Giro d'Italia Stage 14: Ferrara - Asolo (205km)

[DenisMenchov]

Mollema, Kruijswijck, Ardila and Weening, 1 good (I daresay top 10) and 4 semi-good (places 20 to 40) climbers

As a matter of fact these people aren`t the reason Robo is there. Most of the work was done by Stamsnijder and Flens because Team classification is coutned by the best 3 riders in each stage and they were in all the breakaways that made it so most of the time is theirs.

 

[theyoungest]

It's not only the climbers, since they're second in the overall

The three best riders of a team count for this classification. In Rabo's case Mollema, Ardila, and Weening.

 

[theyoungest]

As a matter of fact these people aren`t the reason Robo is there. Most of the work was done by Stamsnijder and Flens because Team classification is coutned by the best 3 riders in each stage and they were in all the breakaways that made it so most of the time is theirs.

I think that's the Super Team classification, where Rabo is 9th. Rabo is 2nd in the Fast Team classification, which is the GC time of the three best riders added up.

 

[Timmy-loves-Rabo]

Steven Kruijswijk is having a great giro imo. Very promising rider.

 

[Francois the Postman]

I think that's the Super Team classification, where Rabo is 9th. Rabo is 2nd in the Fast Team classification, which is the GC time of the three best riders added up.

Trofeo Fast Team: total time of the 3 best riders of each team on each stage. GC standing has nothing to do with it, it's the 3 best riders on each stage, regardless of where they are in GC.

Trofeo Super Team: team points classification: each stage the top 20 riders get points (20 for 1st, 19 for 2nd etc). Team with the most points wins. Again, GC standings are totally irrelevant and the amount of points a team can score is only limited by how many riders it can get into the top (20) slots in each stage.

 

[Francois the Postman]

Steven Kruijswijk is having a great giro imo. Very promising rider.

I'm really pleasantly surprised to see how well the Rabo team is riding, given that they are more or less a young and leaderless team. And totally invisible in the hot part of the action, but somehow these young guys are still in there with the big boys.

I don't want to take anything away from Porte as he's also here with a stunning maiden ride, but Rabo has a 4 riders in the 22-25 years of age bracket, who as a team are holding their own remarkably well too, this far into the Giro. It looks like the gloomy Dutch era is starting to get a seriously sunnier outlook.

 

[theyoungest]

Trofeo Fast Team: total time of the 3 best riders of each team on each stage. GC standing has nothing to do with it, it's the 3 best riders on each stage, regardless of where they are in GC.

Trofeo Super Team: team points classification: each stage the top 20 riders get points (20 for 1st, 19 for 2nd etc). Team with the most points wins. Again, GC standings are totally irrelevant and the amount of points a team can score is only limited by how many riders it can get into the top (20) slots in each stage.

Ah, makes sense, as Rabo is only 9 minutes back in the Trofeo Fast Team, and of course their three best riders combined in GC are a bit further back. I knew this actually, stupid. Italians do it their own way.

 

[taiwan]

Presumably re: Pozzato and Bonnet in the break, Charlie Wegelius tweets: "Can somebody explain why sprinters work so hard to hit front of 20km climb only to park up in middle of road after 200m saying "grupetto!""

 

[theyoungest]

I'm really pleasantly surprised to see how well the Rabo team is riding, given that they are more or less a young and leaderless team. And totally invisible in the hot part of the action, but somehow these young guys are still in there with the big boys.

I don't want to take anything away from Porte as he's also here with a stunning maiden ride, but Rabo has a 4 riders in the 22-25 years of age bracket, who as a team are holding their own remarkably well too, this far into the Giro. It looks like the gloomy Dutch era is starting to get a seriously sunnier outlook.

Porte hasn't lost any unnecessary time so far, which is a feat in itself, but to me it's the only reason he's wearing the white jersey right now. But good luck to him. (I still hope Mollema will take it )

 

[Francois the Postman]

Ah, makes sense, as Rabo is only 9 minutes back in the Trofeo Fast Team, and of course their three best riders combined in GC are a bit further back. I knew this actually, stupid. Italians do it their own way.

It's the same in the Tour, Vuelta, etc. Best 3 per stage is pretty much the standard.

 

[theyoungest]

It's the same in the Tour, Vuelta, etc. Best 3 per stage is pretty much the standard.

Ah. Apparently, I never pay much attention to the teams classification

 

[Alpe d'Huez]

Great day, and great win for Nibali, putting him in contention. Will be interesting to see how much weight the Maglia Rosa lifts from Arroyo's shoulders. The leader's jersey turning good riders into champions, as the saying goes.

 

[RedZone]

G'day every1, good to have found a place where I can discuss my sporting obsession

Didn't get to watch today's stage because of work, but it looks as if some signs have begun to appear. The 12 minute loss from the L'Aquila stage may not be as disasterous for the GC contenders as as originally anticipated. Basso, Nibali and Evans already clawing back 2 minutes after the Grappa would tend to suggest that the remaining 7 minutes could easily disappear.

