Giro d'Italia stage 6: Orvieto-Fiuggi, 216km

[Thomsena]

Insanely hard sprint that wasn't it.

 

[Arnout]

Remember Sammy Sanchez last year in the Tour? Exactly the same.

 

[jobiwan]

Still a puzzling finish, but I guess cramps do that to you.

Overall, a very entertaining stage! MOUNTAINS TOMORROW!!!!!!!

 

[Anonymous]

Sometimes I wonder how many of the posters of this forum have ever ridden a bycycle...

Yea, no kidding. I am wondering how many people here have ever just freaking blown or had massive cramps in your legs. I don't even see what the question here is. If you believe he just gave up, I don't think you appreciate what a competitive person he is.

 

[rolfrae]

Have you never ridden a bike race then? Bit like saying when 100m sprinters pull hamstrings etc. out of the gate they should keep going. FFS

But there was no sharp pull up like you usually get with cramps, think that's what makes it look so strange.

 

[boomcie]

I fail to see how this finish wasn't perfect for Ventoso. Quite a lot of people overlooked him today. (e.g. Great grand tour game )

Great win for him.

 

[Carl0880]

Pirazzi was awesome.
Killer almost got there.

Great stage really.

I agree, so many different riders attacking in hte last 8km, giving it a shot. Sella I thought had a chance, his attack was the only one that seemed to have gained more then 100m, then he all of sudden looked like he hit a wall.

This was the win Ventoso has been looking for for a couple of years, congrats to him. Great effort by Vande Walle.

At this moment, it looks like Scarponi is going to easily win the Points jersey, because he finish 6th on this stage, one with a few sprinters left at the end. I would imagine he isn't going to finish worse then 6th or 7th on any mountain stage, So unless someone wins 3-5 stages in the mountain, I just don't see anyone overtaking him.

 

[greatking88]

Who in their right mind really thinks Petacchi could have gone on pedalling but didn't???

Sean Kelly, tend to agree with his opinion.. think he had a bit of experience on the bike

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

Sean Kelly, tend to agree with his opinion.. think he had a bit of experience on the bike

pff, i've heard people who rode a bike for their entire life still talk total crap on TV plenty of times before.

Just listen to maggy backstedt for instance

 

[Timmy-loves-Rabo]

But there was no sharp pull up like you usually get with cramps, think that's what makes it look so strange.

this.

it was the overhead picture that really confused me, didn't look like a cramp pull.
I dunno, maybe his legs did just give in. I figured the adrenaline of the situation might have pushed pettachi. I have had some pretty f'd up cramps, where I had to stop, but feel like I could push my self in a situation like that, maybe I just never had a cramp bad enough
But yeah the overhead maybe clouded that one for me. I concede it was probably cramps.

 

[Benotti69]

pff, i've heard people who rode a bike for their entire life still talk total crap on TV plenty of times before.

Just listen to maggy backstedt for instance

Kelly aint Backstedt and he dont talk crap.

 

[jobiwan]

I fail to see how this finish wasn't perfect for Ventoso. Quite a lot of people overlooked him today. (e.g. Great grand tour game )

Great win for him.

Curse you!!

 

[*G*K*S*]

Hi guys. Late to the party here, but has anyone yet mentioned that it looked like he cramped up or did Ale-jet just quit pedaling for no reason?

 

[greatking88]

pff, i've heard people who rode a bike for their entire life still talk total crap on TV plenty of times before.

Just listen to maggy backstedt for instance

Im pretty sure theres a big difference between Sean Kelly and Backstedt..

 

[Escarabajo]

But there was no sharp pull up like you usually get with cramps, think that's what makes it look so strange.

+1.

I have had cramps when younger and I feel the muscle shrinking and pulling hard. When I see people cramping they motion rather rapidly. But who knows. Rather strange.

But I don't want to question Petacchi either. he is a great champion.

 

[Timmy-loves-Rabo]

+1.

I have had cramps when younger and I feel the muscle shrinking and pulling hard. When I see people cramping they motion rather rapidly. But who knows. Rather strange.

This was mainly it for me, Pettachi body language.

But agree that he isn't the kinda guy to give up unless he couldn't..

 

[wirral]

Race radio?

 

[Descender]

So that's it then. Alejet just got tired of winning. I mean 25, 27, 30... what difference does it make? Right there and then, ten metres from the finish line in Fiuggi, after 216km of exhausting riding, he fell into a trance and realised cycling isn't worth it and pedalling is overrated. He is a changed man. He saw the light.

 

[jens_attacks]

lots of idiotic comments here.let me guess...the next is "they told him in radio they will do the best doping test to the winner" so he let it go....

that last climb where danilo attacked killed petacchi legs.

now let's just watch the great one live at processo alla tappa.

 

[greatking88]

Its amazing how condescending people can be on this forum, you express an opinion and if people don't like it they become sarcastic and obnoxious, and the usual have you ever ridden a bike before..

 

[Granville57]

I thought at first it may have been mechanical, but I didn't see him looking down at his bike at all. I'll have to see that overhead again.

Cramps can make it feel as if every muscle fiber has instantly turned into piano wire, but his body language didn't seem to imply that. That's what I think has many of us confused.

No way Petacchi would fight all the way to the line and just "give up" though. I'm just curious to hear what he had to say. Anyone translate his comments?

 

[will10]

Its amazing how condescending people can be on this forum, you express an opinion and if people don't like it they become sarcastic and obnoxious, and the usual have you ever ridden a bike before..

If people jump to idiotic conclusions I am going to call them on it. So are others

 

[greatking88]

If people jump to idiotic conclusions I am going to call them on it. So are others

And what idiotic conclusion did i come too??

I merely said Sean Kelly found Petacchi's actions very strange..

That's idiotic??

 

[hrotha]

If those were cramps, they must have been the most intense cramps I've ever witnessed. If it was simple exhaustion, well, that one hit him pretty hard and pretty suddenly.

It's probably cramps, yes, but that still doesn't mean it was one of the weirdest sprints I've ever seen.

 

[Machu Picchu]

If people jump to idiotic conclusions I am going to call them on it. So are others

and thank goodness your here, to right such wrongs!