certainly didn't expect it though.

 

[sir fly]

Unappealing stage design produced excellent racing.
I suppose it's true the riders make the race, not route.

Those who wished Yates to lose some time got their wishes fulfilled.
Now we should think about what to wish for in order to make this Giro absolutely epic.

 

[More Strides than Rides]

Re: Re:

And some were critical of the stage design

They would say gaps would have been more decisive on a tougher stage; a chance for Domoulin to get more time or Froome, Pozzovivo and TD to separate themselves from each other.

Tomorrow works well for that. Some people just like to complain.

I agree.

I will say that the results of the stage should have very little to do with evaluating the stage design. May seem counter-intuitive, but stage design should only be seen to take the race narrative so far.

That this was an exciting stage doesn't justify or condemn the stage design. The best decisions can only be made months in advance of any bikes on the road.

 

[DenisMenchov]

Pinot and Dennis just disappeared, right?

 

[Red Rick]

How much bonifications have Dumoulin and Yates both taken so far this Giro?

 

[movingtarget]

Power climb suited Dumoulin. Might not be the same for the next two stages.

 

[Ramira]

Re: Re:

I think right now Yates might well be the best 2 week racer in the world.

It seems he might still be a ways removed from being the best 3 week racer though.

That might be okay. With the way some GT's backload their races, the hard stuff is two weeks long anyways.

There's more to racing a GT than just the difficulty of the stages though. There's the constant travelling, the different hotels, the nervousness of the peloton, and there's no training rides, so you have to rely on racing to keep peak shape. Even with a relatively easy week one a three week race will still be very different from just riding the last two weeks.

 

[fauniera]

Re: Re:

Pozzovivo to win this Giro.

I would Love That!

Me too. And it could happen.

 

[LaFlorecita]

Re:

How much bonifications have Dumoulin and Yates both taken so far this Giro?

42 for Yates, 10 for Dumo, is what Eurosport just said

 

[MartinGT]

Bonifications LOL

 

[Climbing]

I think Yates still got this, and tbh this Pozzo looks incredible, but not sure if he's willing to risk it all for the win.

 

[Breh]

Re:

Pinot loses over 30 seconds again.

I suppose it's true the riders make the race, not route.

So true.

 

[AlexNYC]

Re:

Power climb suited Dumoulin. Might not be the same for the next two stages.

No, but if Yates is not well, it won’t matter.

 

[More Strides than Rides]

Re: Re:

I think right now Yates might well be the best 2 week racer in the world.

It seems he might still be a ways removed from being the best 3 week racer though.

That might be okay. With the way some GT's backload their races, the hard stuff is two weeks long anyways.

There's more to racing a GT than just the difficulty of the stages though. There's the constant travelling, the different hotels, the nervousness of the peloton, and there's no training rides, so you have to rely on racing to keep peak shape. Even with a relatively easy week one a three week race will still be very different from just riding the last two weeks.

You're right, and this Giro included the big transfer from (hot and sunny) Israel to Sicily and then to the peninsula.

But it was also front loaded in a way that the Tour rarely is. Nervous steep-ramp finishes, Mt. Etna. Not to mention Michelton-Scott's battle plan seemed to front load the aggression in the first week/weeks hard in anticipation of the TT.

 

[TourOfSardinia]

Pozzo warming down

 

[Lexman]

Re: Re:

Pinot loses over 30 seconds again.

I suppose it's true the riders make the race, not route.

So true.

Pinot aimed high for this Giro but is worse then last year, a real shame...

 

[Ramira]

Re:

How much bonifications have Dumoulin and Yates both taken so far this Giro?

I think Yates has 3 wins and 2 second places, Dumoulin has a second and a third place.

So Yates has 42 seconds, Dumoulin has 10 afaik.

 

[Lemonbaloon]

Rider mentaity in the Giro: Everything to win.
Rider mentality in the tour: Everything to lose.

 

[movingtarget]

Pozzo looked pretty good. Aru having another day off. Pinot seems finished for this race for the podium anyway. Better stage than I expected. Bad day for Yates or the start of something bigger ?

 

[hfer07]

The question is: How bad can Yates perform in the coming stages? Is he fading or today was simply a one off? MS wasn't that great today either...

suddenly things got a whole lot Interesting

 

[DenisMenchov]

Giro always has an incredible third week. I can't wait for the next two stages.

 

[Ramira]

Re: Re:

I think right now Yates might well be the best 2 week racer in the world.

It seems he might still be a ways removed from being the best 3 week racer though.

That might be okay. With the way some GT's backload their races, the hard stuff is two weeks long anyways.

There's more to racing a GT than just the difficulty of the stages though. There's the constant travelling, the different hotels, the nervousness of the peloton, and there's no training rides, so you have to rely on racing to keep peak shape. Even with a relatively easy week one a three week race will still be very different from just riding the last two weeks.

You're right, and this Giro included the big transfer from (hot and sunny) Israel to Sicily and then to the peninsula.

But it was also front loaded in a way that the Tour rarely is. Nervous steep-ramp finishes, Mt. Etna. Not to mention Michelton-Scott's battle plan seemed to front load the aggression in the first week/weeks hard in anticipation of the TT.

Very true, an easier first week with little travel might mitigate the issues Yates has. Though I think the TDF is just so nervous that even an easy first week costs a lot of energy (just look how bad Yates was in week 3 last year). However a Giro or Vuelta with a relatively easy week 1 would suit Yates pretty well right now. And that's assuming he doesn't simply get better at sustaining his form for 3 weeks, which is very possible considering his age.