Giro d'Italia 2018 stage 6: Caltanissetta - Etna 164 km

[Cance > TheRest]

Chaves will be even better in the 3rd week, I reckon. Not a lot of racing days thus far the season, he will improve.

As for the not-so-good performances of the day, I think Lopez was downright disappointing having his team set him up for no reason at all other than making sure Chaves didn't get too big of an advantage. Also, Pozzo must be frustrated having gained nothing despite looking the strongest for the past few days.

 

[hfer07]

Re:

If Yates already gains 20s on a tempo climb, it's going to be not fun on Zoncolan
edit: Carapaz 7th, legend.

too soon to make that assumption. By the time they get there, a whole lot is going to happen plus legs will be showing sings of tiredness. Nonetheless Yates looks good. Dumo looks cool and calm - he's thinking of the big picture tho..

 

[sir fly]

Re:

Yates is so fricking strong. Wow.

In general, a lot of start/stop riding, which doesn't suit a rider like Dumoulin, and it seems it didn't suit Froome either. No tempo train. Just constant attack/stop

Yeah...
Looks like nobody wanted to be saddled up.

 

[VayaVayaVaya]

Re: Re:

That is moronic. Yates in front, stronger rider, and better ride today, and they just threw away bonus seconds

Team spirit is worth a few seconds.

Yates has already cost himself results working for Chaves in previous grand tours - struggling to recall Chaves ever being anything other than the chosen one - team spirit should be built in the other direction, especially when Yates needs to build a gap on the TTers

I'd agree with this except it would definitely hurt morale if Yates attacked the group when the only rider up the road - with ample cushion to make it - was his teammate and either leader or co-leader. He HAD to gift that out unless he was ready for an all out, team shattering revolt. Contador vs Lance style. I agree that Chaves could have made the magnanimous gesture to Yates, but I imagine he was caught off guard (did you see his double take when Yates rode up?).

 

[RedheadDane]

It's weird but I think this performance suddenly makes Adam a real contender for the Tour de France

I don't think it works like that... Simon being good now isn't necessarily a sign Adam will be good in the Tour.

 

[More Strides than Rides]

Great stage I should say. The break of course made the stage; the favorites are still on even footing, not being able to distinguish and distance themselves from the others. I don't think Yates would have had the confidence to attack as far out as he did if was in that position without a teammate up the road.

 

[Arredondo]

Re: Re:

That attack from Yates was Alarconesque! :surprised:

Chavito really strong too! Mitchelton-Scott could finish with two guys on the podium in Milano. Normally you would expect Chaves to become stronger in the third week.

But i also expect Lopez, Aru and Froome (yes, still) to become stronger as the Giro goes along.

 

[Red Rick]

Re:

If Yates already gains 20s on a tempo climb, it's going to be not fun on Zoncolan
edit: Carapaz 7th, legend.

It's either

1. You're completely right and Yates wins it while enjoying the landscape
2. He's the new Rodriguez and did the good ol' slow climb and last 2km punch
3. He's peaking too soon and at increased risk of adverse performance effects on Col delle Finestre.

Anyway, I'm slightly disappointed by Dumoulin today, but whatevs. Yates is one fine rider.

 

[Alexandre B.]

Today's ride.

+++ : Yates
++ : Chaves
+ : Pozzovivo, Pinot, Bennett
- : Dumoulin, Froome, Aru

 

[TourOfSardinia]

Stage

 

[EroicaStradeBianche]

Re:

Dennis lost less than a minute - I had expected him to lose much more.

Wait for the Zoncolan

 

[VayaVayaVaya]

Re: Re:

That is moronic. Yates in front, stronger rider, and better ride today, and they just threw away bonus seconds

Or maybe Chaves is their leader overall.

I expect he is - doesn't make it any less daft when he's been out ridden all week (and all season) by Yates

How was Chaves out-ridden by Yates today? He won from a 100km+ breakaway. And only him being up the road allowed Yates to ride the way he did.

Totally agree. Chaves worked much, much harder and stayed off the front despite all the GC riders fully motivated to chase him down. Yates got to chill. Having said that, Yates has been impressive AF and my bet would be that he will end up higher placed than Chaves.

 

[Waterloo Sunrise]

Re: Re:

That is moronic. Yates in front, stronger rider, and better ride today, and they just threw away bonus seconds

Or maybe Chaves is their leader overall.

I expect he is - doesn't make it any less daft when he's been out ridden all week (and all season) by Yates

How was Chaves out-ridden by Yates today? He won from a 100km+ breakaway. And only him being up the road allowed Yates to ride the way he did.

Chaves did no work in the break, took a comfortable head start on to the climb and then got gifted the win by his team mate - it was a good ride but laughable to suggest he displayed the same strength as Yates. Pretty clear from the ease Yates gapped everyone and caugh Esteban that he would have won today regardless of having riders up the road or not - if anything it just delayed him being able to attack

 

[movingtarget]

Re:

Dennis lost less than a minute - I had expected him to lose much more.

