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

[Jagartrott]

Quintana clearly the best on this stage, but WTF do all the contenders let him take 2 minutes on a descent? Very strange.

 

[FoxxyBrown1111]

Great great stage. Great pics too.
Chapeau to my guy Rolland. Always up there as wished for before todays stage (moving to 4th, besides cracking in the final).
Impressive ride by Hesjdal. Today I change my mind on him. Well deserved past Giro winner.
Quintana would have gained the rosa anyway, so I don´t give much into the neutralisation or not. Well deserved Giro 2014 winner.
Still great week ahead fighting for podium spots. Still a perfect make up. Could be a special Giro to remember. Always better than the TdF (except the Aquarone years).
And finally hats up to Kelderman. Another great young rider coming up.

 

[Carols]

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

 

[Piz Buin]

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

Why?
Do we know for sure now what caused the gap after the stelvio descent?

Do we have interviews/quotes especially by uran or the other gcs who where behing?

Rolland of course said he didn't hear anything about neutralisation. But what do those who lost time on the stelvio descent say?

 

[christopherrowe]

The people who may have benefited from the situation have said about what you would expect them to say from what I've seen. The only person obviously caught out I've seen comment is Cadel Evans, who didn't really say much to throw any light on the situation: "Today's racing was so nuts I can't quite believe it myself...and I was there!"

 

[Rollthedice]

Why?
Do we know for sure now what caused the gap after the stelvio descent?

Do we have interviews/quotes especially by uran or the other gcs who where behing?

Rolland of course said he didn't hear anything about neutralisation. But what do those who lost time on the stelvio descent say?

Quintana also said he didn't hear or know anything. He followed Europcar, Hesjedal and Izagirre and suddenly he was in a small group. As unbelievable as it seems all the other GC contenders and their respective teams missed this move. We still have to find out the reason.

 

[Pricey_sky]

Why?
Do we know for sure now what caused the gap after the stelvio descent?

Do we have interviews/quotes especially by uran or the other gcs who where behing?

Rolland of course said he didn't hear anything about neutralisation. But what do those who lost time on the stelvio descent say?

I've just seen a photo on twitter of the pace motorbike waving a red flag at Quintana's group on the descent, I'm guessing the other group behind took notice of these red flags whereas Quintana/Rolland group did not.

 

[murali]

Why?
Do we know for sure now what caused the gap after the stelvio descent?

Do we have interviews/quotes especially by uran or the other gcs who where behing?

Rolland of course said he didn't hear anything about neutralisation. But what do those who lost time on the stelvio descent say?

either way, doesnt matter.

still two solid stages; stage 18 and stage 20; perfectly crafted for a Quintana-type rider plus Movistar being the lone GC team with full firepower, the GC is sure even if he had gained only 1'15".

 

[christopherrowe]

Here's a picture the poster says is of Quintana on the first K of the descent in question, with a race official waving a red flag in front of him.

Hmm, can't figure out a way to get it to show up here, but this is the link:

https://twitter.com/jeredgruber/status/471345615645835264/photo/1/large

 

[classicomano]

Kelderman said he thought the descent was neutralized so he stopped at the top to get some food or clothes or w/e.

 

[whittashau]

We do know that a bunch of average descenders somehow got a 2 minute lead on the descent.

I don't care what Ryo says Quintana is no Nibali or Mohoric so there is no way they would have gotten such a lead without their being major confusion in the peloton

 

[christopherrowe]

Whatever shakes out of this controversy, I don't think anybody was going to beat Quintana in the finale today. I suppose the time gaps might have been different, but even then, it seemed to me he put more time into the chasers going up than he did going down.

 

[red_flanders]

Here's a picture the poster says is of Quintana on the first K of the descent in question, with a race official waving a red flag in front of him.

