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

[Valv.Piti]

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"

They dont necessarily have to attack, but Kuss and/or Vine can definitely shred a peloton on that particular climb like McNulty and Kuss did at a couple of occasions in 2022 TdF to the point of only being 3-5 riders left. Thats completely fine as well obviously, Im not gonna sit here and expect a suicide attack.

 

[Netserk]

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

Who do you think is most likely to move before Misurina?

 

[Escarabajo]

Thomas is impressing me in this race more and more. And quietly building his palmares at 37 years young.

I have a feeling that he will put this Giro to sleep tomorrow. we'll see.

 

[Samu Cuenca]

Thomas is impressing me in this race more and more. And quietly building his palmares at 37 years young.

I have a feeling that he will put this Giro to sleep tomorrow. we'll see.

I'm sure some people will fall asleep during the stage if the past three weeks have taught us anything.

 

[Lequack]

Stage winner had taken some inspiration from Nibali

https://twitter.com/x/status/1661792290275463170

View: https://twitter.com/PassionCyclism/status/1661792290275463170?s=20

 

[Lequack]

Did Geraint even get out of the saddle once?

 

[Valv.Piti]

Who do you think is most likely to move before Misurina?

I don't know, but I think its unrealistic that nothing significant doesn't happen before 3 km to go. That simply cannot happen on a stage like this.

What have cycling become if thats the case? This is the hardest stage of the year in legendary terrain. Anyhow, if thats the case, I should revisit my love for cycling, but then again, I'll be as hyped as ever come July no matter how passive some of these cowards decide to approach the race.

 

[Escarabajo]

Stage winner had taken some inspiration from Nibali

https://twitter.com/x/status/1661792290275463170

View: https://twitter.com/PassionCyclism/status/1661792290275463170?s=20

I saw that. It was borderline IMHO. But He is Italian, so no can do.

 

[Lequack]

I saw that. It was borderline IMHO. But He is Italian, so no can do.

True. Nibali's mistake was doing it in the Vuelta, therefore he was DQ'd.

 

[jmdirt]

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.

So let me guess...you rated it a 4 out of 10.

 

[Krzysztof_O]

Did Geraint even get out of the saddle once?

I dunno but he must have given up beer a long time ago, looks fit.
Maybe he's celebrating his birthday today and Primoz will capitalize on it.

 

[Lequack]

Some pics

 

[Valv.Piti]

So let me guess...you rated it a 4 out of 10.

Wut. Hell no, that was probably a 9/10-9,5/10 Tour.

 

[Mayomaniac]

Looking at Strava they went hard at the start of the stage. The breakaway did a higher VAM on the longer and less steep Crosetta than the gc guys on Cibiana.
Zana also did more watts on the first climb of the day than on the Coi climb, despite the effort being almost 16min shorter.

 

[Blanco]

Dont know why people think Thomas was easy there. He would have moved in the final 2km if he was

Yep, Rogla was stronger, he drived that last km's.

 

[search]

I saw that. It was borderline IMHO. But He is Italian, so no can do.

him and the DS (McPartland) got a CHF 200 fine each.

 

[Red Rick]

Looking at Strava they went hard at the start of the stage. The breakaway did a higher VAM on the longer and less steep Crosetta than the gc guys on Cibiana.
Zana also did more watts on the first climb of the day than on the Coi climb, despite the effort being almost 16min shorter.

Isn't that pretty normal?

 

[Blanco]

Youre talking about Geraint Thomas? If he tried and went with 2km to go that would like double the amount of kms alone in front in his entire career.

Two days ago he did just that.

 

[Mayomaniac]

Isn't that pretty normal?

Oh yeah, that's how things should be if you're winning from the breakaway. Still, they went hard on the first climb of the day.

 

[Tricycle Rider]

I'm playing catchup because I was able to catch only bits and pieces of today's stage :

Just wonderful shots of the Dolomites today. Simply breathtaking!

Massive congrats to Zana on his win, Pinot - I just can't with him anymore!

Rogla v. Thomas, I'm still not getting a good picture. Hopefully Almeida can take it and that'll be that.

On a side note - I was only able to listen to the post-race interviews, so didn't get to see the riders' faces, I must say I'm pretty impressed with Jay Vine. He sounded very composed and professional and has a good speaking voice. Maybe once he hangs up his riding shorts he can become a radio DJ or studio commentator or something.

 

[Escarabajo]

Gaviria is sweating all his parties with Sagan in Cartagena and Medellin!
He has been third and second to dead last in last mountain stages!
But he is hanging in there. Tomorrow will be very tough.

 

[Netserk]

I don't know, but I think its unrealistic that nothing significant doesn't happen before 3 km to go. That simply cannot happen on a stage like this.

What have cycling become if thats the case? This is the hardest stage of the year in legendary terrain. Anyhow, if thats the case, I should revisit my love for cycling, but then again, I'll be as hyped as ever come July no matter how passive some of these cowards decide to approach the race.

After some thought, I think the best bet is on Kämna from the GC top-10. An argument could be made for the Ineos doms, but they are no threat to the podium, so their value will be in surrounding Thomas. Dunbar is currently set for 4th, he will stay put. Caruso is the other plausible bet, but I fear Bahrain is too weak. Maybe Pinot will sprint for some points, but I think he's all in on defending what he's got. We shall see.

 

[Alien Performance]

After some thought, I think the best bet is on Kämna from the GC top-10. An argument could be made for the Ineos doms, but they are no threat to the podium, so their value will be in surrounding Thomas. Dunbar is currently set for 4th, he will stay put. Caruso is the other plausible bet, but I fear Bahrain is too weak. Maybe Pinot will sprint for some points, but I think he's all in on defending what he's got. We shall see.

I think Dunbar won't be confident of his Stage 20 TT vs. Caruso/Kamna and will want to pad his advantage if he can. I'm hoping for another monster Zana pull.

 

[Tonton]

Wut. Hell no, that was probably a 9/10-9,5/10 Tour.

Meh...an 8.

 

[Netserk]

Meh...an 8.

10! (no, I do not mean 3628800)