Giro d’Italia 2024, Stage 16: Livigno – Santa Cristina Valgardena/Sankt Christina in Gröden (Monte Pana), 202.0k 206.0k

[Samu Cuenca]

Big respect for Julian Alaphilippe at protesting the mandatory wearing of helmets on final climbs by the UCI dictatorship which dumbed down the spectacle on the road!

https://twitter.com/x/status/1792993402415403111

Wasn't he fined for doing it a year or two ago as well?

 

[Tim Cahill]

Dario Cioni 4th in a Grand Tour, **** me things must've been bad

Looks like he just decided to do some gear in 2004 to get himself a decent contract then dined out on it the rest of his career, fair play.

 

[Salvarani]

Big respect for Julian Alaphilippe at protesting the mandatory wearing of helmets on final climbs by the UCI dictatorship which dumbed down the spectacle on the road!

https://twitter.com/x/status/1792993402415403111

Im guessing Patrick has had least one glass of wine today.

 

[Tim Cahill]

Wasn't he fined for doing it a year or two ago as well?

Yes in remarkably similar circumstances

Lefevere suggests UCI is 'short on cash' as Alaphilippe fined for removing helmet

'The fines from the UCI are falling out of the blue this year' says Soudal-QuickStep boss

www.cyclingnews.com

 

[KZD]

A shame that the first climbs were taken off but the stage was still decent in good part thanks to Movistar weird tactics and Alaphilippe's boldness.

We are lacking adjectives to describe Pogačar and he continues to prove that he is on another level when compared to rest of riders in this Giro. Nice gesture with Pellizzari at the end too a rider that also deserved the win today and has a great future ahead of him. Martinez with a very good performance, he will be tough to beat for second.

 

[Jack_89]

I'm a little surprised that no one mentioned the similarities (for type of climb, for the dominance shown, for the weather) with Gerardmer TdF 2014. Like Contador, Pogacar today ran the last two km with only one leg.

 

[Taxus4a]

Pogi is just forced to win. By his team, by movistar... He wasn't even hurting.

It is not his fault if making a serie overpass someone and win a stage. He has to do the training for le Tour properly. Le Tour is a difficult race for Pogacar with lot of good rivals, he cant stop his training to be polite with other people...

 

[QueenStagiaire]

I'm a little surprised that no one mentioned the similarities (for type of climb, for the dominance shown, for the weather) with Gerardmer TdF 2014. Like Contador, Pogacar today ran the last two km with only one leg.

Contador took three seconds there, so the comparison is a bit far-fetched.

 

[Lequack]

Lanterne rouge podcast

View: https://www.youtube.com/live/bYdWV2RaISk?si=S5N6aJjopigjWBe7


Flobikes highlights

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XpC1qy9EIt8

 

[Jack_89]

Contador took three seconds there, so the comparison is a bit far-fetched.

I recommend watching the ending again., 10 years are a lot😆The issue is not the gap... but small signs of dominance shown (small accelerations, the entire climb out of the saddle, opponents( better than this Giro btw) dropped with the mouth almost closed). to seal what has been said, I recommend observing his expression as soon as he crossed the finish line after raising his head. That's all on YouTube.

 

[Tricycle Rider]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1792875652346998944

View: https://x.com/simongeschke/status/1792875652346998944

No worries Geschke, for every weather condition there is a garden gnome to represent the bearded types!

 

[Brullnux]

Today's Processo alla Tappa had quite a lively discussion between someone from RCS and a CPA representative. If anyone is interested, here's the video (in Italian):

Watch Giro_dItalia_2024_Stage_16_Processo_alla_Tappa | Streamable

Watch "Giro_dItalia_2024_Stage_16_Processo_alla_Tappa" on Streamable.

streamable.com

I enjoyed this. The RCS man is mad at the CPA and UCI, and he makes a couple of good points re CPA agreeing to things when in the room with UCI and then deciding they don't like it a few hours later. It seems the Hansen letter really took them by surprise, as did the refusal to do the 12km put of Livigno. CPA seem to have failed today at the whole liaise between peloton and UCI/RCS role, which was their entire point.

Also, there is a broader point here re the extreme weather protocol being simply way, way too vague and as a result unfit for purpose.

 

[Armchair Cyclist]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1792993402415403111

Did they fine Cavendish when he stopped and took his helmet off at the Tom Simpson memorial? If not, they have established the principle that a fine is discretionary. Did Alaphilippe actually move without a helmet?

 

[Tim Cahill]

Did they fine Cavendish when he stopped and took his helmet off at the Tom Simpson memorial? If not, they have established the principle that a fine is discretionary. Did Alaphilippe actually move without a helmet?

