• The Cycling News forum is looking to add some volunteer moderators with Red Rick's recent retirement. If you're interested in helping keep our discussions on track, send a direct message to @SHaines here on the forum, or use the Contact Us form to message the Community Team.

    In the meanwhile, please use the Report option if you see a post that doesn't fit within the forum rules.

    Thanks!

Giro d'Italia 2020, stage 19: Morbegno › Asti (258k)

Page 7 - Get up to date with the latest news, scores & standings from the Cycling News Community.
So if this is correct Adam Hansen talking about all the riders comming together as one is just a lie really...
They sound a lot like Larry Warbasse's post-Formigal comments where he basically told the fans that actually, they should be grateful the riders had agreed not to try to meet the time limit, presumably because they knew there were enouguh of them that it meant nobody would be thrown out, so they got a clear advantage over the riders that hadn't been in the autobus who had tried that day.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Zoetemelk-fan
I feel that sometimes rider protest is necessary to combat the questionable decisions and practices of maverick cycling organisations.

As another poster remarked earlier, riding a stage that is probably a bit too long in rainy conditions doesn’t touch the top 10 in terms of issues to be up in arms about. The timing and spurious nature of the issue dilutes the very act of protestation, and gradually erodes public and organisational sympathy for every future stand. “Rider safety and proper sprint barriers, forget it, it’s just this lot again, the ones who didn’t fancy the rain”.

A stand needs to be taken, but hills always must be died on selectively and intelligently, the miners strike this is not.
 
  • Like
Reactions: RedheadDane
Don't really think it will be that much better for Wilco. Imagine the original 250km being soft pedaled 39 km/h for the peloton, big break 20 minutes ahead while now with a lunch break and only~150km we may see Bora (doubtful), Cofidis and FdJ racing harder to catch the break. So let's wait and see.

Assuming I'm right, which is harder for the riders 250km at 39 km/h or 150-60 at 42-3?
 
I know it's (probably) not the same people, but with all the talk about how sprint stages shouldn't be that long because all the action happens in the last ten Ks anyway, it's quite amusing seeing people complain about a sprint stages being shortened.
I've always maintained sprint stages ought to either be far shorter, or far longer. In a 160km stage, the Poggio di Sanremo doesn't drop anybody except maybe Andrea Guardini. After 290km, however, it's very important for selection. It's why Óscar Freire seldom won any 150km sprint stages, but the longer the race got, the better he was, to the point where he won two world championship sprints (Verona '99 was a late attack), Milano-Sanremo three times, Gent-Wevelgem and Paris-Tours. Almost all of his best results outside of Spain are in stages which are over 180km.
 
I have sympathy for the riders, you ride 2 and half weeks and immune system is compromised, you then have to do another 6 pointless hours today in the rain after yesterdays efforts and another hard day tomorrow. What is the point of todays stage? they can soft pedal warm up the first hour then full on race for 2-3 hours and we basically will still get the same result at the end Sagan vs Demare. If this protest reduces the risk of COVID by even 1% then it seems worthwhile, as the shortening wont impact the final anyway
 
I mean, I can see why the riders would think that such a long sprint stage is pointless. Still, it's one thing if riders protest because it's actually dangerous, but just not wanting to ride a really long stage because it's cold and rainy is a bit of a joke.
for most it is pointless, but as I said before, in the end it may decide the winner of this Giro. I still hope for some action tomorrow, but with less tired legs it'll be much harder to force a selection on that course.

Shortening the race today could very well make the difference between Kelderman winning the Giro or not. So it's not pointless at all
 
Two questions to Adam Hansen:
1) What do you mean by "This was presented yesterday"? The route was announced months ago.

2) "We will all do our maximum to do a show today ": Yeah? You are personnally guaranteed a hard raced, 50km/h average nuts out stage with full co-operation of everyone?
 
Two questions to Adam Hansen:
1) What do you mean by "This was presented yesterday"? The route was announced months ago.

2) "We will all do our maximum to do a show today ": Yeah? You are personnally guaranteed a hard raced, 50km/h average nuts out stage with full co-operation of everyone?

Doing the maximum to put on a show would obviously be doing the entire stage, not doing 50 % of it...
 
What is the point of todays stage?
To see what damage was done by yesterday's efforts. To give riders an opportunity to exploit the weakness in recovery of others. To further reduce reserves of energy to make tomorrow more competitive. To establish who can do well in the stage as designed in the prevailing conditions. To showcase the region and its towns. To engage and interest the local population. To entertain those who would watch. In short, to serve the function of a stage on a three week race.
 
Last edited:
I genuinely thought Adam Hansen had retired a long time ago.
I don't recall ever seeing him in a race in the past 3 years.
Well, since injury ended his Grand Tour streak, it's taken away literally the only defining characteristic he had as a rider to most fans, since most of the time due to his role, he'll have already done his shift by the time the race comes on the air in most races, and in races where they are televised all the way through, he's doing his shift during the stint during which little happens in flat/rolling stages, and will have been dropped / will have dropped back to look after the sprinters in intermediate/mountain stages.
 
for most it is pointless, but as I said before, in the end it may decide the winner of this Giro. I still hope for some action tomorrow, but with less tired legs it'll be much harder to force a selection on that course.

Shortening the race today could very well make the difference between Kelderman winning the Giro or not. So it's not pointless at all

Exactly right - it's not about this stage, which I agree could be run over 50km for all the difference it will make to the stage itself, it's the impact on the dynamic of the race overall.

Firstly because as you say, there's less chance of forcing a separation tomorrow and also because you have to question whether there may have been different tactical approaches to yesterday's stage if the teams knew it was to be followed by a short flat stage rather than the longest stage in the race. In particular, with a reduced chance of Kelderman losing significant time tomorrow due to fresher legs, would Sunweb have still had Hindley stick to TGH, or would they have pulled him back to help Kelderman, maybe reducing Kelderman's losses and giving him a bigger buffer in pink?

It's all a bit shabby in my opinion. In an event like a grand tour, where tactics over the duration of the race are important to ensure riders marshal their reserves effectively, 11th hour changes like this are not really a good thing.
 
  • Like
Reactions: search and FjPavels
I am from Bagnolo (Montoso is part of the municipality of Bagnolo). The descent from Montoso to Bibiana is too narrow, twisty and bumpy for the Giro. It would be perfect for an attack, but way too dangerous for the current standards of pro races. The alternative is to climb from Bibiana and go down to Bagnolo since the road is wider and in very good condition.

Unfortunately, Vegni decided to skip Montoso and Pramartino. They will go from Saluzzo to Cavour, then straight to Pinerolo. Cavour is just 6 km away from the beginning of Montoso (either side), and Pinerolo is just a couple of km away from the beginning of Pramartino.
Thanks, I got the sides of Montoso mixed up, but you could still climb the northern side and have a loop back to Pinerolo, like they did last year.
Otherwise you could have Moncenisio before a double ascent of the harder western side of Sestriere (maybe even a triple ascent).
 

TRENDING THREADS