Giro d'Italia Stage 9: Messina - Etna, 169km (let the race begin!)

[Bala Verde]

Visconti again,

and then Frank...

 

[Tuarts]

Hey there's Meyer! woop

 

[zapata]

Visconti still looking good for someone with a busted knee.

 

[auscyclefan94]

Frank's accleration was beautiful. He is a very good climber

 

[Bala Verde]

Frank, Visconti, Bakelandts and Lastras.

 

[Granville57]

When do they hit 12%?

 

[Libertine Seguros]

A bit too much messing about from the break. Either they need to settle it all against all or all ride together, not going to stay away with this kind of chemistry.

 

[whittashau]

Was that Szmyd in the grupetto?

I think he's saving himself for the tougher mountains. I'm sure Capechi, Agnoli, and Salerno will be enough help for Nibali.

 

[auscyclefan94]

Astana and Lampre look strong though liquigas looks weak.

 

[Tuarts]

Androni looking strong at the front

 

[Timmy-loves-Rabo]

should be most interesting bettern 10-5km.

 

[Francois the Postman]

I just love ES. They are late because of the fantastic WTCC and podium ceremony, and now they are able to show us commercials.

I have been watching a live stream via their webplayer since about 12.30 [no commentary]. British Eurosport went live at 2.45 as advertised. And I loooove how this commercial station tries to get the commercials out of the way early, so they can show the final uninterrupted. A month of near wall-to-wall cycling coverage, all for the price of a pint. Year on year, their commitment to cycling is becoming more evident. I applaud them all the way, even if I'd rather have Sporza too. But without them, in the UK, there would be no cycling coverage to speak of. They have been a bit of a godsend for me, to be frank.

 

[Ryo Hazuki]

Androni looking strong at the front

de marchi, ochoa, serpa, rujano and sella still in first group

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

Boring as **** so far

 

[auscyclefan94]

Frank is doing too much work for my liking but I hope he gets a result tonight as e had sucha tough run with the crash in the tdf prologue last year!

 

[Libertine Seguros]

Lastras not looking too brilliant, sitting on the back of the lead group and shirking his turns.

 

[zapata]

Don't think anyone from the break will stay away all the way, but a win for Visconti would be glorious.

 

[Eyeballs Out]

Savini is going to come across to the front 4 and drop them

 

[Highlander]

Based on how the peloton looks, I don't think that any of the GC contenders will do anything before the 5k to go marker. I would like to see more initiative on their part because they do have the rest day tomorrow.

 

[auscyclefan94]

Boring as **** so far

We need some more avatar bets!

 

[toolittle]

Astana and Lampre look strong though liquigas looks weak.

2011 Liquigas is far weaker than 2010 version.
But their ambition is bigger.

Likely to be failure in the grand tour.

 

[Tuarts]

Frank goes with Bakelandts and Visconti trying to follow! Don't tell me BMC could get a win here

 

[Francois the Postman]

Are people too scared of what lies still ahead in the coming weeks? It has been a bit tame, for Giro standards. And it isn't exactly that we are struggling for Italians this year.

 

[Tyke1968]

Hitch got a mention on ES!

 

[Armchair Cyclist]

well done hitch: name check