Giro d'Italia 2015: Stage 4: Chiavari – La Spezia 150 kms

[PremierAndrew]

Just watched it now after work - what did I miss? Only watched the last 15km, so saw Uran dropped, Aru attacking, and Formolo winning the stage. Kelly was constantly screaming that it's one of the best days of cycling he's watched so what else happened? Did Contador/Porte/Aru get dropped at any stage? Any controversy?

 

[LaFlorecita]

Re: Re:

It's like reading tea leaves. The only thing we know is that Aru and Porte are certainly in very good climbing shape.

What about Berto?

 

[JRanton]

Astana do very little all spring and then come and smash it in the grand tours. The team did look extremely good on paper though. I thought Zeits was probably their weakest rider but even he was very good today. To think they also have the likes of Nibali, Fuglsang, Scarponi, Taaramae, Westra and Agnoli who aren't even at the Giro. Great depth in that team. Maybe even better than Movistar and Sky.

 

[Inquitus]

Porte, Aru, Contador in that order is how I saw it today in terms of who I thought looked most at ease of the GC contendors.

 

[phil-i-am]

Re:

Just watched it now after work - what did I miss? Only watched the last 15km, so saw Uran dropped, Aru attacking, and Formolo winning the stage. Kelly was constantly screaming that it's one of the best days of cycling he's watched so what else happened? Did Contador/Porte/Aru get dropped at any stage? Any controversy?

Most people were wondering if Matheews will beat Gilbert or it was gonna be taken by second tier breakaway. Instead we've witnessed attacks of very strong riders right from the start. Seriously, what kind of break includes Romain Kreuziger (few seconds back i GC)? Bunch seemed to have no clue what was going on. Etixx tried to chase, but they are so weak that even Saxo started to be afraid and started to control the gap which reached 10 minutes at one point. The break was so huge, that we've seen many attacks and reshuffles. 60 kms to go Astana decided to take matters into their own hands. They had been drilling so hard that bunch was reduced to 20 riders! Furious pace of Astana allowed to reduce gap to just over one minute before the last climb. You've seen the rest.
I mean I really didn't expect such a spectacle. When you add a marvelous scenery and breathtaking landscapes I think it was a great stage. If you want to see more in such kind of stage you really need to launch your Pro Cycling Manager.

 

[HelloDolly]

Movistar should now concentrate on stage wins IMO...Inxausti & Izzagirre coud get them too

 

[Mongolian Torque]

Re: Re:

It's like reading tea leaves. The only thing we know is that Aru and Porte are certainly in very good climbing shape.

What about Berto?

Berto will fight with Aru all the way.

Porte will have his famous Grand Tour Meltdown on some mountain stage and lose minutes to contenders.

Hesjedal could lose more time like free flowing maple syrup. Bertie/Aru/Porte (for now) are 5mins + ahead.
That's a lot of time to make up. He's sneaky though...one good solo attack and he's back...

Froomella will be in his hotel relieved he is not at the Giro receiving a Vuelta style beating. If he wasn't such a wuss, he'd man up like Berto and go for the Giro - Tour double whammy.

 

[LaFlorecita]

I just watched the final 15km and did not see anything to suggest Alberto was not comfortable (though he seemed to be struggling with his breathing a bit, hope his allergies aren't acting up) but the same can be said for the other 2.

 

[Jagartrott]

Re:

I hope these guys:
18 VAN DEN BROECK Jurgen 1'04"
21 URAN URAN Rigoberto 1'04"
23 KONIG Leopold 1'04"
24 CUNEGO Damiano 1'22"
29 NIEMIEC Przemyslaw 2'56"

will drop 3mins+ on stage 5.
That way they can switch to stage hunting where they really belong anyway.

Gods no. Why would you want only 3 people left fighting for pink after 4 days racing?
Let's leave some people hang on close enough so that it doesn't become a tactical game of chess between three people like in the Contador-Schleck Tour of 2010 with a lot of shenanigans and not a lot of racing.

 

[antmills]

Re: Re:

Just watched it now after work - what did I miss? Only watched the last 15km, so saw Uran dropped, Aru attacking, and Formolo winning the stage. Kelly was constantly screaming that it's one of the best days of cycling he's watched so what else happened? Did Contador/Porte/Aru get dropped at any stage? Any controversy?

Most people were wondering if Matheews will beat Gilbert or it was gonna be taken by second tier breakaway. Instead we've witnessed attacks of very strong riders right from the start. Seriously, what kind of break includes Romain Kreuziger (few seconds back i GC)? Bunch seemed to have no clue what was going on. Etixx tried to chase, but they are so weak that even Saxo started to be afraid and started to control the gap which reached 10 minutes at one point. The break was so huge, that we've seen many attacks and reshuffles. 60 kms to go Astana decided to take matters into their own hands. They had been drilling so hard that bunch was reduced to 20 riders! Furious pace of Astana allowed to reduce gap to just over one minute before the last climb. You've seen the rest.
I mean I really didn't expect such a spectacle. When you add a marvelous scenery and breathtaking landscapes I think it was a great stage. If you want to see more in such kind of stage you really need to launch your Pro Cycling Manager.

... I think it'd be standard practice to ignore pretty much everything that Kelly says. ... He's not the brightest commentator's sidekick out there!

Glad we no longer have to watch Mathews in pink .... although it does rather suit him!

The real contenders are inching towards the front now, thank god. We might soon start to see some proper GT racing.

