Stage 16: Ponte Di Legno-Val Martello/Martelltal (139 km)

[Moose McKnuckles]

Andy Schleck just abandoned watching the stage.

 

[RedheadDane]

Whether or not the race was supposed to have been neutralised at one point the front riders are definitely past the point where I'd have given the race free again if I were in charge.

 

[Ryo Hazuki]

quitnana hammering the descend!!! amazing!!

 

[senatorrick]

I love how the commentators and producers don't know for sure if this race was neutralized!! Bull shoot

 

[Arredondo]

Colbrelli ABANDON

 

[Eclipse]

Can anyone give a short summary of the action so far?

Chalapud goes off on a solo venture, Arredondo attacks for mountain points and Pantano goes too. A handful of strung out riders go over Gavia in the lead and it all goes a bit mental on the descent with attacks, people taking tea breaks, and riders strung out everywhere (poor conditions leading to no time gaps makes it even harder for anyone to understand). In the end a lead group of 10 or so with Kiserlovski as the best placed GC rider settle in about 3 minutes up the road and all the other contenders settle back into one bigger group. Stelvio is controlled by Movistar and Tinkoff Saxo for the most part, though Rolland tries a brief pace injection. Cataldo attacks near the top as the break is faltering and getting reeled in and things string out again going onto the descent that is rumoured to be neutralised but nobody is racing it like it is.

Something like that

 

[Eshnar]

Andy Schleck just abandoned watching the stage.

post of the year!

 

[glassmoon]

So if Cataldo gains 1 minute here and then wins by 59 seconds, he won't win?

I guess...
He had 1min. at the top and this is what will matter at the finish + gains/losses from final climb.

 

[Arnout]

Well I'm gonna do some shopping.

It's also clear to see that the Stelvio is about the least dangerous mountain pass descent. No tricky corners, you'll just have to break in time for the next hairpin. Blind fast corners would potentially be a problem, but this is safer than a flat stage in the last 15km.

 

[scholar]

that's so sad, you can't even rest from the ascent!

Descents aren't for resting. The pub after the ride is for resting.

 

[Netserk]

It was a stupid decision trying to neutralize the descent. How did they think they could do it?

 

[DominicDecoco]

Andy Schleck just abandoned watching the stage.

Very good.

 

[BigMac]

quitnana hammering the descend!!! amazing!!

Not really, no.

 

[luckyboy]

Colbrelli abandons

 

[Parrulo]

Andy Schleck just abandoned watching the stage.

*bows to the king*

 

[senatorrick]

Andy Schleck just abandoned watching the stage.

Thank you for making me laugh hard!

 

[Ryo Hazuki]

Not really, no.

he closes 30 seconds to cataldo and almost all others are dropped, so really yes

 

[Ruby United]

Does anyone rate cataldos chances???

 

[Marco Pantani]

Chalapud goes off on a solo venture, Arredondo attacks for mountain points and Pantano goes too. A handful of strung out riders go over Gavia in the lead and it all goes a bit mental on the descent with attacks, people taking tea breaks, and riders strung out everywhere (poor conditions leading to no time gaps makes it even harder for anyone to understand). In the end a lead group of 10 or so with Kiserlovski as the best placed GC rider settle in about 3 minutes up the road and all the other contenders settle back into one bigger group. Stelvio is controlled by Movistar and Tinkoff Saxo for the most part, though Rolland tries a brief pace injection. Cataldo attacks near the top as the break is faltering and getting reeled in and things string out again going onto the descent that is rumoured to be neutralised but nobody is racing it like it is.

Something like that

Thank you very much.

 

[The Hitch]

Faster you descend, higher wind chill factor though

Speed of descent is as much to do with how you take the corners as absolute top speed.

They can still ride the same pace just not come to a total stop at every corner.

 

[Parrulo]

Does anyone rate cataldos chances???

I would say somewhere between slim and none

 

[cineteq]

It's gonna be a long day for Diego Ulissi. He's dead last, 15 minutes down on Cataldo

 

[BigMac]

he closes 30 seconds to cataldo and almost all others are dropped, so really yes

No, not really amazing. Really.

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

Quintana is gaining 2 minutes on Uran..

 

[hrotha]

Where did all this talk of neutralization come from anyway.