Sensible ride for Dennis.

 

[Zinoviev Letter]

Re:

That is moronic. Yates in front, stronger rider, and better ride today, and they just threw away bonus seconds

Yates may quite reasonably think that a grateful Chaves is worth more than four seconds and a resentful Chaves should Simon find himself in with a real shot at GC victory in the last week.

 

[Red Rick]

Re: Re:

That is moronic. Yates in front, stronger rider, and better ride today, and they just threw away bonus seconds

Or maybe Chaves is their leader overall.

I expect he is - doesn't make it any less daft when he's been out ridden all week (and all season) by Yates

How was Chaves out-ridden by Yates today? He won from a 100km+ breakaway. And only him being up the road allowed Yates to ride the way he did.

Chaves did no work in the break, took a comfortable head start on to the climb and then got gifted the win by his team mate - it was a good ride but laughable to suggest he displayed the same strength as Yates. Pretty clear from the ease Yates gapped everyone and caugh Esteban that he would have won today regardless of having riders up the road or not - if anything it just delayed him being able to attack

Yeah.

Usually there's an argument to be made that Yates profited of Chaves being ahead, but with how strong he was today it's actually pretty clear that he would've won a lot more time if Chaves hadn't been up the road.

Nice touch that Chaves wins the stage. He had a lot of tough luck last year.

 

[Arredondo]

Re: Re:

That is moronic. Yates in front, stronger rider, and better ride today, and they just threw away bonus seconds

Or maybe Chaves is their leader overall.

I expect he is - doesn't make it any less daft when he's been out ridden all week (and all season) by Yates

How was Chaves out-ridden by Yates today? He won from a 100km+ breakaway. And only him being up the road allowed Yates to ride the way he did.

Totally agree. Chaves worked much, much harder and stayed off the front despite all the GC riders fully motivated to chase him down. Yates got to chill. Having said that, Yates has been impressive AF and my bet would be that he will end up higher placed than Chaves.

I don't know. If the order is respected, Chaves should hit peak form in the third week.

And don't forget he's got more experience as a GC rider. He reaced the podium two times already, while Yates has never reached a podium in a GT.

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

Already getting annoyed by people with a - for Dumoulin. Expect him to answer accelerations directly now by pure climbers? He finished in the front group and looked like he wasn't struggling in that sprint at the end either. Just doesn't have that acceleration. I think he's fine.

Just Yates was super strong

 

[VayaVayaVaya]

Yeah in the event that Yates proves demonstrably stronger than Chaves over 3 weeks, how incredibly valuable will it be to have Chaves in his corner? If he had chased won Chaves and kicked past him for the win, do you think Chaves would want to help him?

Having said that, putting 26s on the main GC field seemingly while breathing through his nose...wow.

 

[movingtarget]

A lot of DS will ask themselves why Chaves was allowed in the break. Surely someone had to notice sooner.

 

[LaFlorecita]

Re: Re:

That is moronic. Yates in front, stronger rider, and better ride today, and they just threw away bonus seconds

Yates may quite reasonably think that a grateful Chaves is worth more than four seconds and a resentful Chaves should Simon find himself in with a real shot at GC victory in the last week.

My thoughts exactly

 

[hfer07]

Re: Re:

That is moronic. Yates in front, stronger rider, and better ride today, and they just threw away bonus seconds

Or maybe Chaves is their leader overall.

I expect he is - doesn't make it any less daft when he's been out ridden all week (and all season) by Yates

How was Chaves out-ridden by Yates today? He won from a 100km+ breakaway. And only him being up the road allowed Yates to ride the way he did.

Chaves did no work in the break, took a comfortable head start on to the climb and then got gifted the win by his team mate - it was a good ride but laughable to suggest he displayed the same strength as Yates. Pretty clear from the ease Yates gapped everyone and caugh Esteban that he would have won today regardless of having riders up the road or not - if anything it just delayed him being able to attack

If Chaves was "seating" - then how the breakaway was able to survive until the last 5K? I watched the last hour and "EVERYBODY" in that group was pulling- do you even know cycling? you must be new to the sport it seems....

 

[DenisMenchov]

At first I though it was some other Chaves in the break since it stated J. Chaves, and I always knew him as Esteban Chavez.

Anyway, great ride by Yates, it's shaping up to be yet another interesting Giro.

 

[Gigs_98]

I really think giving Yates the stage win would have been a horrible mistake by MS. Imagine how pissed Chaves would be if he had been dropped by his own teammated almost in sight of the finish line. If Yates goes into the last week in pink, something unexpected happens and Chaves has to sacrifice himself to save the giro for Yates, you don't want that the two dislike each other. Those 4 seconds were absolutely worth it.

 

[Zoophonic]

"He reaced the podium two times already, while Yates has never reached a podium of a GT."

The word is "had". He has now as a the pink jersey wearer and currently looks the stronger man. Chaves will be the support to the Brit unless he loses form.