 

[TourOfSardinia]

Sob
Cunego dropped 18s on the lead in to the GC men

 

[phil-i-am]

Re: Re:

Hesjedal could lose more time like free flowing maple syrup. Bertie/Aru/Porte (for now) are 5mins + ahead.
That's a lot of time to make up. He's sneaky though...one good solo attack and he's back...

You are kidding, right?

 

[JRanton]

Re:

Aru vs. Contador to me. And Aru is going to get it. He's in super shape.

I've watched the last climb back and the images towards the top when Cataldo was pulling are quite revealing. Aru looked great but Contador was rocking and rolling and pulling faces. Interesting.

 

[Dazed and Confused]

Re: Re:

I hope these guys:
18 VAN DEN BROECK Jurgen 1'04"
21 URAN URAN Rigoberto 1'04"
23 KONIG Leopold 1'04"
24 CUNEGO Damiano 1'22"
29 NIEMIEC Przemyslaw 2'56"

will drop 3mins+ on stage 5.
That way they can switch to stage hunting where they really belong anyway.

Gods no. Why would you want only 3 people left fighting for pink after 4 days racing?
Let's leave some people hang on close enough so that it doesn't become a tactical game of chess between three people like in the Contador-Schleck Tour of 2010 with a lot of shenanigans and not a lot of racing.

They will add no value otherwise.
Just hanging around dropping time every day.
I want them active at the front chasing a win.

The GC element will be defined by Porte, Conatdor and Aru anyway.

 

[LaFlorecita]

Re: Re:

Aru vs. Contador to me. And Aru is going to get it. He's in super shape.

I've watched the last climb back and the images towards the top when Cataldo was pulling are quite revealing. Aru looked great but Contador was rocking and rolling and pulling faces. Interesting.

He's always pulling faces. I wouldn't read too much into it.

 

[Jagartrott]

Re: Re:

They will add no value otherwise.
Just hanging around dropping time every day.
I want them active at the front chasing a win.

The GC element will be defined by Porte, Conatdor and Aru anyway.

Why wouldn't they try to sneak off when they know they have time to make up?
Nah, I don't want the podium to be decided after only 4 days. That's just lame

 

[Miburo]

I love it when people say Contador looked ***.

Same was said 4 years ago.

 

[Jack_89]

Re:

I love it when people say Contador looked ****.

Same was said 4 years ago.

Me too.
All these years, every race ,every day, he always looks struggling...but then ...

 

[LaFlorecita]

Re:

I love it when people say Contador looked ****.

Same was said 4 years ago.

Time will tell but I'm not 100% confident

 

[Kokoso]

Crazy that someono thinks Kreuziger was spent. No problem at all catching with Astana driving helluva pace... Spent man doesn't look like that. Anyway I don't quite inderstand Saxo tactics.

 

[Jack_89]

Re: Re:

I love it when people say Contador looked ****.

Same was said 4 years ago.

Time will tell but I'm not 100% confident

No one is sure , maybe also he himself

 

[staubsauger]

Re: Re:

Aru vs. Contador to me. And Aru is going to get it. He's in super shape.

I've watched the last climb back and the images towards the top when Cataldo was pulling are quite revealing. Aru looked great but Contador was rocking and rolling and pulling faces. Interesting.

He's always pulling faces. I wouldn't read too much into it.

In all seriousness Aru looked a lot, a lot smoother than Contador today! Basically because normally, based on last years Giro & Vuelta, little angel doesn't look smooth while climbing at all: snarling, crampy rocking his shoulders in and out of the saddle, really exhausting himself and savor the pain!

Today he looked incredibly easy. Very soft upper body, smoothly dancing on the pedals. In fact he somehow looked like Rasmussen 07.

It's pure interpretation and speculation of course. We will get some more indication tomorrow. I expect him to win the stage and grab rosa by a few seconds. If he's really in that great shape, it will be a carnage after the itt! Probably really 2007 all over again!

 

[Gigs_98]

Re: Giro d'Italia 2015: Stage 4: Chiavari – La Spezia 150 km

Why did I watch the first three stages but when the race suddenly explodes I don't have the time to watch.

 

[JRanton]

Re: Re:

Porte looked so effortless, GC favourite for me now.

Hmmm to me he looked like he was struggling to hold on. Hard to tell really.

I saw him suffering a lot while Contador was like "Is that everything? Still here".

Funny. I saw the complete opposite.

 

[pink_jersey]

Re: Re:

Aru vs. Contador to me. And Aru is going to get it. He's in super shape.

I've watched the last climb back and the images towards the top when Cataldo was pulling are quite revealing. Aru looked great but Contador was rocking and rolling and pulling faces. Interesting.

He's always pulling faces. I wouldn't read too much into it.

In all seriousness Aru looked a lot, a lot smoother than Contador today! Basically because normally, based on last years Giro & Vuelta, little angel doesn't look smooth while climbing at all: snarling, crampy rocking his shoulders in and out of the saddle, really exhausting himself and savor the pain!

Today he looked incredibly easy. Very soft upper body, smoothly dancing on the pedals. In fact he somehow looked like Rasmussen 07.

It's pure interpretation and speculation of course. We will get some more indication tomorrow. I expect him to win the stage and grab rosa by a few seconds. If he's really in that great shape, it will be a carnage after the itt! Probably really 2007 all over again!

With Porte winning this because he will not blow up on climbs like Evans.