Giro d'Italia 2013, stage 18: Oderzo - Val Di Zoldo 161 km

[Ilmaestro99]

Only Milan has really impressed among the Bahrain riders.

Pasqualon's ability to get in pointless breakways has been quite impressive

 

[Zinoviev Letter]

Is there really no Jayco thread?

 

[groogster]

Just incredible scary to think that Thomas's shape in this Giro was the one that granted him a 3rd place in the Tour where he was 7m22s behind Vingo.

IMO Thomas is looking stronger now then he was last year at TDF

 

[Netserk]

Is there really no Jayco thread?

There's a GreenEdge thread.

 

[Fantastico]

Buitrago has been quite disappointing compared to last giro

Do we know if he has been sick or something? He showed good form in the Tour of the Alpes and in Liège.

 

[Rob5091]

Chapeau to Zana, but another 2nd to Pinot. He'll at least have KOM jersey tomorrow.
Cometh the hour, cometh the man - Kuss. Thomas islolated a bit too quickly probably for his liking, which means attacking Ineos will certainly pay off. Good to see Roglic is getting better, but is it too late?
Eddie Dunbar still hanging on for fourth spot - chapeau.

 

[red_flanders]

It probably says something about this Giro that several riders who aren't going for GC are in the top ten.

100%. The field has been decimated. It's a snoozer.

 

[groogster]

I think most are overestimating it

I really don’t think so. Monte Lussari can put 1 minute gaps even between the top 3 if you ask me. If it was tomorrow with the current gaps between the top 3 I wouldn’t know where to put my money

 

[Strawberry_Jams]

IMO Thomas is looking stronger now then he was last year at TDF

yeah, it's already been said in the press his numbers are better.

 

[Tonton]

Of course I expected better. Bravo Mr. Z for a great win, with the national jersey no less. And bravo Thibaut.

 

[Red Rick]

yeah, it's already been said in the press his numbers are better.

Climbing numbers have careened down an absolute cliff this Giro

 

[Red Rick]

By the way look at where De Plus and Arensman finished.

Total fake pace by Ineos.

 

[Netserk]

By the way look at where De Plus and Arensman finished.

Total fake pace by Ineos.

Arensman almost as good as Kuss today, only 8 seconds off.

 

[movingtarget]

Kämna is turning into prime Zubeldia/Meintjes. Not a single stage top 10. Always sitting at the back of the group. Among the first GC guys to be dropped. Pacing himself and limiting the damage. Gaining time on other GC guys that tried to follow the best and exploded.

He has a ways to go to reach HOF Ninjas Meintjes and Zubeldia............sometimes you would see the Devil more on the side of the road than you would see Zubeldia for three whole weeks..........

 

[Red Rick]

Arensman almost as good as Kuss today, only 8 seconds off.

Kuss just walks it in in the final kms.

 

[tobydawq]

I look forward to the analysis of how Kuss destroyed the race today and rode like an amateur.

 

[Netserk]

I look to forward to the analysis of how Kuss destroyed the race today and rode like an amateur.

He strangled the race and intimidated everyone else from attacking. Sad.

 

[QueenStagiaire]

Has Tudor been destroyed for their TT splits or what happened to the full results? Still only Top 39 up on PCS, can‘t be bothered to check the Giro websites.

 

[Valv.Piti]

Do you think it's wrong?

None of the three strongest are in a desperate situation nor strong enough to seal the deal. They have the strongest teams by far and will control the race, ensuring a solid pace on Giau and Tre Croce. They share the same winning path: be strong enough on Tre Cime and Lussari.

Yes, I think its wrong, and I think its very depressing to think that way about cycling. Imagine if worst case scenario would be our expectation going into watching every race. I definitely wouldnt want to live in that world since the magic about cycling, to me, is a lot about fantasizing and expecting epic stuff. Whats gonna happen, is it gonna blow up on Giau? Maybe. But the thought sticks around enough to the point of me absolutely having to tune in at that point at the latest, and If I wasn't working, you better believe I'd watch exactly this stage in close to its full duration. If I thought nothing would happen before, why would I bother watching?

Thats why flat stages are a lot worse than mountain stages, even if nothing really happens. At least you have certain expectations beforehand, you are excited and thinks to yourself what might happen, where as a flat, certain sprint stage is straight up unwatchable for me unless its TdF. Same with hillyish stages - what break will go, will the harder sprinters try to gap the fastmen, is the last hill enough to shred it, will Wout attack etc. You have all these possible scenarios, and they are quite important in order for me to get excited about a race and want to watch it.

