Giro d'Italia Stage 15: Conegliano - Gardeccia-Val di Fassa 229km

[Libertine Seguros]

Ya, talk about leaving it all on the race course. That's two stages in a row where it looked like the winner was going to cross the line at a 45 degree angle...

Si many awe-inspiring rides today, everyone really. For a guy who got almost no time on camera, Scarponi was massive. (unless I just failed to mark him because I'm not used to him in red)

When the race fragments like that, some low-flying helicopter sweeps up the course would sure be useful. Once that breakaway group stated to fragment, there were guys up front that we didn't see for the whole race!

The problem was, there were minutes between them. Over the Fedaia you had Garzelli, then Nieve 40 seconds behind him, then another 3 minutes back to Bakelandts, then another 2 minutes to Sella, then there was Seeldraeyers and di Luca both solo in the gap, before the splintered remains of the break with Tschopp and Deignan alongside a couple of others, then Rujano, then the rest of the heads of state, then the Nibali duo, then Antón and Siutsou.

So many different groups over so much time - plus in the weather conditions that would have made such a flight risky - would require such a long shot (and the commentators would have had to work out who was were, which wouldn't be much fun) that we'd probably have missed something happening in the heads of state, cos it usually was...

 

[The Hitch]

Nieve has to win celebration of the season. He looked like he was falling of his bike it took him his last ounces of strenght to slowly lift his arm up. And as he crossed the line on a flat at about 10cm an hour his head was down as if he was pushing 60k/h.

You can still see the pain on his face in the interview afterwards http://www.gazzetta.it/Speciali/Giroditalia/it/22-05-2011/contador-mai-cosi-dura-801301222880.shtml

 

[Walkman]

There you go Hitch...

1500 Posts!

 

[Michielveedeebee]

Congrats Hitch

 

[ferryman]

Nieve was so magnificent today. He fought like a warrior. His attack on Garzelli was sheer power of will. You could see him going through absolute pain in the last 2k. Beautiful stage. Absolutely sublime.

There were warriors a plenty today from young Kruisjwijk to the old patron Garzelli. Congrats to Nieve for the win, heck congrats to the top 20 finishers today. An epic day with so many animations from so many different riders. Were you watching TDF organisers?

 

[nvpacchi]

OMG Congrats Nieve!!!! Unbelievable weekend for the naranjas!

 

[luckyboy]

Awesome stage. Gonna be crossing my fingers that Rujano can get onto the podium with the Nevegal, Macugnaga and Sestriere.

Very happy for Euskaltel these past two days too.

 

[nvpacchi]

So Anton told Nieve to go in the break today before the stage began.

I absolutely love the trust this Euskaltel duo have in each other. We haven't seen the true climbing class that comes along with the orange-clad warriors in a long time (prolly since Mayo's days) but these two are certainly bringing it back and will continue to do so for a long time.

 

[Cobblestoned]

Just had a look to complete results.
What a fight today. No real gruppetto, nearly everyone fighting on his own vs the man with the hammer and against the Besenwagen.

Restday will be a real restday I guess.

 

[greenedge]

And better yet Nieve takes over from Anton in GC. Just think what will happen with Sicard when he comes to prominence. Congrats though with the mountain stage hunting Euskatel, now get someone on the podium.

 

[The Hitch]

Wow. The Giro is the number 1 sports story in both Marca and El Pais.

THis is quite something considering this was the day F1 with all the money it has been throwing around came to Spain.

In fact in Marca there are 3 big headlines at the top of the race dedicated to it. This in a paper that put Contadors win in Verbier on some minor page behind gossip.


Also one of the big big channels is showing it every day.

Thats right not the Tour, not the national race, but the one grand tour that never visits Spain and in which they have by far the least interest.

The Spaniards at the race deserve it though. Vicioso, Ventoso, Contador Anton and Nieve a stage a piece.

On top of that Arroyo has been an absolute hero and Purito will hopefully be by the end of next week.

 

[roundabout]

Alonso got pasted today.

AC rides circles around the competition.

 

[greenedge]

Wonder how many will survive this day or make the timecut.

Pozzovio could not reach it. I wonder why.

