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

[taiwan]

Seeing as Cunego's going well atm, they should let him go in the break. That would set the cat amongst the pigeons.

 

[jens_attacks]

tomorrow pirazzi will go ballistic once again.rabottini got a stage win,pirazzi deserves to win something too

i definitely see him getting points on mortirolo,rabottini not so much.it will be a good fight

 

[manafana]

a good giro in my view, many of stages had something going on, loved the stage into Assisi, a clean peleton is a human one, cant just launch crazy attacks at will.

 

[Caruut]

Another explanation would be that he was just bad, but that's a bit far fetched.

Yes but 41 minutes bad after staying within touching distance for so long? Either he's ill or saving himself.

 

[FoxxyBrown1111]

a good giro in my view, many of stages had something going on, loved the stage into Assisi, a clean peleton is a human one, cant just launch crazy attacks at will.

How you know it´s clean?

Anyway, it´s the worst ever giro.Several factors play a role. DS´s control their riders b/c of all that computerized BS of nowadays. That leads to conservative racing. Give the race back to the riders, b/c in every sport coaches try the safe way (and fail). The "sport gods" favour the bold.

If you fire Zomegnan who did something different every year, and then hire a new man like this PR-guy trying to make a copy of the dull TdF´s, you get a "Baby-TdF". They should have asked "The Hog" who said it best today; "If you design a tour that's backend, (the riders) thinking about tomorrow today."

Fignon had already enough before he was gone. He (rightfully) complained before his death that the tours get shorter and shorter, thus preventing natural separation. That leads to obscure trains going into the last mountain, preventing any riding "man against man". BTW, other than pleasing mainstream journalists, that shortening leads to nothing. Clinic issues were never higher than in the time when the GT´s got "easier".

To be realistic, they´ll never go back to 4000-km tours, but the organizers at least could get rid of their "we want the tours close until the last stage" BS. They seem to forget that this means 19 or 20 boring stages.

Cycling can get rid of all that supportive stuff (powermeters during race, race radio) that only helps the DS´s controlling the race.

 

[Dutchsmurf]

Anyway, it´s the worst ever giro.

You really need to do some research before making that claim. There have been far worse. I actually quite like it. Sure there aren't riders flying up mountains, but I actually feel like I'm enjoying an endurance event for once. I see people suffer, I see a close GC. Sure it isn't 2010 Giro, but we will never see something like that again.

For tomorrow's stage, anyone expecting Basso to make a move will be disappointed. He just can't do it anymore. As usual with stages with a Hitch intro, the stage won't live up to the hype. It might be some kind of Hitch curse actually. There won't be many attacks, just lots of suffering all around. Some guys will drop half dead after the finish line and get flamed on this forum for not attacking. I actually predict the forum will be more exciting than the actual race.

 

[DominicDecoco]

If you fire Zomegnan who did something different every year, and then hire a new man like this PR-guy trying to make a copy of the dull TdF´s, you get a "Baby-TdF". They should have asked "The Hog" who said it best today; "If you design a tour that's backend, (the riders) thinking about tomorrow today."

Cycling can get rid of all that supportive stuff (powermeters during race, race radio) that only helps the DS´s controlling the race.

There's nothing wrong with the route. It's been a great mix of flat stages, hilly and mountainous terrain. The route has nothing to do with the rather unfortunate entertaining level we've seen this year.

I'd like to see how the races would evolve without the powermeters too, though. My guess would be even more conservative riding since the riders rely so much on their data.

 

[FoxxyBrown1111]

There have been far worse

Which one? ... If you come up with some obscure giro from 1960, i´ll give you that.

Anyway, if you are satisfied with that kind of GT, then good night, and good luck. The more people liking this BS, then they´ll (the oraganizers) never change their PR-route-designs.

 

[CQmanager]

The tifosi scream and encourage, the rider can’t hear.

His brain is zoned out, the finish is near

Just a couple more metres, a push left to the top.

His heart wants to reach it, his legs want to stop.

Every pedal a struggle, every meter a fight.

The leaders he followed, now long out of sight.

The rider knows now, as he suspected before

it’s the hardest stage ever, in any grand tour.



But the realization, that wont be good for morale

Is that he’s just crossing over, the Passo del Tonale.

Twenty k down, 200 to go.

3000m climbing, before the Passo Stelvio.

