Giro d'Italia Stage 2: Amsterdam-Utrecht (209km)

[Ferminal]

Heinrich Haussler for the Tour...!

He will be there with or without Thor. Bos may be a chance if Thor doesn't get back up to fitness in time.

 

[Francois the Postman]

Windmill. Check.

 

[Moondance]

Train & cut stage 4.

Giro direction has already said that under no circumstances will stage 4 be cut. There have been 7 busses reserved by the direction, and if flying is out, there will be an overnight journey tomorrow to Italy.

 

[Spare Tyre]

Train & cut stage 4.

Handily the first day in Italy is a rest day.

I imagine there are a few worried people working out logistics for Plan B though.

 

[Spare Tyre]

So white kids CAN dance.

 

[issoisso]

Windmill. Check.

Waiting for the wooden shoes.



And the sprint.

 

[Moondance]

Wow... Big break in the peleton... And there isn't even any wind today.

That promises spectacle for tomorrow.

 

[Francois the Postman]

Helicopter! I'm hearing one.

 

[Mellow Velo]

Hey, they've got a helicopter up. Things should improve.

 

[Moondance]

Wow, that split in the peleton took a lot of the speed out of the peleton. Leaders now have 6 mins in almost no time.

There's going to have to be some serious pulling done now. Columbia and Sky to do the dirty work?

 

[Mellow Velo]

Might be a problem in Italy too.

From CN's live report:

#
15:30 CEST

Is the volcano going to have an effect on the Giro? It is spitting out ashes again, and some airports in Europe are closed. There is the possibility that it could all move over to Italy, perhaps closing the airports there and preventing the air transfer on Tuesday. But of coursewe hope that is merely all wild speculation.

We now hear that there is a meeting scheduled this evening to discuss the issue. What will they do if the flighs are cancelled?

News this morning said that Northern Italian airspace was already closed.
I was expecting them to use the overnight train, but I see it's a bus job.
Nice.

 

[Cobblestones]

Windmill. Check.

Lock. Check.

 

[Francois the Postman]

Looks like the helicopter has been given permission to fly very low only, and is now waiting to get to higher air using that lock.

 

[Moondance]

Looks like the helicopter has been given permission to fly very low only, and is now waiting to get to higher air using that lock.

Nice

 

[Cobblestones]

What was that by Wigans?

 

[Moondance]

Columbia clearly in not interested in chasing yet...

Maybe Greipel isn't feeling strong? Otherwise I don't really get it.

 

[issoisso]

Columbia clearly in not interested in chasing yet...

Maybe Greipel isn't feeling strong? Otherwise I don't really get it.

Stomach problems

 

[Moondance]

Now in no time the gap is 4'10.... Clearly there are some glitches in the GPS system.

 

[Mellow Velo]

Notice who Wiggins's new best mate in the peloton is?

 

[Jamsque]

Greipel did a good ride yesterday considering, but he was all over his bike, and I think a day in the saddle will be harder on him than an 8km time trial.

There's still more than enough time to pull this back, but Sky will need some more help.

 

[Francois the Postman]

I think the cameras are discovering just how narrow those **** roads are. This might help the guys up ahead a bit too, very hard to get a peloton organised on a road like that. Will change once they come off those.

 

[Cobblestones]

They lost Facci.

 

[trompe le monde]

Not good that Facci has been dropped from the front. Unless Voss, Flens and Pirazzi develop a third lung each, the chances of the trio staying in front for the finish seems a bit slim.

 

[Jamsque]

I'm surprised Garmin hasn't sent anyone to help with the chase yet.

 

[Francois the Postman]

Ace, dyke is a blocked word. [roll eyes]