Giro d'Italia Giro d'Italia 2025 stage 20: Verrès – Sestrière, 205 km

[Brullnux]

Yates seems totally nonplussed. I wonder if this is just how UAE feels? Or just Adam?

 

[Fantastico]

Yeah with a big effort, not so easy sustaining that. Yates was just the strongest climber today.

That's true, Yates might have been the best climber today no matter what, and he definitely paced himself the best. But I don't think he was levels above the others.

 

[kingjr]

Great win by Harper. Tremendous turnaround by Yates after the past few stages. Couldn't have worked out any better with WVA up the road. His lead doubled in no time after WVA took over the pacing. Yates ride will be a huge motivator for Visma going into the Tour. Bizarre rides by Carapaz and Del Toro, neither was prepared to assist the other in winning so they accepted losing. Maybe the weakest defense of a pink jersey I have seen for a long time, not that I mind seeing UAE lose a grand tour but Del Toro went out with a whimper. Seeing him move to the back of the chase group with quite a way to go was just weird.

If he does all the work after the descent he possibly gets countered by Carapaz in the end and loses 2nd place as well. It's not a good look, but I don't think it affected the result. Yates was the strongest on the climb and he had van Aert to help him after, I think he wins this no matter what.

 

[Rechtschreibfehler]

Wait, is this real?

That's what Eisel translated as well what my french+latin made out of the spanish sentence.

Gianetti also strangely happy after this stage. But he said "we don't know exactly what happened on the climb". Well if that's the case he's in for a surprise.

 

[Izzyeviel]

So, what did I miss?

 

[noob]

This is the only day I'm happy about having streaming TV as now hopefully I can rewatch the whole stage from where I dropped it

 

[kingjr]

That's true, Yates might have been the best climber today no matter what, and he definitely paced himself the best. But I don't think he was levels above the others.

Even at the top he was "only" 37 seconds in front despite them riding stop-and-go for a while.

At the top he was 1:35 in front. Or 1:40 even if i remember it right

 

[Krzysztof_O]

Yates seems totally nonplussed. I wonder if this is just how UAE feels? Or just Adam?

Interesting. A twin brother is certainly more important than teammates. Adam will be in weird place today at the team dinner.

 

[Red Rick]

That's true, Yates might have been the best climber today no matter what, and he definitely paced himself the best. But I don't think he was levels above the others.

I think with Finestre, which is an hour long climb, you really only see who's strongest in the final 15 minutes, and by that time Carapaz attacked again, dropped Gee, but could barely take a second out of Yates.

 

[Ripper]

Only slight disagreement I have, but I'd have to watch this passage again, is that I think that Carapaz tried a few times to bridge, probably expecting to catch Yates and maybe dropping del Toro, so he might have been a bit tired rather than just playing games. Would have been the better strategy to ride a consistent chase, but I think that's easy to know in hindsight but also would have been against Carapaz style of racing, so I don't know if there's much room really to blame him. I think del Toro needs to understand he situation and do something. Because Carapaz did try to react to Yates and pulled most of the time, it just didn't work at all. So I am not convinced at all here that they had a realistic chance to catch Yates on the climb today. Whatever happened after the climb is another story, but after del Toro didn't do *** on the climb, I can't blame Carapaz for not being his work horse.

Totally agree. In fact, if you have been easily marked by a rider who can out descend and out sprint you, why would you lead them on a descent? That would be really dumb!

 

[noob]

So, what did I miss?

It seems we missed everything!

 

[Fantastico]

If he does all the work after the descent he possibly gets countered by Carapaz in the end and loses 2nd place as well. It's not a good look, but I don't think it affected the result. Yates was the strongest on the climb and he had van Aert to help him after, I think he wins this no matter what.

Isn't that the risk you have to take if you lead a race on the second last day and want to win it?

 

[Libertine Seguros]

I think we should disqualify that as a blunder because her team were actively trying to make her lose rather than just be incompetent

It was so bad that it had me of all people conflicted about cheering KASIA NIEWIADOMA WINNING THE TOUR DE FRANCE.

 

[Red Rick]

Interesting. A twin brother is certainly more important than teammates. Adam will be in weird place today at the team dinner.

He can call Ayuso asking how to handle this situation

 

[noob]

Carapaz always pace himself backwards in GC, apart from Catalunya 2022 maybe

 

[Brullnux]

I think with Finestre, which is an hour long climb, you really only see who's strongest in the final 15 minutes, and by that time Carapaz attacked again, dropped Gee, but could barely take a second out of Yates.

Could be explained by the fact Carapaz had attacked about fourteen times before that. Who knows, but Yates definitely climbed very very well.

 

[Fantastico]

At the top he was 1:35 in front. Or 1:40 even if i remember it right

You're right. My bad.

 

[Ripper]

I am glad Yates won but the strongest climber was Carapaz the whole Giro

I feel for him as he chances are few

He wont forget this easily ...and he wont be very welcome in Mexico any time soon

Why? He did most of the chasing of Yates on the Finestre. He was not exactly blocking del Toro!

 

[Escarabajo]

Conspiracy theories, UAE coaches did it on purpose? you cannot be that stupid!!!!

 

[Krzysztof_O]

He can call Ayuso asking how to handle this situation

Ayuso's answer: "Get stung by a bee and spend the evening in a hospital"

 

[Red Rick]

@Mayomaniac how is field day my man?

Also, where is @Gigs_98

 

[TourOfSardinia]

All I see is an immature kid with idiots as coaches. That sprint and celebration is just pathetic.

The sprint was a Pellizari challenge thing , I bet.

 

[noob]

I think I'm applying to become UAE tactical consultant

Fastest way to DS: start a podcast!

 

[kingjr]

Isn't that the risk you have to take if you lead a race on the second last day and want to win it?

Yeah that's why it's a bad look.

 

[Rou]

Carapaz said in the interview that he and del Toro were the strongest today but Simon was the smartest. I think that was obvious for everyone.