Giro d’Abruzzo 9 to 12 April 2024 (2.1)

[QueenStagiaire]

It seems like normal Grand Tour Youth classification rules apply here which means roughly two thirds of the field are eligible.

 

[Rob5091]

Yesterday's highlights at short stage 1 highlights.

stage 2 finish today - again a descent to a right hander then straight to the finish, but it's slightly uphill.

 

[Squire]

If you had a drink for every time Brian Smith says 'kinda', you'd be hammered within 5 minutes.

 

[KZD]

First pro win for Jan Christen. UAE is on fire.

 

[Rob5091]

Looks like a UAE win despite all the messing around! Good for young Christen .. and Pozzovivo hung on well for a 6th spot.

 

[TourOfSardinia]

GC

 

[Rob5091]

To put things into perspective, Christen was born the year before Pozzovivo started his pro-cycling career!

 

[Rob5091]

Stage 3 Thursday, Pratola Peligna to Prati di Tivo, 163 km, start 10.55 CET, TV from 13.50 CET. Time for the big one ... On May 11th Pogacar will be riding up Prati di Tivo so we get a little taster of the Giro's stage 8.

 

[Squire]

As I posted in the Jan thread, I'm curious if he can Kuss himself into a GC win. Needs to be stronger than or equal to Bennett, Riccitello and Lutsenko, but not necessarily Yates and Sivakov.

 

[TourOfSardinia]

If Pozzovivo is going to show himself
it will be here.

 

[search]

didn't really notice until now: having three Swiss guys in the Top 5 is certainly unusual. But Voisard seems to be getting a little bit better every year, and Romandie as one of their highlights of the season is just around the corner for Tudor.

 

[Rob5091]

... and the TV covergae is on. 6 guys with less then 2 minutes up the road.

 

[TourOfSardinia]

... and the TV coverage is on. 6 guys with less then 2 minutes up the road.

And yes a Dane
in the break
Dennis Lock

 

[Rob5091]

The break quickly down to 3 as the road starts to go up.
edit - Lock's 21 so I'm afraid he's past it already. He must feel like an old man with these 18 year olds in the race.

 

[Mayomaniac]

Fiorelli, aka van Aert at home, in the breakaway.

 

[Squire]

So how does UAE play this? Cover all attacks for Christen, and if someone not in a UAE jersey drops him, go attacking with Yates?

 

[Rob5091]

UAE to ride for Yates I would expect. He's team leader and needs a confidence boost after his crash. Also good practise for the Giro.

 

[Lequack]

Time for Lutsenko to deal with these lesser riders and win the MTF.

 

[Rob5091]

Ok,if you know this, go to the top of the class (and get called lots of names by everyone else) .. the fastest time up the Prati di Tivo is held by whom?

Spoiler: climb time

wout van aert

 

[Tim Cahill]

Still believe Simon Yates would've beaten Pogacar on this climb if he didn't stand around and let him get 40 seconds up the road, almost had him by the end.

 

[Lequack]

Paul Double will probably win it.

 

[Tim Cahill]

Astana absolutely nailing it from the bottom for Luts like Pantani with a team of 12 year old Italians and Central Asian club riders!

 

[QueenStagiaire]

secret leader Vinokurov sitting at the back of the train!

 

[Lequack]

Jan Christen even has the Pog tufts, so maybe he could win! He looks very spritely.

 

[Rob5091]

It didn't take long to sort the men out from the boys. Phew, what a pace!