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

[Zinoviev Letter]

bla bla. He's there now. gtfo with the doping bla bla.
It's not like the others are holy.

I didn't raise the subject. I was responding to someone whining about a source external to this forum mentioning the elephant in the room. Doping talk is not appropriate to this forum and that's fair enough, but neither is whining about people outside this forum talking about doping.

 

[Granville57]

A grand tour is not won in one day.

Of course, nor was I suggesting that. AC animated today. That's all I meant.

RE: "the other issues"

Contador is IN the race. For those who wish he wasn't—too late.
He's there. I won't ignore his efforts or achievements. What happens, happens.
For now, he's amazing on a bike. Period.

 

[Timmy-loves-Rabo]

is tomorrow rest day?

 

[jaylew]

This being the Giro, I hope that's what will happen, but unfortunately it's more likely that Scarponi, Nibali and the rest settle for 2nd.

I wonder if they'll be even more likely to do so knowing that 2nd could possibly turn into 1st down the road.

I do hope Contador has a bad day to make this all somewhat interesting. Right now it's looking like a walk.

I'm an AC fan, but I wouldn't mind seeing something happen to make this a race. What would be cool is if Androni was able to do something with their trio. I'd love to see Androni v. AC. Rujano is still 5+ minutes behind so might be given a little leash, even after today. Or maybe Nibali getting away on the Crostis descent.

 

[Elko66]

he attacked Rujano, who got got back on -then Contador see's he's back and signals for him to work with him, he does stuff like that a lot.

But hey ho he's deffo on another level no doubts.

 

[rzombie1988]

is tomorrow rest day?

Yes, tommorow is a rest day.

 

[La Pandera]

A bit dissappointed by Nibali, but realistically I guess he did as well as could be expected. Contador, say what you will about him, but he's just better than the rest, and not afraid to attack in the wind. Great to watch. Impressed by arroyo as well.

Agreed. Arroyo rode quite well. I was surprised by Gadret attacking the chase group. LeMevel did better than I anticipated and proved me wrong. I now think he could finish in the top 10 after today's performance and he was but the 2nd Frenchman on the stage to Gadret! Viva la Revolutione!

 

[Hugo Koblet]

The race is not one day.


Remember that.


Up to the Italians to come up with a plan. Plenty of racing left.

A grand tour is not won in one day.

You're right. This race isn't just one day of Contador bashing. It's a lot of days of Contador bashing.

 

[on3m@n@rmy]

Yes, tommorow is a rest day.

well that blow's
a rest day on a day the rest of the world can watch is not my idea of great planning... oh well

 

[roundabout]

A shout out to Niemec.

Without him it would have been even more of a massacre.

 

[hfer07]

well that blow's
a rest day on a day the rest of the world can watch is not my idea of great planning... oh well

well-if you can find some consolation by watching the so called "4th GT" happening in California.. LOL

 

[Escarabajo]

Well, I am happy for Serpa. He is still up there.

 

[La Pandera]

Contador has the lead ! ! ! !

Whoo Hooo. Since he will probably keep the leaders jersey the rest of the race, I now have free time on my hands instead of keeping up with the Giro.

I used to be a fan till he won TDF in 2009. I never heard him thanking his team. He won the Tour de France ALL BY HIMSELF.

Not been a fan since ! !

Since you never heard of him thanking his team here it is: He thanked his teammates daily by going room to room in their hotel. He likely didn't thank the rider that you probably admire over all others, who I won't name, but then he couldn't bother to show up for the team celebration after the Tour due to other obligations. He won the Tour with a team with divided allegiances. You stand corrected.

 

[dlwssonic]

A shout out to Niemec.

Without him it would have been even more of a massacre.

A shout out to Andy Schleck.
Why the hell didnt you come to italy to make this giro bloody epic and not a bertie bash party.

 

[La Pandera]

And hell slowly lose them all over the next 48 hours as they read Ryo's comments

THAT made me laugh!

 

[on3m@n@rmy]

A shout out to Niemec.

Without him it would have been even more of a massacre.

Help please. I need some edication... who's Niemec?

 

[Granville57]

I was responding to someone whining about a source external to this forum mentioning the elephant in the room.

Of course everyone can see that elephant, so it just seems absurdly redundant to mention it at this point.

But fair enough, I'll leave the topic elsewhere...

 

[La Pandera]

wooooow that was booooring. After all the hype this giro is not living up to its expectations. Bertie didnt even look like he was trying and took 50 seconds from the others. At least in mende, arcarlis and verbier he looked like he was putting in a lot of energy. Now I think the only worthy opponent of bertie is andy and he is not in this race. Everyone else is few levels below contador. The only way for the others to win now if something unfortunate happens to bertie. Like a crash or if he cracks on the steep climb.

Boring??????? Okay...

 

[rhubroma]

I don't think Contador is that much stronger than the others. They could have easily organized to keep him at 20-30 seconds, tops, but they all sat around looking at each other. He gained almost all of his time in the first two kms of the attack. (40 seconds in 2 km, 10 seconds in the last 4 km.)

I think the difference today was that every other team had a playbook that they had drawn up in March: "Attack in the last two kms, but sit in the bunch until then," or somesuch. The only guy who was riding the race (as opposed to the plan) was Contador. He attacked when he thought best, not when he was supposed to, and it paid dividends while the team cars calculated grades and wind and time gaps on their TI-85s.

What?! He demonstrated a frightful superiority. On a climb when the Bigs should have finished in a sprint, he gained a minute+.

I thought I saw Pantani again.

Doesn't mean, necessarily, he will be so dominant for the rest of the Giro, but we witnessed a pure-blood today.

He's been winning since February, and he's won the last 5 grand tours in which he's participated.

In addition, I'm trying to remember who had this much class. And nobody comes to mind. Hinault? Lemond? Indurain? Armstrong? Especially in today's cycling.

 

[on3m@n@rmy]

well-if you can find some consolation by watching the so called "4th GT" happening in California.. LOL

Crap! I forgot... seriously

 

[roundabout]

Help please. I need some edication... who's Niemec?

A typo.

It's Niemiec.

Hitch, please don't kill me

He was the Lampre rider pulling the big group until about 1500m to go.

 

[LukeSchmid]

Help please. I need some edication... who's Niemec?

Scarponi's answer to Syzmd who lead the chase group after Contador until almost the top. Syzmd was nowhere to be seen.

 

[will10]

Niemiec is a very strong Polish rider who's spent the last few years riding for Miche, getting great results in the Italian races, but no invites to the bigger races. Finally gets a chance on the big stage with Lampre and is doing a great job for Scarponi

 

[jaylew]

rujano in an interview on rai said I'mn so happy I can't believe it. I'm not even in topshape I will be next week in my vuelta colombia 2009 shape _O_

Oh god I can't wait!!

I'm excited too. Been wanting the little guy to get back to that old Giro form in Europe again for awhile. I noticed that before Contador attacked, Rujano had pulled his lead back out. At first it looked like he might not go anywhere but I think he might have won the stage if AC hadn't attacked.

Agreed. Arroyo rode quite well. I was surprised by Gadret attacking the chase group. LeMevel did better than I anticipated and proved me wrong. I now think he could finish in the top 10 after today's performance and he was but the 2nd Frenchman on the stage to Gadret! Viva la Revolutione!

3rd. Dupont finished just ahead of him. France 9-10-11 on the stage.

 

[cleverhans]

Gee, the race for 2nd looks interesting!

Gee, the race for 2nd looks interesting! Fack!