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

[UpTheRoad]

No I haven't had a push on a mountain climb. I've only every climb a 'mountain' in my life. I just can't imagine it giving that much advantage.
I haven't experienced it so I guess I should believe you

I would hate it if I were laboring up a climb and some guy goes freewheeling past me on a 15% grade.

 

[offbyone]

Well, no Spanish or Venezualan riders
But really, if the guys from Movistar would not have ridden for Contie when Nibali was away we might have had a slightly different outzome with a more tired Contador, since he would have probably needed to do at least some of the work

We could say "spanish speaking riders". Seriously though, on zoncolon the same crap happened at different moments, you certainly had to see anton pacing contador for a while before he took off. On 13 Euskaltel did almost all the work leading up to the climb just because they didn't have someone in the break. If they just don't work then saxo has to do it. Maybe I am reading too much into it, but at this point contador is at a different level and will never be beat unless a consolidated effort is made to isolate him and force him to work far from the finish day after day.

 

[ManInFull]

We could say "spanish speaking riders". Seriously though, on zoncolon the same crap happened at different moments, you certainly had to see anton pacing contador for a while before he took off. On 13 Euskaltel did almost all the work leading up to the climb just because they didn't have someone in the break. If they just don't work then saxo has to do it. Maybe I am reading too much into it, but at this point contador is at a different level and will never be beat unless a consolidated effort is made to isolate him and force him to work far from the finish day after day.

I know that we make a big deal about who is and who isn't doing the work during a long climb. But, does it really matter? I think it's more psychological than physical during a long climb, especially when the wind is not impacting performance. If the guy "doing the work" is going 18 KMH up the climb at X watts, do you really think the guys behind him are actually physically benefiting from being behind him if there is no headwind?

 

[Libertine Seguros]

As for the complaining about Lastras pacing Contador... very few people out there were able to help team leaders. Nieve and Sella were going for the stage, di Luca dropped off and bonked horribly. Seeldraeyers, Garzelli, Bakelandts, Deignan, Tschopp, they didn't have anyone to work for. When Lastras came back, that meant Arroyo had a domestique, which nobody else did. It's not surprising that a shattered domestique who has been in the break, who will likely be dropped before long, would be asked to go on the front simply because it's the only way you can make use of them. And Arroyo did attack when Lastras was dropped, and spent a few km of Fedaia away.

 

[Escarabajo]

So maybe is time for the Spanish riders to take revenge on the Italians.


http://forum.cyclingnews.com/showthread.php?p=517327#post517327

 

[offbyone]

I know that we make a big deal about who is and who isn't doing the work during a long climb. But, does it really matter? I think it's more psychological than physical during a long climb, especially when the wind is not impacting performance. If the guy "doing the work" is going 18 KMH up the climb at X watts, do you really think the guys behind him are actually physically benefiting from being behind him if there is no headwind?

It does and it is very significant from both a physical and a mental perspective.

As for the complaining about Lastras pacing Contador... very few people out there were able to help team leaders. Nieve and Sella were going for the stage, di Luca dropped off and bonked horribly. Seeldraeyers, Garzelli, Bakelandts, Deignan, Tschopp, they didn't have anyone to work for. When Lastras came back, that meant Arroyo had a domestique, which nobody else did. It's not surprising that a shattered domestique who has been in the break, who will likely be dropped before long, would be asked to go on the front simply because it's the only way you can make use of them. And Arroyo did attack when Lastras was dropped, and spent a few km of Fedaia away.

Nevertheless, all moviestar had to do was sit up and Contador would have had to go to the front in order not to let nibali get away. They actually had contador isolated far from the end and in a position where he had to respond to a rider up the road and they did the work for him. I understand that these guys are just battling it out for second place though, but it seems that the only way to break contador is to make a concerted effort.

I think the rest of the giro would be much more enjoyable if they just declared contador the winner and we can see and all out fight for second. But with him still in the mix, it is hard not to focus my interest in wanting to see his rivals try to break him.

 

[roundabout]

I suppose they did have to chase Nibali down pretty quickly so that Arroyo would have some space and time before the Fedaia and inevitable attacks by better placed riders started.

Then again Katusha could have done the same to Arroyo but didn't get organized quickly/weren't strong enough.

Contador did seem somewhat apologetic when he caught Arroyo and probably didn't go as fast he could on the Fedaia.

 

[Libertine Seguros]

Yes, Arroyo isn't exactly racing Contador. He is, however, racing people like Nibali (up the road) and Antón, Dupont and Sivtsov (who of course had either dropped or were dropping by this point). And of course Nieve, who was well up the road.

 

[roundabout]

I think Antón, Dupont and Sivtsov were all there at the bottom of Fedaia. Arroyo/Movistar though probably had the better view of how tired they were.

As for Nieve as far as I've seen from the coverage Movistar didn't chase the break at any point other than with Lastras.

 

[Winterfold]

Watching the last kms again, Contador did not look his usual smooth fluid self, he was really muscling the bike along, and the way Scarponi rode back to him makes me wonder if he was close to cracking?

oh well, rest day, things will be back to normal today...

 

[Finbouy]

I bigged up Scarponi and I'm hoping Garztelli nails it too, but you can't pick two so hey..
Bertie will win it though...

Epic Pics, thanks for the link.

Screensaver saved..