No they didn't I believe, had a look before, Cavendish was riding with it off too before he put it back on and threw his cap, at least in 2021. Alaphilippe was moving in both circumstances I believe, so yeah it seems to be discretionary.

 

[search]

Did Alaphilippe actually move without a helmet?

yeah. And is it's the 2nd time it happened, they honestly should have just disqualified him

Watch Alaphilippe | Streamable

Watch "Alaphilippe" on Streamable.

streamable.com

 

[Brullnux]

MONTE PANA (last 1.99 km, 11.81 %, 235 m)
7:05 | Pogacar
7:21 | D.Martinez
7:38 | Tiberi
7:42 | Arensman
7:43 | Pellizzari
7:54 | O'Connor, G.Thomas

Great effort from Pellizzari! Did that after having worked for the previous like 12km off the front on the false flat/climb, too. If he'd stayed in the group he may well have come third regardless.

 

[CyclistAbi]

Congratulations to Tadej Pogačar for winning fifth stage at this Giro edition.

I agree with the decision to shorten the stage due to weather conditions. Pogi forced to win, by Movistar, Bora making a move and this time profiting from it, partially due to leadership issues at Ineos.

 

[Ricco']

O'Connor is a completete tool. Inexcuseable comments (we can obviously say that stuff here behind aliases, avatars and what not!)

Hopefully O Connor blows on Grappa.

A bit ironic coming from O'Connor, because if it wasn't that stage to Tignes in 2021 raced in similarly atrocious conditions that gave him his 4th place in that year GC, nobody would know who he was.

 

[houtdffan]

“It’s probably one of the worst organised races, I think and, I’m just being honest, this would never happen in 99% of other situations. It’s just a bit of a shame that it’s 2024 and you still have dinosaurs who don’t see the human side of things,”

Ben O'Connor says Giro d'Italia is run by 'dinosaurs' amid anger over stage 16 conditions

'I'd like to see him get out on the bike and do the start of the stage and see what his answer is' says Australian

www.globalcyclingnetwork.com

Ben O'Connor needs to put on his big boy pants and ride the conditions presented to him

 

[Extinction]

I enjoyed this. The RCS man is mad at the CPA and UCI, and he makes a couple of good points re CPA agreeing to things when in the room with UCI and then deciding they don't like it a few hours later. It seems the Hansen letter really took them by surprise, as did the refusal to do the 12km put of Livigno. CPA seem to have failed today at the whole liaise between peloton and UCI/RCS role, which was their entire point.

Also, there is a broader point here re the extreme weather protocol being simply way, way too vague and as a result unfit for purpose.

Plus CPA cares not for RCA's dilemma to maintain its side of the deal; namely Livigno paid to have the Giro start there. So it's incumbant upon them to respect the deal and not something the Giro can just rescind on after the fee has already exhanged hands. The riders, taking recourse to a vague extreme weather protocal and, let's face it, having forgotten too much that this sport is for the hard men, have sabotagged the race. The Giro doesn't deserve this.

Now I'm not saying Vegni and RCS are entirely without flaws, far from it, but these riders in my opinion should show a bit more respect for an event and its history that has made a significant contribution, obviously with the other great races of the calendar, to why they get paid the big salaries pro teams offer today. The riders agreed to start the race in Livigno, were told they weren't going up the pass, and yet they still didn't show up. It made RCA look like fools incapable of establishing a modicum of authority over the peloton, so as to at least respect a previous deal with a paying municipality to hold the start. Sure, it wasn't ideal to have to get wet, stop, restart, but, come on boys, you signed on to be pro cyclists and this is what it entails sometimes. You don't like it? There are any number of less arduous and remunerative professions from which to choose. Doubtless there are lads just chomping at the bit to fill your spots. Oh, but they're not good enough? I'm sure the tifosi would rather watch guys who are a bit slower, but who honor the sport that was built upon legandary feats of resistance, physical and mental; than this crop of spoiled, narcisisistic, primadonnas.

Long gone are the days of a Torrigiani who insisted that less paid and looked after riders climb the Gavia in the snow. It was sheer folly that showed no regard for the lives of the cyclists, who were sent off to seriously risk freezing to death. It's thus good and right that today's riders aren't bullied into submission like that, but at the same time it produced one of the most epic racing moments in the history of the sport. Such accumulated moments, moreover, have been the catalysts for increasing the fanbase to a global reach, which, in turn, generates sponsorship revenues that both put on the great events and pay today's riders' much higher salaries (even though rightfully they are no longer made to risk their skins in such horrible weather conditions). So a bit more respect for the sport's history and, yes, willingness to make compromises with the organizations, is I think called for on their part.