Will be interesting to see what sort of gaps open on the Zoncolan tomorrow. Its shorter than the Grappa and a lot harder, and the smaller climbs prior to it could prove to be interesting launchpads for some attacks. Theres little doubt there will be fireworks, especially with the rest day looming. Basso and Evans surely must be seen as the favourites up this climb. Only problem for Cadel is that he will have to mark both the Liquigas boys which may be too much for him.

I see another couple minutes here for the pre-race favourites, and another couple on the time trial. Add those to the Mortirolo and the bloodbath that will be Stage 20, and this easily adds up to the most intriguing GT Ive ever watched (Granted Ive only been a cycling fan for 5 years)

 

[davidw]

Hi guys,

"Unfortunately", I won't be on it myself, as this is the 'local' stage for me, and I'm leaving right now for Asolo, to watch things from there - they go through the town, then over the "hill", and finish back in town. It should be an excellent stage - the weather is beautiful, and the guys who want to claw back some time are going to have to hit that climb like a ton of bricks to inflict maximal time losses on whoever doesn't have good climbing legs.

...

If anyone else is in Asolo, give me a ring (it's on my CV) and say hi.

I put a few pictures up here of random things: nothing terribly exciting, but it was a fun day:

http://twitpic.com/photos/bikechatter

Cadel Evans' wife was apparently hanging out in Asolo herself:

http://twitpic.com/1q0656

 

[luckyboy]

Glad that Nibali won tbh - he was great downhill. It'll be interesting to see what Sastre does in the days coming up. I was surprised how badly he fell away from Vino going down the mountain.

Nibali ftw

 

[blaxland]

Great day for cycling letting the talking points be about that tough stage and not doping....Nibali was super strong today as was Basso and Scarponi.I think Evans rode intellegently hanging on bravely up the Grappa, even though he is still a little under weather.Zoncolon will be a decisive stage tonite and Arroyo"s day in pink will be his last.Sastre will also loose more time tonite and i think this years Giro will be fought out between Nibali,Basso and Evans....Just a mention Scarponi for the stage win on Zoncolon.....

 

[karlboss]

Glad that Nibali won tbh - he was great downhill. It'll be interesting to see what Sastre does in the days coming up. I was surprised how badly he fell away from Vino going down the mountain.

Nibali ftw

Ok so now we know who the contenders are. Given the losses today I would say only Arroyo has a chance of holding on, though slim. If he lost 2 minutes on Grappa I think we can expect his 7 minutes to fade quite fast, he may have better days in pink, ut i don't think so. Then the only other guy from the successful big break i can see pulling it off is Sastre, he was good uphill, though not great, so again I would be surprised. Cadel, says he was on a bad day and hung in there, I think its spin. I think he was 4th best uphill and will continue to be so. Scarponi was good, but is starting too far down. Basso is strong, but Nibali looked stronger and that was before he went downhill.

I love races being won on the down hill, and there are a few more stages where we might see Nibali shine descending. Right now I can't see anyone beating Nibali...but this is the Giro.

 

[Moose McKnuckles]

I wonder how many riders stopped in Ferrara to see Il Mito.

If anyone gets the reference.

 

[BroDeal]

Nice thing about Universal Sports: You can watch a stage more than once per day.

 

[BroDeal]

As I was out riding today I was thinking about what a great stage this was. In the Tour a route like this would have been garbage. The riders would have gone over the top of the climb together, descended as a group, and cross the line with no change in GC. Instead we has the top GC guys climbing in front together with no domestiques, other GC contenders dropped and force to chase, and Nibali attacking on the descent and grabbing almost minute with the time bonus. The peloton was smashed to bits. It was serious action on a stage that in the Tour would have been an easy day before the queen stage.

Maybe there is something to this idea that the sport is cleaner.

 

[karlboss]

As I was out riding today I was thinking about what a great stage this was. In the Tour a route like this would have been garbage. The riders would have gone over the top of the climb together, descended as a group, and cross the line with no change in GC. Instead we has the top GC guys climbing in front together with no domestiques, other GC contenders dropped and force to chase, and Nibali attacking on the descent and grabbing almost minute with the time bonus. The peloton was smashed to bits. It was serious action on a stage that in the Tour would have been an easy day before the queen stage.

Maybe there is something to this idea that the sport is cleaner.

Only happened because of the breakaway. Having said that break wouldn't have gone in the tour.

 

[DenisMenchov]

EDIT: NIce stage sorry wrong thread

 

[auscyclefan94]

Explain how BMC has shown they're "trying" and Lotto hasn't.

Given that there is no possible argument for that thesis, either your brain is going to explode, or you're finally going to see sense.
I'm betting on the former

Lotto has not tried and were more than capable of doing an excellent job. BMC are at least trying but being in there first gt was alawys going to be tough.

Evans' comments about his descending
"Me? Downhill? I was a disgrace today ( "

 

[Potomac]

Lotto has not tried and were more than capable of doing an excellent job. BMC are at least trying but being in there first gt was alawys going to be tough.

Evans' comments about his descending
"Me? Downhill? I was a disgrace today ( "

"are at least trying"? don't they all "try"?

 

[luckyboy]

I wonder how many riders stopped in Ferrara to see Il Mito.

If anyone gets the reference.

Haha ......