Giro d'Italia 2025, stage 2: Tirana - Tirana (13.7k ITT)

Page 19 - Get up to date with the latest news, scores & standings from the Cycling News Community.
Suppose ideal now for RB Bora is that someone who can climb well enough gets in the break tomorrow and takes a few minutes and they can let pink go until the next TT
Would be pretty in character but that's maybe not up to Bora. Why shouldn't Lidl try to control tomorrow as well. Stage 5 is pretty much perfect for Pedersen as well and I thin Lidl will also light up the Siena stage. Vacek and Pedersen are still in the running to take pink for a longer time if stage 7 is ridden pretty conservative by the GC teams.
 
Pedersen doesn't make it but great effort from him. Roglic can lead the Giro from stage 3 until stage the end just like Pogacar last year, but I think Red Bull will let the break take pink tomorrow. Van Aert looked terrible

Ayuso and Adam Yates both disappointing a bit just like Bernal.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Sandisfan
Would be pretty in character but that's maybe not up to Bora. Why shouldn't Lidl try to control tomorrow as well. Stage 5 is pretty much perfect for Pedersen as well and I thin Lidl will also light up the Siena stage. Vacek and Pedersen are still in the running to take pink for a longer time if stage 7 is ridden pretty conservative by the GC teams.

You are right they might try to control it, but I think it would be a mistake.

I have not looked at the big climb in detail yet, but it seems to be long/steep enough that the GC teams would drop the hammer to test the opposition - and drop Mads, by some margin.

I think the better strategy for them is to get him and Vacek out in front so they might get to the line with the GC riders.
 
The climb is 10.5 kms at 7.5 %. Do you really think Mads has a chance to survive it?
The big question is - who paces it? Pidcock doesn't have the team, a GC sprint would be between Roglic and Ayuso of whom the latter looks meh so far and the former doesn't tend to ride that way. And Pedersen is climbing like a madman this year and could survive in even a 30-rider group.
 
  • Like
Reactions: postmanhat
Would be pretty in character but that's maybe not up to Bora. Why shouldn't Lidl try to control tomorrow as well. Stage 5 is pretty much perfect for Pedersen as well and I thin Lidl will also light up the Siena stage. Vacek and Pedersen are still in the running to take pink for a longer time if stage 7 is ridden pretty conservative by the GC teams.
Suppose the issue for Trek is do they want to burn that many guys controlling tomorrow when they have an overall GC guy anyway in Ciccone (assuming he's not just going to go for KOM) when it's inevitable Pedersen loses pink anyway. Tomorrow also has that cat 2 climb and if someone stronger uphill wants to go for it there, will Pedersen even hang on anyway