 

[tobydawq]

Yes, I think its wrong, and I think its very depressing to think that way about cycling. Imagine if worst case scenario would be our expectation going into watching every race. I definitely wouldnt want to live in that world since the magic about cycling, to me, is a lot about fantasizing and expecting epic stuff. Whats gonna happen, is it gonna blow up on Giau? Maybe. But the thought sticks around enough to the point of me absolutely having to tune in at that point at the latest, and If I wasn't working, you better believe I'd watch exactly this stage in close to its full duration. If I thought nothing would happen before, why would I bother watching?

Thats why flat stages are a lot worse than mountain stages, even if nothing really happens. At least you have certain expectations beforehand, you are excited and thinks to yourself what might happen, where as a flat, certain sprint stage is straight up unwatchable for me unless its TdF. Same with hillyish stages - what break will go, will the harder sprinters try to gap the fastmen, is the last hill enough to shred it, will Wout attack etc. You have all these possible scenarios, and they are quite important in order for me to get excited about a race and want to watch it.

(my like is only to the first part of the post, not the unwatchableness of flat stages)

 

[Valv.Piti]

I wouldn't expect anything differently

Seriously, even some small hills can cure a lot of it though. Think Tour de France 2022. Fantastic, basically every stage was unpredictable and nothing was certain. A perfect race in my book, the transition stages and the mountain stages. Only blemish were the rather boring Danish stages, but we live with that because, well, I watched them and they took place in Denmark, so those were acceptable.

 

[Netserk]

Yes, I think its wrong, and I think its very depressing to think that way about cycling. Imagine if worst case scenario would be our expectation going into watching every race. I definitely wouldnt want to live in that world since the magic about cycling, to me, is a lot about fantasizing and expecting epic stuff. Whats gonna happen, is it gonna blow up on Giau? Maybe. But the thought sticks around enough to the point of me absolutely having to tune in at that point at the latest, and If I wasn't working, you better believe I'd watch exactly this stage in close to its full duration. If I thought nothing would happen before, why would I bother watching?

Thats why flat stages are a lot worse than mountain stages, even if nothing really happens. At least you have certain expectations beforehand, you are excited and thinks to yourself what might happen, where as a flat, certain sprint stage is straight up unwatchable for me unless its TdF. Same with hillyish stages - what break will go, will the harder sprinters try to gap the fastmen, is the last hill enough to shred it, will Wout attack etc. You have all these possible scenarios, and they are quite important in order for me to get excited about a race and want to watch it.

So it's not that you find it an inaccurate prediction of what will unfold, but that it's demotivating to you?

How's that my problem? I'll watch the stage in full as well and I look forward to it.

 

[Red Rick]

Yes, I think its wrong, and I think its very depressing to think that way about cycling. Imagine if worst case scenario would be our expectation going into watching every race. I definitely wouldnt want to live in that world since the magic about cycling, to me, is a lot about fantasizing and expecting epic stuff. Whats gonna happen, is it gonna blow up on Giau? Maybe. But the thought sticks around enough to the point of me absolutely having to tune in at that point at the latest, and If I wasn't working, you better believe I'd watch exactly this stage in close to its full duration. If I thought nothing would happen before, why would I bother watching?

Thats why flat stages are a lot worse than mountain stages, even if nothing really happens. At least you have certain expectations beforehand, you are excited and thinks to yourself what might happen, where as a flat, certain sprint stage is straight up unwatchable for me unless its TdF. Same with hillyish stages - what break will go, will the harder sprinters try to gap the fastmen, is the last hill enough to shred it, will Wout attack etc. You have all these possible scenarios, and they are quite important in order for me to get excited about a race and want to watch it.

Almeida nor Thomas have ever done anything as imaginative as attacking Giau. Roglic has been part of a thing like that but any scenario where Giau attack works involves him having the legs to win on Tre Cime anyway.

Just look at how unimaginative Jumbo, Ineos and UAE have been this entire Giro. Roglic still has 7 helpers with him, but they still can't come up with better ideas than "let Kuss drill it for 10 minutes"

 

[DJ Sprtsch]

Has Tudor been destroyed for their TT splits or what happened to the full results? Still only Top 39 up on PCS, can‘t be bothered to check the Giro websites.

After 11 clicks on the official giro page I can tell you all that they also don’t have more resulta than the 39 first finishers.

 

[Valv.Piti]

So it's not that you find it an inaccurate prediction of what will unfold, but that it's demotivating to you?

How's that my problem? I'll watch the stage in full as well and I look forward to it.

Its demotivating, yes, and I also think its wrong. Thats what I literally wrote in my first sentence..