Stage 20: Saturday May 26th, Caldes/Val di Sole - Passo dello Stelvio 219km

[Steel4Ever]

This always happenes at high altitude. more grinding and attrition than flashy attacks...its just a differnt kind of racing.

With different kinds of riders (not sure I would call all of them racers).

Just a bunch of looking around and tempo (reminds me of Cat.4).
We all KNEW the attacks would happen in the last KM.
I think of the favs, Ryder has been the only one to attack from farther out.


OOO!!! Podium girls!

 

[Caruut]

So Ryder has a minute and half on de Gendt.

Is that enough for TT? Anyone?

In 2011 in Grenoble, De Gendt put 3'30" into Hesjedal. That was 42km though, and Milan will be just 30km.

 

[Pharazon]

Would't want to be the one to tell Cav over radio that Purito got 4th

if he's riding in the grupetto with ferrari, ferrari might find himself over the side of a cliff

 

[thehog]

Coppi did it at 34kph in '53, and he had Malaria.

For 7 hours?

 

[Rocksteady]

Purito couldn't be arsed trying to win the Giro, pathetic really.

My thoughts exactly... Tifosi should rip that pink jersey off him...

 

[Fetisoff]

I do, just not on this kind of climb. It has to be stupidly steep, or short-to-mid length really. His strength would not be in attacking early here, and his key gains are in short sharp bursts.

As the maglia rosa, of course, he is not obliged to attack, others are obliged to attack him, I just thought it was a really frustrating stage except for de Gendt.

+ THIS

Last year's Dauphine for ones. Stage 6
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NX8mXR3odAA

Attacked with 6 to go, went solo for last 5 K. Different race, different climb.
Climbs like Stelvio - well he's lost time on climbs like that before, obviously if he had it he'd attack earlier. Plus his team sucked.

 

[slim charles]

Based on this logic is anyone allowed to win?

What do you mean 'allowed to win'? I didn't say that anyone isn't allowed to win, just said what I'd like.

 

[Sylvester]

So they fight like dogs for their GC position as it is and then you think they have some reserves that will catapult them into a better GC position if only they had attacked early?

I'll tell you what would happen to a 5 - 10th placed rider going super-early today. The guys ahead of them in GC would have methodically caught them. And then they would have lost even more time today AND EVEN MORE tomorrow because they attacked early.

The body has limited reserves. Every attack must be examined not only for the moment, but for the cost the next couple of stages.

Care to explain the rides of De Gendt, Cunego, Nieve?

 

[dgodave]

Is it cool to spray the podium girls?
.

 

[Descender]

Too bad for De Gendt... hats off to him!

 

[Trofinios]

I still favour Hesjedal. Believe he could do a strong tempo when it really counts. But De Gendt will be dangerous, seems like he is getting stronger and stronger, remember TDF last year.

 

[cineteq]

Congrats to Purito. After having Hesjedal kill himself (reluctantly; Ryder should have gone earlier, although it worked out fine for him in the end), he waited for the last 800 m to take a massive 10 seconds. Way to lose the Giro, Purito. Way to go. You might even end up out of the podium.

Did he have another way to do this? He played it brilliantly today! I wound't be surprised if he still do the ITT of his life to win the Giro.

 

[GazelleFormula]

lol @ Jrod taking the points jersey, one point ahead of Cav

Wonder if Cav steps of his bike the minute he hears about that.

 

[Parrot23]

That podium gal on the right. Best ever!

I'll ride up the Stelvio any day if she's there, ha, ha!

See pics on steephill site http://www.steephill.tv/2012/giro-d-italia/photos/

 

[will10]

For 7 hours?

No, 11 hours.

 

[seldon71]

Rodriguez is much improved TT rider, so don't expect a collapse.

Hesjedal beat him by 16 secs in Stage 1 which would mean roughly a minute in Milan. Maybe a bit more in comparison in a long time trial...

But OTOH, doesn't anyone else feel that J-Rod will be fresher tomorrow. Ryder is in driving seat, but this is not over.

 

[thehog]

What do you mean 'allowed to win'? I didn't say that anyone isn't allowed to win, just said what I'd like.

The words of a man going mad....

 

[DominicDecoco]

Congrats to Purito. After having Hesjedal kill himself (reluctantly; Ryder should have gone earlier, although it worked out fine for him in the end), he waited for the last 800 m to take a massive 10 seconds. Way to lose the Giro, Purito. Way to go. You might even end up out of the podium.

I soo want De Gendt to put out a monter performance in the ITT and win this. That would teach them a lesson.

See, this is what happens when you soft-pedal for three weeks instead of taking time when you can. People who haven't been as good as you are still in the thick of it and can surprise thanks to a smart tactical move, and furthermore, you don't have any stages left to correct your mistake. De Gendt is going to podium, and one of Purito or Scarponi won't. Serves them right.

Purito didn't lose it here at the last kilomretres. He lost it with 10-12 to go.

 

[Bernie's eyesore]

Did he have another way to do this? He played it brilliantly today! I wound't be surprised if he still do the ITT of his life to win the Giro.

He could have followed Scarponi and then attacked him, he might be 30 seconds or more better off at least.

 

[The Hitch]

I know yall want de gendt to win, but consider that Pistrollero also put money on De gend, as i recall it was 20 euros or so at 300-1, so this place might become pretty unbearable

 

[Logic-is-your-friend]

Had Scarponi lost more time (and not start in between De Gendt and Hesjedal in the ITT) i would have put my money on TDG. Now, probably not lol

Too bad he had a flat tire in the first mountain stage 2 km before the top, and too bad he lost over 1 minute in the TTT on Hesjedal

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

After 15 minutes, only 25 guys have finished the race so far

 

[dlwssonic]

Ladies and Gentlemen, we have our new cannibal

 

[hrotha]

Did he have another way to do this? He played it brilliantly today! I wound't be surprised if he still do the ITT of his life to win the Giro.

Are you kidding? Well I suppose he could have gone with 900 m to go instead of 800. Or... or... he could have tried something earlier on the climb. Because he needed to put a minute on Hesjedal, and he sure as hell wasn't going to do it in 900 m.

 

[hrotha]

Purito didn't lose it here at the last kilomretres. He lost it with 10-12 to go.

Of course. I'd even say he lost a good chance to try on the Mortirolo.