Giro d'Italia Giro d'Italia 2024 Stage 2: San Francesco al Campo – Santuario di Oropa (Biella), 161.0 km

[Tim Cahill]

well that was a good Giro, cant wait for the Tour

It will be good if you just give up concentrating on who gets first like I've done.

The battle between Esteban Chaves, Jan Hirt and Fortunato for a top 5 is about to begin.

 

[Escarabajo]

No way. These kind of egotistical posts only prove that he would have never worked for Martinez like Lipowitz did today.

Lipowitz did great today. He had 2 choices today, chase after Pogacar to win the stage or wait for Martinez. No wonder why his team called him back LOL.
If this repeats again, I am afraid they have to let him go. And I don't doubt his team will free him for stage hunting.

 

[zlev11]

It will be good if you just give up concentrating on who gets first like I've done.

The battle between Esteban Chaves, Jan Hirt and Fortunato for a top 5 is about to begin.

yeah there's actually a pretty interesting group of riders in the next 10-15 spots on GC after Pogacar

 

[AnotherArmChair]

Pink fairytale dust is required for this head in the sand comment, 'pedigree' or not.

I'm sure you can enlighten me given you seem to have a handle on the truth ...maybe you can also tell me about Pantani, Bala, Contador and other Spanish and Italian cyclists who are adored on this forum but actually produced more pink fairy dust than Geraint Thomas ever has

 

[search]

Lipowitz did great today. He had 2 choices today, chase after Pogacar to win the stage or wait for Martinez. No wonder why his team called him back LOL.
If this repeats again, I am afraid they have to let him go. And I don't doubt his team will free him for stage hunting.

unfortunately performances like this make the Giro unwatchable on German TV. For the final couple of km, Bengsch didn't stop shouting that Lipowitz shouldn't work for Martinez, who has no chance anyway.

And now he'll talk about it for the remainder of the week. He still claims on a daily base that Kanter would have won in Abbruzzo if Lutsenko had not ruined his chances by going on the attack.

 

[Logic-is-your-friend]

"I DROVE 470 WATTS FOR TEN MINUTES" - MIKKEL BJERG HAPPY WITH HIS OWN PERFORMANCE ON THE 2ND STAGE OF THE GIRO
It was a good day for Mikkel Bjerg and UAE when Tadej Pogačar took his first victory in the Giro. Here the Dane again played a big role, as he took a big lead on the last climb of the stage. After the stage, Mikkel Bjerg was also quite satisfied with his own performance, where he said that he drove 470 watts for about ten minutes.

OK MIKKEL, I'M NEITHER BLIND NOR DEAF.

Jokes aside, he's turning into a force to be reckoned with.

 

[Monte Serra]

Ineos rather honours the jersey than increases their chances to win the race. #knuckleheads

https://twitter.com/x/status/1787144966679990471

View: https://twitter.com/faustocoppi60/status/1787144966679990471

 

[pastronef]

He's a very boring rider on the bike (off the bike he seems like a nice enough guy), he represents a team and style of racing which was unpopular during its dominance, the international coverage being in English with very biased commentators who fawn all over him irritates some parts of the viewer base, and then there's the many other things about his career path and form cycles which would need to be taken to another part of the forum to discuss.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1787075636047335512

View: https://twitter.com/writebikerepeat/status/1787075636047335512

 

[Squire]

It will be good if you just give up concentrating on who gets first like I've done.

As someone who got into watching cycling at the start of the Armstrong years, this is quite a natural inclination for me. A GT can be great entertainment even with a dominant rider. It's not all about who wins it.

 

[Escarabajo]

unfortunately performances like this make the Giro unwatchable on German TV. For the final couple of km, Bengsch didn't stop shouting that Lipowitz shouldn't work for Martinez, who has no chance anyway.

And now he'll talk about it for the remainder of the week. He still claims on a daily base that Kanter would have won in Abbruzzo if Lutsenko had not ruined his chances by going on the attack.

I have found every country media to be nationalistic anyway. LOL. You won't believe what they say about Quintana in the Colombia media. It is embarrassing at times.