Four difficult hills, and the Mortirolo as well

Ladies and gentlemen,

welcome

to

hell.

You are the B.E.S.T! Thanks for the awesome intro!

 

[FoxxyBrown1111]

My guess would be even more conservative riding since the riders rely so much on their data.

I see it the exact opposite side. Let the players play, and the fun is maximum. It´s in every sport like this. I just could imagine Fignon racing in 2014 saying to Guimard: "Now, since i got rid of all that computer stuff, i just go by feeling. You see i got rewarded with a TdF-Win. I just know my body better than all the docs, scientists and numbers on your screen".

Anyway, they should at least give it a try, and discuss after.

 

[xmoonx]

Which one? ... If you come up with some obscure giro from 1960, i´ll give you that.

Try the 2011 Giro which was decided from stage 9 onwards. The only race was for second place. AC had and kept the pink from then on and so solid was his lead 5':18", he soft pedaled up Sestiere so as to conserve energy for the final stage TT. He COULD have won it by more time to.

2 Michele Scarponi (ITA) Lampre-ISD + 6' 10"
3 Vincenzo Nibali (ITA) Liquigas-Cannondale + 6' 56"
4 John Gadret (FRA) Ag2r-La Mondiale + 10' 04"
5 Joaquim Rodríguez (ESP) Team Katusha + 11' 05"
6 Roman Kreuziger (CZE) Astana + 11' 28"
7 José Rujano (VEN) Androni Giocattoli + 12' 12"
8 Denis Menchov (RUS) Geox-TMC + 12' 18"
9 Steven Kruijswijk (NED) Rabobank + 13' 51"
10 Kanstantsin Sivtsov (BLR) HTC-Highroad + 14' 10"

 

[FoxxyBrown1111]

If you look for the racing for No.-1-overall-race only, i guess you could throw all GT´s pre 2007 in the dust bin.
How about this GT? Must have been the most boring ever: 1st Maurice Garin 94:33:14 hrs, 2nd Lucien Pothier + 2:59:31 hrs.

Anyway, 2011 was great. Not the greatest, no, but some epic stages i mentioned earlier today...

P.S.: If you want some real tight races, try some 100 m dashes, there you have differences of split seconds.

 

[Tigerion]

Where does Rodriguez need to finish to take the points jersey?

I believe he needs 14 points so a top 4 finish should see him take the red.
Not sure if there a intermediate sprint points on the stage which could affect things.

 

[cineteq]

I believe he needs 14 points so a top 4 finish should see him take the red.
Not sure if there a intermediate sprint points on the stage which could affect things.

He wants Rosa or nothing

 

[Don Johnson]

There's nothing wrong with the route. It's been a great mix of flat stages, hilly and mountainous terrain. The route has nothing to do with the rather unfortunate entertaining level we've seen this year.

I'd like to see how the races would evolve without the powermeters too, though. My guess would be even more conservative riding since the riders rely so much on their data.

I have an issue with punishing courses.

I love the GIRO, but as it is hard, and the riders, most likely clean, a race of attrition, suffering and pain,
Would I like to see Jesus suffer, heck no.
Make the course easier.

These riders look sick, in this years GIRO, why not make the race competitive,for more than a few specialists. The riders are underpaid, also.

 

[Tigerion]

He wants Rosa or nothing

Rosa is red right?

The affect that I was thining about was more if there is an early intermediate sprint will sky try and prevent/pull back a breakaway to see if cav can pickup a few points today.
Looking at the profile I think it would be too hard to early for that.

 

[Big Doopie]

How you know it´s clean?

we don't.

but the way the riders rode those last kilos looked as clean as it has been since the 80s.

those who want a return to epo/blood fueled robo climbing don't know what exciting is.

what is happening is twofold:

1. cleaner performances
2. there is less difference between the top riders than in the 80s -- more riders are competitive, well-trained, equal in talent at the top of the profession -- a normal progression after more than 20 years

i think it's interesting that ryder mentions how he tends to get better in the third week. during the epo/blood bag heydays that didn't matter, because anyone and everyone could get refills and the true test of a 3 week tour was basically nullified.

 

[gregrowlerson]

Terrific work again Hitchy. Rather inspirational wordplay.

