Giro d'Italia Stage 11: Lucera - L'Aquila (262km)

[Eyeballs Out]

Wide open race now but Evans still the favourite in my book (and indeed with the books)

 

[jaylew]

So does Cadel destroy himself in hopes of getting back on the podium (or the very slim chance he can still win)and then be lackluster at the Tour, or does he shut it down and focus on a Tour victory?

I was kinda rooting for him to win this but I mught vote for the latter at this point. What's he got, 4 teammates left, none of which is going to be able to offer much help to him at all? Cut your losses, go to the Tour with your A team and hope Contador has some 2010-Giro-type problem or a bad day.

 

[Eyjafjallajokull]

The Giro seems like a complete lottery these days. It's not about who is the best rider anymore - it's about who avoids the numerous pile ups or does not get caught out by a typhoon.

The riders must hate it.

Evans works his **** off for nothing.

 

[taiwan]

Here's the bus coming in at 46 minutes.

 

[frenchfry]

Big shake-up, but still lots of riding to do including a few hills.

I don't think it is guaranteed that the winner will come from todays lead group.

 

[Publicus]

So does Cadel destroy himself in hopes of getting back on the podium (or the very slim chance he can still win)and then be lackluster at the Tour, or does he shut it down and focus on a Tour victory?

I was kinda rooting for him to win this but I mught vote for the latter at this point. What's he got, 4 teammates left, none of which is going to be able to offer much help to him at all? Cut your losses, go to the Tour with your A team and hope Contador has some 2010-Giro-type problem or a bad day.

My thinking as well. The Tour course suits him better IMO.

 

[TourOfSardinia]

La Gazetta is reporting these times"

Ordine d'arrivo: 1. Petrov, 2. Cataldo a 5", 3: Sastre s.t.; 4. Wiggins; 5. Efimkin; 6. Gerdemann: 7. Pineau; 8. Arroyo; 9. Tondo VOlpini; 10. Bakelandts; 13. Porte a 21".


Classifica generale: 1. Porte; 2. Arroyo a 1'42"; 3. Kiserlovski a 1'56"; 4. Tondo Volpini a 3'54"; 5. Agnoli a 4'41"; 6. EWfimkin a 5'16"; 7. Gerdemann a 5'34"; 8. Sastre a 7'09"; 9. Didier a 7'24"; 10. Wiggins a 8'14"; 12. VInokourov a 9'58"; 13. Evans a 11'10"; 14 Nibali a 11'28"; 15. Basso a 11'49".

So Sastre has 2 mins on Vino!
Waiting game so far or what!

shame I missed the stage

 

[rhubroma]

Paolo Salvodeli commenting on the Rai coverage made the point that having raced with Vino for several years, he thought a possible explination as to Astana's lethargy was that Vino came into the race not convinced that he could withstand the third week, that he could be already quite tired and, thus, wasn't convinced to make his boys put up a mad chase.

On the other hand, it was mentioned that the race organization didn't inform the peleton the time gained by the "break," because with 50+ off the front it's more like a split in the bunch, untill they had already acrewed 8 minutes.

On the other hand, Salvodeli also pointed out that one of his former DS' said that in any case when you have over 50 up the road you don't let them get more than a minute (because there's bound to be a big fish or two in it), you reel them in and then you start identiying who was present, not vice versa.

What a colossal fook-up! On the other hand, what a sensational fook-up and comic performance.

If he climbs well in the last week: Sastre wins! And I never believed the dead could be resurrected. Faith may not be merely childish after all.

 

[Delicato]

offer much help to him at all? Cut your losses, go to the Tour with your A team and hope Contador has some 2010-Giro-type problem or a bad day.

Er, has he got an A team? Well, maybe only an A team on flat stages (Hincapie, Burghardt, etc.). What about mountains?

 

[Lanark]

So does Cadel destroy himself in hopes of getting back on the podium (or the very slim chance he can still win)and then be lackluster at the Tour, or does he shut it down and focus on a Tour victory?

I was kinda rooting for him to win this but I mught vote for the latter at this point. What's he got, 4 teammates left, none of which is going to be able to offer much help to him at all? Cut your losses, go to the Tour with your A team and hope Contador has some 2010-Giro-type problem or a bad day.

This Giro could already be one of the toughest GT's in recent memory, and we have barely had one mountain stage. I doubt that any of the contenders will be able to put up any challenge at the Tour. But now that Evans has commited himself to this Giro, I don't think he is gonna drop out now.

 

[tgsgirl]

Here's the bus coming in at 46 minutes.

If there are some who couldn't keep up with the grupetto's pace they're in real trouble, with the time limit already extended from 39 to 47 minutes...