 

[Libertine Seguros]

I have found every country media to be nationalistic anyway. LOL. You won't believe what they say about Quintana in the Colombia media. It is embarrassing at times.

There tend to be two types of bias to that though.

There are some where they think their guys have a divine right to win, and if they aren't winning, it is automatically because they suck and should be sent straight to the gulag.

Then there are those that think their guys have a divine right to win, and if they aren't winning, it's because everybody else is cheating or they're somehow getting screwed.

Then there are those who will sell their guys as the plucky underdogs and the little engine that could such that every possible outcome is a triumph over adversity, even when they're the overwhelming favourites going into the race with a super-powered support squad.

 

[MartinGT]

Why didn't Thomas work with O'Connor? Riding to power?

Re the GCN commentary. On LBL when the had Rowe on for a bit, it was vomit inducing listening to Blythe trying to clean his hoop out. Now I have only listened to a couple of episodes of Rowe & Thomas podcast and that was enough. They're not very respectful of the peloton and like to slag people off. They're douches IMO.

 

[MortiroloForever]

As should be expected, Pogacar is on another level. He looked like too keen on putting the "maglia rosa" on, but honestly, I thought the gap between him and the chasing group would be bigger.

Kudos for O'Connor for trying to follow Pogacar. Reallity has been so cruel with him, but It was just first mountain stage and I believe that it was a good day to go beyond the limits. Now he knows where he is and who has to follow and he has all the Giro to change his mind or follow the plan as it was planned.

The young Lipowitz boy is surprising me these last days. He was just amazing in the Tour of Romandie and today showed a very powerful performance in favour of his teammatte Dani Martinez. I have a lot of doubts with the performance of the colombian on the hardest stages of the Giro, anyway.

Credits to Geraint Thomas as well. He is in his latter years as a pro, but he is doing very well and he is saving Ineos, alongside with Carlos Rodríguez, in terms of Grand Tours.

Very positive day for another young talent as it looks like Uitjdebroeks is. It's just the beginning of the race, but he is another rider to put an eye on next weeks.

 

[samhocking]

He's a very boring rider on the bike (off the bike he seems like a nice enough guy), he represents a team and style of racing which was unpopular during its dominance, the international coverage being in English with very biased commentators who fawn all over him irritates some parts of the viewer base, and then there's the many other things about his career path and form cycles which would need to be taken to another part of the forum to discuss.

You could basically argue UAE or Jumbo are often employing exactly the same mountain train as Sky. Teams race like them or even Postal in GTs because it works. Yes, Pogacar can attack earlier or even attack at will because he's by far the strongest individual rider, a train isn't the only way to win a mountain finish, but UAE still essentially created a Sky train today that lasts long-enough and hard enough to begin dropping second level GC riders weakens podium level and then launch Pogacar. This is exactly how Sky and Jumbo do it too when they have the strongest rider in the race.

Reading your comments, you rants generally seem to focus on team or rider nationality. I mean are you complaining Quintana has never faced the wind in his entire career as a wheel sucker and even more boring than Thomas? Maybe you have, but your posts seem more about nationality bias or some mythical style of racing that you think would be more entertaining when in reality it would be less effective so will never be realised.

 

[hfer07]

So...

It's over, right?

 

[kingjr]

So...

It's over, right?

No

 

[staubsauger]

unfortunately performances like this make the Giro unwatchable on German TV. For the final couple of km, Bengsch didn't stop shouting that Lipowitz shouldn't work for Martinez, who has no chance anyway.

And now he'll talk about it for the remainder of the week. He still claims on a daily base that Kanter would have won in Abbruzzo if Lutsenko had not ruined his chances by going on the attack.

Karsten Migels commentary wasn't that nationalistic back in the zeros and 10s. Especially when he was constantly paired with Leclercq they used to commentate for the true cycling passionists mainly. Sadly, that changed after 2019. Nowadays it becomes unbearable sometimes.

Normally I like Bengsch, because he's very analytical and has a good insight into tactics. Today's criticism was a clear auxesis however!

