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

[christopherrowe]

Interestingly, there doesn't seem to be a definition of what an "information service" is, or any rules or even guidelines about what types of information should be carried over radio-tour. Neither is there anything in particular about its quality, quantity, or accuracy.

Looks like the rules related to race radio were last updated in 2006. They probably need to be revisited.

 

[kingjr]

Funny that those who said they didn't hear anything about neutralizations didn't actualy benefit from that situation, such as Lotto, Androni or Evans.

Whereas when we look at Riis or Lefevre...

 

[Armchair Cyclist]

Nobody involved in the race should be using the Giro twitter for the latest news on race status.

It's almost certainly handled by someone working on the media side of things for them rather than someone directly involved in any decision making.

Why not? If RCS are willing to put their name to it, they need to manage it.
Radio reception in mountains is unreliable and inconsistent: twitter messages will be available as soon as a team car emerges from a reception black spot.

If it is information released by the race organisers, it should be treated as authoritative, whatever the means of communication.

 

[DirtyWorks]

I don't want to be interested in the remainder of a race that is run so incompetently, and which is now hallmarked with injustice. But its the Giro (and I have a game to run) so I will.

Then you don't read too many race reports. This is about average for a WT race. It is worse at lower budget races.

The weather creates chaos and opportunities and lost opportunities. That's a part of racing.

 

[cantalupe]

here is the official raceradio record courtesy of cyclingpro blog.

http://www.cycling.it/oggetti/RADIOCORSSASCAM_0034S12_01.mp3

"..to avoid attacks on the descent, in order to ensure that the riders will stay put in their positions to avoid taking excessive risks.."

 

[red_flanders]

Once again, I'm pretty sure the red flag just means 'be careful it's a dangerous route' and not ' The race is neutralized'. Correct me if I'm wrong.

Cool, thanks. Had no idea.

So after all the fuss about a non issue, and Savio confirming, we can safely say that Quintana, Rolland and Hesjedal deserve everything with that epic ride...

Relax, people are simply trying to figure out a confusing situation.

 

[Armchair Cyclist]

It was!!?? can you please post a link or confirmation?

I think we have all seen the tweet by now: RCS themselves acknowledged it.

 

[Netserk]

here is the official raceradio record courtesy of cyclingpro blog.

http://www.cycling.it/oggetti/RADIOCORSSASCAM_0034S12_01.mp3

Can someone translate the whole of it?

 

[Hugo87]

Thank God I recorded this stage, wouldn't forgive myself missing this show like it was live and without spoilers.

 

[Mellow Velo]

"..to avoid attacks on the descent, in order to ensure that the riders will stay put in their positions to avoid taking excessive risks.."

Nice and ambiguous, that.

So, we've now hit 2000+ posts in a thread that's not about Sky.

 

[Pricey_sky]

Nice and ambiguous, that.

So, we've now hit 2000+ posts in a thread that's not about Sky.

The funny thing is had Froome been in Quintana's position after that descent this forum would have crashed again with all the hate!

 

[hfer07]

Well I ran into Andy and Wiggo having a beer while discussing neutralized descents and human colonization of Mars. They decided going to Mars was less risky then wet, cold descents! Andy was heard the say that a GT should Never be decided on a wet descent and Wiggo said something to the effect like I know how to ride one like a girl. So it's Mars for them!!!!

Meanwhile Nairo is the strongest and will win this Giro, but the entire scenario leaves a Bad Taste

+this+

Sad for some folks to hold that feeling well knowing the so called "neutralized descend" never took place, and what did show was a group of brave riders taking chances to race, as they should. As I wrote earlier, those who didn't want to race during the descend were the losers, while Quintana, Rolland, Hesjedal & Cataldo demonstrated courage-that's why they were the winners today.

 

[Moose McKnuckles]

The funny thing is had Froome been in Quintana's position after that descent this forum would have crashed again with all the hate!

Froome wouldn't have had the guts to do what Quintana did today.

 

[RodrigoDaBici]

Tuttobici website carrying same audio about the safety bike and riders not attacking on the descent. It looks like one big **** up has ruined what was shaping up to be a great fight on the Zoncolan.

I feel sorry for Mauro Vegni who worked his balls off to get the stage on, and has been let down by someone on race radio. I feel even more sorry for the riders who played by the rules and didn't go for it on the descent - if they had then I doubt Quintana would be in pink tonight. More than likely there would have been carnage on the descent.

It's soured what had been a competitive Giro up until now.

 

[kareeem]

Froome wouldn't have had the guts to do what Quintana did today.

Quintana didn't do anything extraordinary, he said it himself that he was only following his team-mate's wheel, just like you do at any normal descent when you don't hear anything about "neutralizations" etc.

 

[Moose McKnuckles]

Neutralized race or not, you just do not let the race favorite ride away.

 

[doperhopper]

Can you imagine this in F1? Some kind of miscommunicated fake safety car call.

 

[Jagartrott]

Nice and ambiguous, that.

I don't think it's that ambiguous. They say they place motorbikes in front of groups to avoid attacks and keep everyone safe. It's almost literally: 'no attacks allowed in the descent'. Organisation have a lot of cleaning up to do now.

 

[kareeem]

so what percent of riders even heard anything about neutralizations? pozzovivo for example didn't

 

[christopherrowe]

In addition to the Andrew Hood article at VeloNews there's now a Stephen Farrand piece at CyclingNews with additional information. It seems increasingly clear that many riders didn't race down that descent because information from official sources told them not to attack or change positions, even if a full neutralization wasn't mentioned on the radio (as it was on Twitter.) Such a shame that an otherwise beautiful stage has this controversy.

 

[kareeem]

I don't think it's that ambiguous. They say they place motorbikes in front of groups to avoid attacks and keep everyone safe. It's almost literally: 'no attacks allowed in the descent'. Organisation have a lot of cleaning up to do now.

"A replay of the race radio message reveals that officials indicated a motorcycle would be placed in front of each group after passing the Stelvio summit, and that riders should remain in their respective group without attacking, until the red flag is removed. The officials never said the entire Stelvio descent would be neutralized."

 

[Jagartrott]

"A replay of the race radio message reveals that officials indicated a motorcycle would be placed in front of each group after passing the Stelvio summit, and that riders should remain in their respective group without attacking, until the red flag is removed. The officials never said the entire Stelvio descent would be neutralized."

Rolland et al. already took off at the top, so very clearly in the section where no attacks would be allowed.

 

[christopherrowe]

Well, just to add to the confusion, here's a picture of some riders I can't identify riding IN FRONT of a moto waving a red flag on the descent.

https://twitter.com/ProCyclingStats/status/471369427641188352/photo/1

 

[hrotha]

On the other hand, if the attackers never passed the moto... Wouldn't that make any splits the moto's fault for allowing some riders to go too fast?

edit: look at the post above. Like clockwork!

 

[hfer07]

"A replay of the race radio message reveals that officials indicated a motorcycle would be placed in front of each group after passing the Stelvio summit, and that riders should remain in their respective group without attacking, until the red flag is removed. The officials never said the entire Stelvio descent would be neutralized."

how come the organizers didn't stop Cataldo in the first place??