 

[eljimberino]

At the tour of mexico, everyone including Speedy Gonzalez was yelling "Underlay! Underlay!" Karpets thought it was for him.

 

[BroDeal]

Er, has he got an A team? Well, maybe only an A team on flat stages (Hincapie, Burghardt, etc.). What about mountains?

Mr. T would not be seen within a country mile of that so called A-team.

 

[Winterfold]

utterly insane - what an amazing exciting race

there is no point trying to predict what is going to happen - it could just so easily turnaround again

 

[offbyone]

Wow talk about being asleep at the wheel, BMC, Astana and Liquigas really dropped the ball. This can't be a grand tour, it is more like a cat 5 $h!t fest.

 

[sportzchick]

At the tour of mexico, everyone including Speedy Gonzalez was yelling "Underlay! Underlay!" Karpets thought it was for him.

lmao enough for the karpet jokes

Unless he wants speedy gonazles for his mascott

 

[powderpuff]

Next rest day not until next Monday after Zoncolan, so there are going to be alot of tired riders this weekend; huge amount of time to get back, definitely have to start sooner than later.

 

[The Sheep]

Mr. T would not be seen within a country mile of that so called A-team.

It's A-team the movie

 

[Nearly]

At the tour of mexico, everyone including Speedy Gonzalez was yelling "Underlay! Underlay!" Karpets thought it was for him.

... sheesh what's with the piling it on of our Vlad, he's shagged enough as it is!

This is one weird wacky wonderful race.

 

[9000ft]

So does Cadel destroy himself in hopes of getting back on the podium (or the very slim chance he can still win)and then be lackluster at the Tour, or does he shut it down and focus on a Tour victory?

I was kinda rooting for him to win this but I mught vote for the latter at this point. What's he got, 4 teammates left, none of which is going to be able to offer much help to him at all? Cut your losses, go to the Tour with your A team and hope Contador has some 2010-Giro-type problem or a bad day.

I was wondering the same thing. With BMC being so depleted (and far from the strongest team in the first place) Evans would have to put in one heroic effort to claw his way back. Hard to imagine he wouldn't sacrifice any chance at the tour if he put forth that kind of effort.

It might be more likely to see Vino giving it a go if for no other reason than that's the kind of racer he is. We'll know soon enough.

 

[Ferminal]

Next rest day not until next Monday after Zoncolan, so there are going to be alot of tired riders this weekend; huge amount of time to get back, definitely have to start sooner than later.

If you know who was here, I think they'd slow pedal the next two stages in protest over not getting a break for 12 days.

But given the race so far, Vino, Evans, Garzelli and Scarponi will try and TT away from the pack on both days.

There is no way Evans shuts up shop here and hopes he recovers in time for the Tour. He will give it everything on Grappa, Zoncolan and Kronplatz and only then if he's not within a sniff will he (consider) surrender.

 

[jaylew]

This Giro could already be one of the toughest GT's in recent memory, and we have barely had one mountain stage. I doubt that any of the contenders will be able to put up any challenge at the Tour. But now that Evans has commited himself to this Giro, I don't think he is gonna drop out now.

I didn't really mean drop out, I meant to use the rest of the race as Tour preparation like Wigans is doing.

Er, has he got an A team? Well, maybe only an A team on flat stages (Hincapie, Burghardt, etc.). What about mountains?

It would only be an A team relative to to the one he's got at the Giro, of course! I don't think he really has anyone for the mtns except Kroon, which means he really doesn't have anyone.

 

[Michele]

Simoni said it looked like no one among the top contenders wanted to work for the others and everybody played the "let's wait and see" game.

 

[offbyone]

Simoni said it looked like no one among the top contenders wanted to work for the others and everybody played the "let's wait and see" game.

Yep, if you are vying for GC in a grand tour you always have to take responsibility for the race and you always have to be attentive. In bad weather, you should be doubly attentive. These guys can only blame themselves.

 

[powderpuff]

There is no way Evans shuts up shop here and hopes he recovers in time for the Tour. He will give it everything on Grappa, Zoncolan and Kronplatz and only then if he's not within a sniff will he (consider) surrender.

I agree, he has no guarantee that the team or he will perform any better at the TdF, he is in great form here, he should take what you can now, and maybe with a bit of luck, (something that has been going in both directions at this race), he could be in with a shout of the podium come the last couple of stages.

Putting the onus on BMC to chase today when they only have 5 riders was a bit much, Cadel knew he had to conserve the team as much as possible today(this is speaking before the break), but after the split/break happened he had to hope the other teams would help big time but they didn't and everyone missed out in the end. That's cycling and lets hope this race keeps us equally entertained for the next 10 stages.