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BMC up near the front making sure Cadel is in a good position if any attacks come. He can't afford any brain fades in the next two days.
anth73 said:
Prego. Buon pomeriggio!
(If the Giro lasted for 300+ days I might actually learn some conversational Italian)
Apart from seeing confirmation that getting close to the third week is pretty much the point where we see promising riders like Porte slip from view, I haven't got a clue what to expect here. For this year I have tossed out my "normally...." expectations and just enjoying the ride.
The closing kms of stages seem to bring splintering of the GC groups, so I do expect small gaps and attacks. It feels a bit that even if people go into a race with an intention to just get to the end of it and become active on targeted stages, for one reason or another key riders are either prompted to forget about that in the closing stages, or are prompted into action through the activity of others.
Ongoing fluidity in the GC top seems to have a positive feedback loop, which stops GC riders from settling on the spot they are at and has them waiting for the stages that suit them best to alter this (the usual GT approach), into a far more opportunistic and reactionary style by all.
We are two weeks in, and not only are we unable to get a good reading of where people are with their form and chances, it is obvious that the riders on the road are also riding with this uncertainty feeding the brain. Triggering great racing.
I think Liquigas has enough players in the front to do something here and (briefly) test the legs of others uphill, but the win will go elsewhere. I suspect that Sastre will respond to it well, and show enough to worry the others for week #3, but has no reason to force anything if he is starting to feel better.
Will be the day to see who won't end up winning it, not who will win it I think.
The closing kms of stages seem to bring splintering of the GC groups, so I do expect small gaps and attacks. It feels a bit that even if people go into a race with an intention to just get to the end of it and become active on targeted stages, for one reason or another key riders are either prompted to forget about that in the closing stages, or are prompted into action through the activity of others.
Ongoing fluidity in the GC top seems to have a positive feedback loop, which stops GC riders from settling on the spot they are at and has them waiting for the stages that suit them best to alter this (the usual GT approach), into a far more opportunistic and reactionary style by all.
We are two weeks in, and not only are we unable to get a good reading of where people are with their form and chances, it is obvious that the riders on the road are also riding with this uncertainty feeding the brain. Triggering great racing.
I think Liquigas has enough players in the front to do something here and (briefly) test the legs of others uphill, but the win will go elsewhere. I suspect that Sastre will respond to it well, and show enough to worry the others for week #3, but has no reason to force anything if he is starting to feel better.
Will be the day to see who won't end up winning it, not who will win it I think.
auscyclefan94 said:
Seriously? He's been in the peloton all these years and he hasn't spotted riders and teams making alliances of convenience?
Francois the Postman said:
I think there maybe a hint of sarcasm in there from last years dauphine.
Another five kms and the break starts to climb. Then another 5 minutes and the excitement, if not the anticipation of excitement, begins.
trompe le monde said:
Anticipation for sure, but the damp squibs from terminillo leaves me pessimistic about fireworks today.
auscyclefan94 said:
Doesn't have to be, it's cycling. Last years Dauphine was just another example out of thousands and thousands of sudden friendships, alliances and pay-offs.
Never seen a Vuelta where 11 Spanish teams suddenly started working together because a foreigner was in the lead?
Szmyd will be on the front soon to crack almost everyone...
Maybe Nibali can get the win here. Not unknown for people to be dropped on a descent by someone with skills.
Maybe Nibali can get the win here. Not unknown for people to be dropped on a descent by someone with skills.
My wife has her spinning bike in the room and is pedalling away.
The sound of it.....it's like being in the peleton!
The sound of it.....it's like being in the peleton!
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