Now the tables have been completely overturned, with the riders potentially holding the race organizations hostage to their every whim, each time they don't want to get wet and cold (a by now frequent occurance at the Giro, which has been further penalized by the UCI requiring it be started too early in May). It's a disgrace. The UCI needs to set clear guidelines regarding extreme weather protocals, which guarantees rider safety (as much as this is possible in an inherently dangerous sport) and enforce them; while respecting the responsibilities of the race organizations before their constituancies. And heavily fine teams whose riders agreed upon the arranged terms under union representation, but who then refuse to comply with the UCI verdicts or go on strike. This seems fair to me, because it tries to ensure safe racing conditions, while holding riders accountable, under monetary team penalty, to their job responsibilities.

 

[Nick2413]

Plus CPA cares not for RCA's dilemma to maintain its side of the deal; namely Livigno paid to have the Giro start there. So it's not something the Giro can just rescind on after the fee has already exhanged hands. The riders, taking recourse to a vague extreme weather protocal and, let's face it, having forgotten too much that this sport is for the hard men, have sabotagged the race. The Giro doesn't deserve this.

Now I'm not saying Vegni and RCS are entirely without flaws, far from it, but these riders in my opinion should show a bit more respect for an event and its history that has made a significant contribution, obviously with the other great races of the calendar, to why they get paid the big salaries pro teams offer today. The riders agreed to start the race in Livigno, were told they weren't going up the pass, and yet they still didn't show up. It made RCA look like fools incapable of establishing a modicum of authority over the peloton, so as to at least respect a previous deal with a paying municipality to hold the start. Sure, it wasn't ideal to have to get wet, stop, restart, but, come on boys, you signed on to be pro cyclists and this is what it entails sometimes. You don't like it? There are any number of less arduous professions from which to choose. Doubtless there are lads just comping at the bit to fill your spots. Oh, but they're not good enough? I'm sure the tifosi would rather watch guys who are a bit slower, but who honor the sport that was built upon legandary feats of resistance, physical and mental; than this crop of spoiled, narcisisistic, primadonnas.

Long gone are the days of a Torrigiani who insisted that less paid and looked after riders climb the Gavia in the snow. It was sheer folly that showed no regard for the lives of the cyclists, who were sent off to seriously risk freezing to death. It's thus good and right that today's riders aren't bullied into submission like that, but at the same time it produced one of the most epic racing moments in the history of the sport. Such accumulated moments, moreover, have been the catalysts for increasing the fanbase to a global reach, which, in turn, generates sponsorship revenues that both put on the great events and pay today's riders' much higher salaries (even though rightfully they are no longer made to risk their skins in such horrible weather conditions). So a bit more respect for the sport's history and, yes, willingness to make compromises with the organizations, is I think called for on their part.

Now the tables have been completely overturned, with the riders potentially holding the race organizations hostage to their every whim, each time they don't want to get wet and cold (a by now frequent occurance at the Giro, which has been further penalized by the UCI requiring it be started too early in May). It's a disgrace. The UCI needs to set clear guidelines regarding extreme weather protocals, which guarantees rider safety (as much as this is possible in an inherently dangerous sport) and enforce them; while respecting the responsibilities of the race organizations before their constituancies. And heavily fine teams whose riders agreed upon the arranged terms under union representation, but who then refuse to comply with the UCI verdicts or go on strike. This seems fair to me, because it tries to ensure safe racing conditions, while holding riders accountable, under monetary team penalty, to their job responsibilities.

The riders need to attend a class on the economics of cycling and the differences between safety and comfort need to be explained to the public. What happened today was embarrassing for the riders and will ironically hurt them in the long run. Any journalists who understand game theory aka basic logic also need to get in the ring and remind the masses that the riders are the dictators in this case, not the other way around despite what we have come to expect in the modern era. The sport needs to be protected or it will continue to be distilled into a slightly less virtual version of Zwift.

 

[saunaking]

I'm a little surprised that no one mentioned the similarities (for type of climb, for the dominance shown, for the weather) with Gerardmer TdF 2014. Like Contador, Pogacar today ran the last two km with only one leg.

please don't mention contador in a sentence with Pogi

 

[Unchained]

So what is the correct way to remove your cap?

View: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=AU_MosebHIs&pp=ygUYYW5keSBoYW1wc3RlbiBnaXJvIDE5ODgg

 

[Oldermanish]

Majka usually brings it down to like 10 guys, he never dropped everyone else before, even it his prime. And he was pulling on the false flat as well

And almost no one even twitched except Pog when he pulled off. Isn't that what he's supposed to do? He also seemed to work just fine for Contador in his day. Not bad for a 34 year old.

 

[Oldermanish]

What is that, exactly?

Sh*tty priorities when it comes to emerging, productive riders. A very long history of self-serving leadership in spite of attempts by riders to control their own interests. It's better than it used to be; but not much. Most riders rely on feeder trade teams and their own income.