Hmm, can't figure out a way to get it to show up here, but this is the link:

https://twitter.com/jeredgruber/status/471345615645835264/photo/1/large

That does have a rather unequivocal appearance to it. So how do they get away w/o penalty? No idea what (if any) penalties would apply in such a situation.

BTW, CRAP! That is some insanity running a stage in such weather. I would cry.

Here's the photo:

 

[Dazed and Confused]

Here's a picture the poster says is of Quintana on the first K of the descent in question, with a race official waving a red flag in front of him.

Hmm, can't figure out a way to get it to show up here, but this is the link:

https://twitter.com/jeredgruber/status/471345615645835264/photo/1/large

oops, caught on camera. sh!t happens.
Still a very entertaining and dramatic stage.

 

[Jagartrott]

Race organisers seriously farked up. Takes away the glory of a stage Nairo would've won either way.

 

[Eclipse]

Giro race director Mauro Vegni said there was never any official communication to teams about neutralizing the descent.

“There was never discussion of neutralizing the descent,” Vegni said on RAI after the stage. “With about three or four kilometers from the top of the Stelvio, a message went out on race radio advising about the danger of the descent. We said there would be a motorcycle with a red flag to lead the peloton down the upper switchbacks, but there was never a mention of neutralizing the descent.”

Gianni Savio, manager of Androni, told VeloNews the message was crystal clear on race radio.

“There was never any confusion. None,” Savio said. “They said a motorcycle would indicate if there was dangers on the descent with a red flag, but never, never, was there a mention of neutralizing the descent.”


http://velonews.competitor.com/2014...-throws-giro-chaos_329760#PoBZgI3mBpuepO6K.99

 

[zigzag wanderer]

That does have a rather unequivocal appearance to it. So how do they get away w/o penalty? No idea what (if any) penalties would apply in such a situation.

What have they done wrong?

What does the red flag mean?

 

[Popchu]

A red flag is also used to mark dangerous corners, no?

 

[whittashau]

So what does a red flag mean technically?

edit - got my answer. There can be no complaints then.

 

[kingjr]

So what does a red flag mean technically? If it means that there should be no attacks then they should be penalised.

“They said a motorcycle would indicate if there was dangers on the descent with a red flag, but never, never, was there a mention of neutralizing the descent.”

 

[Ruby United]

What have they done wrong?

What does the red flag mean?

See below, all it means that there are dangers down the descent, it's not a neutralization...

“There was never discussion of neutralizing the descent,” Vegni said on RAI after the stage. “With about three or four kilometers from the top of the Stelvio, a message went out on race radio advising about the danger of the descent. We said there would be a motorcycle with a red flag to lead the peloton down the upper switchbacks, but there was never a mention of neutralizing the descent.”

Gianni Savio, manager of Androni, told VeloNews the message was crystal clear on race radio.

“There was never any confusion. None,” Savio said. “They said a motorcycle would indicate if there was dangers on the descent with a red flag, but never, never, was there a mention of neutralizing the descent.”


http://velonews.competitor.com/2014...-throws-giro-chaos_329760#PoBZgI3mBpuepO6K.99

 

[Piz Buin]

So pozzo said he went down as fast as he could. And he was in the maglia rosa group.

 

[Netserk]

That does have a rather unequivocal appearance to it. So how do they get away w/o penalty? No idea what (if any) penalties would apply in such a situation.

BTW, CRAP! That is some insanity running a stage in such weather. I would cry.

Here's the photo:

Or maybe they thought it was there to help them down/to show the path. Nothing wrong with that. If they didn't hear about the neutralization, then you can't expect them to figure out what the red flag means.

 

[Frosty]

Rolland on the front there? Reminds me of this

http://velonews.competitor.com/2012...-for-attacking-as-flats-plague-peloton_229908

Although there is no evidence of any foul play here.

 

[kingjr]

Or maybe they thought it was there to help them down/to show the path. Nothing wrong with that. If they didn't hear about the neutralization, then you can't expect them to figure out what the red flag means.

This as well.