 

[Ryaguas]

Dude Contador has done such amazing things here in the Giro already that Nobody, besides Jens and Me, is stunned that He started the hostilities in the KM 50... KM 50!!!!!! Before the top of Giau, with Rujano in his wheel!!
Before the 1st attack He put Dani and Jesus on the front and forced the selection, checked that Lo Squalo was in trouble and attacked, Rujano knew it and was in his wheel inmediatly when Dani and Jesus were drilling it...
When He attacked the 2nd time, He clearly checked again Nibs and He saw him in big troubles Rujano was quite ready for that attack cuz was in his wheel when He attacked!
In the 3rd attack He already knew that Nibs was in troubles cuz He spended a lot of energies in the pursuit, Alberto was just waiting the attack and used Scarponi as his launch pad...
I was like each time that He attacked... Also when Rujano knew that Nibs, Anton and Menchov were in troubles and He went to the front and put such a killer pace that He dropped everyone 300m before the top of Fedaia...

I'm pretty sure that everyone was like "yeah! now Alberto is isolated and everyone will attack him! He will bonk or burn himself chasing every attack" but Alberto was by far the stronger today...
I thought that He will bonk cuz He didnt eat coming to Fedaia but I dont know if He ate later and that wasn't showed on TV...
What a different Alberto is this one... attacking from 7 or 50km from the finish, attacking in a "sprinter stage"... Ufff... You can see Vino's and Riis' style in his way of riding...

 

[greenedge]

Hitch i have just realised you should have done the MT Baldy forum as well.

 

[Moose McKnuckles]

Hitch i have just realised you should have done the MT Baldy forum as well.

Not even Hitch could have rescued the Mt. Baldy stage.

 

[greenedge]

I thought it was good even if the field was weak or training for TDF. He could have made a big hype about Radioshack going to smash or Garmin, then Garmin failed and i would have lol'd

 

[Timmy-loves-Rabo]

You're right, that would explain why Contador attacked Rujano twice at the top of Etna.
Fail.

maybe because rujano was playing the shadow game on etna
Fail.Cause.This.Makes.Me.Cool.Yeah.

Also when Rujano knew that Nibs, Anton and Menchov were in troubles and He went to the front and put such a killer pace that He dropped everyone 300m before the top of Fedaia...

to be fair, the others didn't seem concerned by rujano and made no effort to stay with him. That was clear, let us not overrated that please.
After stage 13 I find myself a little disappointed by Rujano. Although he did a good ride on stage 15, I think it might be Ryo's "soon to be the best climber in the giro" comments that have clouded my opinion on him. He is having a great Giro tho, but he simply isn't the super-human Ryo and others are making him out to be.
I think he will do very well in the MTT tho.

 

[Escarabajo]

What a stage! Total carnage on the road.

After I finished watching the re-run I was completely exhausted! I have never been so exhausted of watching so much climbing in my life. WOW.

This stage was something else.

Good job to the escarabajo Sarmiento. He is improving by the day.

 

[The Hitch]

Not even Hitch could have rescued the Mt. Baldy stage.

The best thing about Mt Baldy were all the fans in costumes.

But Giro 15 had the 2 most famous fans in cycling.

Didi the devil at 50k to go.

Dirk Hoffman Motorhomes, 75m to go.

Quality beats quantity.

 

[Rechtschreibfehler]

Didi beats everyone anyway!

 

[Ryaguas]

He is having a great Giro tho, but he simply isn't the super-human Ryo and others are making him out to be.
I think he will do very well in the MTT tho.

He isnt super human but You have to admit that He can put and amazing W/Kg for someone with that weight...

They didnt follow him cuz was worthless He was putting too much W/Kg over there and if They keep at that pace They would have drop themselves in Gardeccia... Also the descent was there!

 

[forumlurker]

i can eat 20 energy gels without throwing up

 

[theswordsman]

Contador said he took in 7000 calories on the bike today. There's no way he gets a hunger knock again, the way Saxo Bank is looking after him.

 

[Ryaguas]

Contador said he took in 7000 calories on the bike today. There's no way he gets a hunger knock again, the way Saxo Bank is looking after him.

I didnt see him eating that's why I was really worried... but He ate and a lot!
You are right... Riis is really taking care of him! What a difference with Astana...