Perhaps this Giro has been a little dull, but Liquigas are doing all they can, and many of the contenders just seem very even on the climbs. There is very little point in trying an attack 40kms out on a penultimate climb, and perhaps by the time of getting to the foot of the final climb the climbers are pretty much cooked anyway. Stage 17 and 19 had plenty of climbing so it pretty much just became a race of attrition. Cleaner racing could be having its effects too. Hopefully we see the Mortirolo raced harded tonight, and by 15kms left of the Stelvio there are less than ten riders surviving; then by stages end we have gaps of minutes not seconds.

I am a critic of backended GT's, but this is not much different to last year. Etna wasn't exactly the toughest of stages, it's just that it had AC in it.

 

[Don Johnson]

The GIRO was won Friday, Saturday will be a funeral march for the survivors, congrats hejerdal,won fair and square.

 

[wirral]

Cav to go in the break?

 

[meat puppet]

The cruelest joke, from any perspective and from all of them, would be JRod ending up with the Rosso. That would serve Cav, or any sprinter for that matter, right. It's all good that once in a while a sprinter does not win the points jersey. Keeps them alert, awake.

Hope it turns out this way.

On paper, the Mortirolo climb should be the decisive point here. There is, as many have noted, no reason for Basso to hold back. For others like Pozzo and Scarponi, maybe they think there is. JRod's best weapon of choice is, in fact, the more than despised attack from 2-1,5k out.

I'm not holding my breath for early attacks though.

Many scenarios discussed on the stage threads re what should the heads of state do have been predicated upon Hesjedal being up there by the grace of miss Fortuna when, to give it a Machiavellian twist of terms just for the hell of it, he has been one of the most Virtuous ie capable riders thus far. According to old Niccolo, you need both.

Luck in this context is mainly the ability to control circumstances as much as possible, and Garmin has been good enough. On the mountains, Hesjedal's been really good. Maybe the strongest, even. Most importantly: his form relative to the others has been on the increase, or his fatigue ha not accumulated as fast, just as he himself predicted.

Yesterday Hesjedal responded to three rather vicious attacks (dont ask hrotha) by Scarponi, and then went himself. I was quite astonished, because he is a diesel climber after all.

As for winning the race, there still lost of things up in the air, but he appears confident and calm. The moment he dropped Scarponi he clearly calculated; looked back many times to see what's the score. So it was not love at first sight with the opportune moment and an impulsive response to it, but he actually took the trouble to look again, so to speak, to be sure and only then went for it. This, to me, was a signal that he still had both a physical and mental reserve, and was not forced to go too deeply into the red.

The riders' body languages at the finish confirmed this. The others were considerably more cooked, save for Rodriguez perhaps. But even he did not have the legs to go with Scarponi and Ryder - from that distance. Had the other two left it to 1k to go, the battle would have been fought on Rodriguez's anaerobic territory. As we know, old Niccolo does not approve of that if you want to win.

It's about racing so that you can pick fights you can actually win. That might be conservative and boring, but it's about winning, not entertaining.

Still, I consider it a real possibility that Ryder might crack today. In fact, anyone might as well. It's bittersweet if that happens, but that's racing and life.

Nonethelss, I expect and truly want him to win the GC.

 

[maxmartin]

I think Thomas will have a go here, Stelvio is his altitude training ground
if he can put 1 to 2 min into others, he might even have a shot into top5.

 

[Caruut]

The cruelest joke, from any perspective and from all of them, would be JRod ending up with the Rosso. That would serve Cav, or any sprinter for that matter, right. It's all good that once in a while a sprinter does not win the points jersey. Keeps them alert, awake.

Hope it turns out this way.

Once in a while has been for the past 3 years - Scarponi (from Bert), Cadel and Menchov (from Di Luca). You have to go back to 2008 for the last sprinter to win, with Daniele Bennati.

 

[Pippo_San]

It's curious how everyone is starting to say that the dullest Giro since at least 2009 (curiously Cav won 3 stages also that year!) is a result of no blood doping or EPO or whatever.

To think that only a couple of months ago we were *joking* about Ibarguen's magic touch and the wonders of OPQS...

 

[Trofinios]

If just Basso could descend! Now he might think it is pointless to attack on Mortirolo becasue he know that he will probably get caught before Stelvio starts. Still, I hope Basso and his Liquigas team take some real chances today. Basso should only care about winning so why not put it all on the line on Mortirolo and just see what happens. Even if he gets caught on the descent, he still might have done good damage and could get away again on Stelvio.