Giro d'Italia, Stage 19: Bergamo - Macugnaga 209km

[Finbouy]

Only a small break today IMO, with
Sella,
Lastras,
Nocentini,
Di Luca,
Gartzelli
GC budled up together again only fave to head out will be Gartzelli and he'll capture the KoM today, and for that I'll have him for the win too.

 

[auscyclefan94]

Hopefully tschopp has a go. He is 19th on GC though he has been quiet.

 

[Frosty]

Interested to see what Anton does today. He might want to win tomorrow's stage more than go for a high GC (said beforehand that he wanted to win stages). To get in tomorrow's break though he will have to lose time today. However, if he doesnt lose time today then he could still win the stage tomorrow from the front of the group (would have thought Contador will win though). As the GC stands, a repeat of the Zoncolan could see move into 5th* so i think he will just ride normally from now on. I think he'll be happy with a big stage win and a high GC.

*Depending on time, Menchov and Kreuziger could pass him in the final TT if fairly close

 

[Frosty]

Hopefully tschopp has a go. He is 19th on GC though he has been quiet.

He might fancy tomorrow's instead?

 

[auscyclefan94]

He might fancy tomorrow's instead?

We'll see. It will be tough for the break to stay away over the top of finestre all the way to sestriere.

Would be nice if an Aussie won as it has been a dissapointing Giro for us.

Cam meyer saying that the flat part of the stage is dead straight with a strong tailwind. He's expecting things to be very fast.

 

[dlwssonic]

Hopefully tschopp has a go. He is 19th on GC though he has been quiet.

BMC doing much better in the tour of belgium watch out for them there. Really hope tschopp gets in the break and gets a win in the late part of the GT like last year

 

[Moondance]

We'll see. It will be tough for the break to stay away over the top of finestre all the way to sestriere.

Would be nice if an Aussie won as it has been a dissapointing Giro for us.

Cam meyer saying that the flat part of the stage is dead straight with a strong tailwind. He's expecting things to be very fast.

Wouldn't mind a Australian victory, for sure.

Although there was always going to be a bit of a Giro hangover for the Aussies this year, since the colours of last year's Giro were very much green and gold. Very hard to equal, or top, that.

 

[Sasquatch]

Hopefully Ritchie Porte can get into the break..

No chance.

He will be saving his legs for the time trial.

 

[Sasquatch]

Dessel
Ermeti
Beyer
Sesma
Azanza Soto
Cheula
Brutt
Caruso
Didier
Spilak
Popovych
Hoogerland

And a few others 20 odd seconds up the road.

Break is not threatening to the GC they should let it go.

 

[boomcie]

Dessel
Ermeti
Beyer
Sesma
Azanza Soto
Cheula
Brutt
Caruso
Didier
Spilak
Popovych
Hoogerland

And a few others 20 odd seconds up the road.

Break is not threatening to the GC they should let it go.

Still depends on who is or isn't represented.

 

[Sasquatch]

And they are not letting it go.

 

[Sasquatch]

Still depends on who is or isn't represented.

Yeah. Don't think BMC were represented.

Kiserlovski was in there too so that's Astana being represented. Samoilou was in there also.

Back together.

 

[search]

Yeah. Don't think BMC were represented.

Chad Beyer was in there

 

[Libertine Seguros]

Popovych is taking the Fuga award very seriously.

 

[search]

Popovych is taking the Fuga award very seriously.

the problem is, that it doesn't count for the award if the group is that big.

 

[Chef_Vodnik]

Didier

Yay for that!

 

[Sasquatch]

Bak, Pineau and Rabbotini 2.05 ahead. They will get bridged to on the climb.

 

[insideout leadout]

Pineau already got tired of the company and dropped them with 38 s

 

[craig1985]

So when will Johnny H go on some random pointless attack?

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

Ah yes. I hadnt thought of that but that is definately what i want to happen.



Montevergine is harder. That stage was shorter but the final climb was harder. Montevergine was 5.3 average for 19k while this is a very very weak 5.0 for 16k. And where Montevergine had several km of 6-8 even one near the end of 8.6 this mountain is 5 or 6% all the way up.

First climb is ok at 6.5 % and 13km with final 3k at about 10%, but its about the same as the first climb of that stage.

But on the final climb i can see any attacks from gc men being pulled back.

1 difference tho, Montevergine comes after 1 week and riders are fresh.
This comes after 3 weeks when most riders are wrecked.
If they are gonna ride up hard, there will be less riders left than you'd expect on such an easy climb

 

[wirral]

The break at 12 minutes.

 

[gregrowlerson]

1 difference tho, Montevergine comes after 1 week and riders are fresh.
This comes after 3 weeks when most riders are wrecked.
If they are gonna ride up hard, there will be less riders left than you'd expect on such an easy climb

I agree (and hope!). I would expect some riders out of the top 10 and maybe one in the top 5 to lose time here. Could even be decisive enough for Nibali or Scarponi to gain 30-60 seconds on the other.....if they race hard from a long way out.

 

[The Barb]

Gap down to 7:30 on the comparatively straight forward early slopes.

I'd say only about 10% chance these three survive.

 

[roundabout]

I would guess the Water and Soap boys are the ones chasing.

 

[DenisMenchov]

Any links yet???