 

[MartinGT]

Also Hatch making out Pog came back after crashing, breaking his beck and snapping his bike in two.

 

[MortiroloForever]

Why didn't Thomas work with O'Connor? Riding to power?

I believe Thomas was on the limit and I think that he said something similar on the post race interview.

He is very experienced and he knows perfectly how to do to maximize his results, especially in GTs. He also knows that in normal conditions Pogacar is two or three points over the rest of the favorites, so he is riding his race.

 

[AnotherArmChair]

Why didn't Thomas work with O'Connor? Riding to power?

Thomas apologised for it and said he couldn't as he was on the limit

. I too hate the matey British media stuff and carlton kirby obsession with British riders like Froome back in the day who he never mentions now as if Froome never existed? Adam Blythe obsession with Ineos and his nicknames with a y on the end of a name ..its impossible to listen to

But I can also appreciate Thomas for what he does and what he has achieved

 

[Libertine Seguros]

You could basically argue UAE or Jumbo are often employing exactly the same mountain train as Sky. Teams race like them or even Postal in GTs because it works. Yes, Pogacar can attack earlier or even attack at will because he's by far the strongest individual rider, a train isn't the only way to win a mountain finish, but UAE still essentially created a Sky train today that lasts long-enough to begin dropping second level GC riders weakens podium level and then launched Pogacar. This is exactly how Sky and Jumbo do it too.

Reading your comments, you rants generally seem to focus on team or rider nationality. I mean are you complaining Quintana has never faced the wind in his entire career as a wheel sucker? Mayne you have, but your posts seem more about nationality bias or some mythical style of racing that you think would be more entertaining when in reality it would be less effective so will never be realised.

The post I was replying to was asking what makes Thomas unpopular. I was answering that question. If you don't think the train template tactic and defensive riding is part of that, I don't know what to say. I never said it was wrong or that they shouldn't ride that way if it's the best way to win - just that it's not a popular way of riding to win and is part of why many dislike Thomas.

It's easy to characterise likes and dislikes along nationalistic lines if you only ever read or react to posts about Brits though, Sam.

 

[pastronef]

Why didn't Thomas work with O'Connor? Riding to power?

Re the GCN commentary. On LBL when the had Rowe on for a bit, it was vomit inducing listening to Blythe trying to clean his hoop out. Now I have only listened to a couple of episodes of Rowe & Thomas podcast and that was enough. They're not very respectful of the peloton and like to slag people off. They're douches IMO.

you are just taking the bait. that's their way of doing.

 

[samhocking]

No

I agree, Giro proves time and again 2-3 mins is not a guarantee of much. As always it will be the last week where the podium is decided, but Pogacar looking very strong in opening weel.

 

[samhocking]

The post I was replying to was asking what makes Thomas unpopular. I was answering that question. If you don't think the train template tactic and defensive riding is part of that, I don't know what to say. I never said it was wrong or that they shouldn't ride that way if it's the best way to win - just that it's not a popular way of riding to win and is part of why many dislike Thomas.

It's easy to characterise likes and dislikes along nationalistic lines if you only ever read or react to posts about Brits though, Sam.

How are you gauging unpopular, I mean I'd say he wasn't unpopular across cycling fans, the peloton or other teams so it's nothing to do with how he races. As we saw today, he races with intelligence, he has to ride with what he has, not with what is entertaining for Libertine but loses him more time.

 

[staubsauger]

There tend to be two types of bias to that though.

There are some where they think their guys have a divine right to win, and if they aren't winning, it is automatically because they suck and should be sent straight to the gulag.

Then there are those that think their guys have a divine right to win, and if they aren't winning, it's because everybody else is cheating or they're somehow getting screwed.

Then there are those who will sell their guys as the plucky underdogs and the little engine that could such that every possible outcome is a triumph over adversity, even when they're the overwhelming favourites going into the race with a super-powered support squad.

And there are the Danes who actively exposed Rasmussen as a liar that had been in the Dolomites not Mexico and killed his 2007 Tour de France victory! 😄