Tirreno-Adriatico 2025, March 10-16

[Brullnux]

Plenty of rules. Fair play rules, no pre arranged deals and one that says you need to defend your OWN chances. Collusion is strictly forbidden. But it obviously can't be proven and you can always spin it like Ganna is defending his own chances in the end, even when we all know he's just there to help out his friend.

I think in the past 1 time the UCI actually punished for someone blatantly helping someone from another team, but it's a long time ago, and it was just some random time penalty that didn't matter anyways.

It was Richie Porte and Simon Clarke iirc

 

[Samamba]

Indeed, you are right (I'll cite the rule seeing that you declined to)


But proving it would be a thing:
Milan: "I'm a sprinter, I was interested in the points at the intermediate"
Ganna: "It's a race, surely if I can be near the front that is to be expected of me"

I didn't decline to I just didn't look it up.
Also, the fact that it's hard to prove doesn't mean we need to applaud pretty obvious collusion cause it's some nice guys doing it. I am not here screaming for the UCI to punish them lmao, but making it a normal thing would be wrong and dangerous.

 

[Armchair Cyclist]

It was Richie Porte and Simon Clarke iirc

That was less deniable: a wheel swap. Two minute penalty and CHF200 fine to each of them (not sure what the maximum was in the rules at that time)
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/cycling/32805095

 

[Samamba]

That was less deniable: a wheel swap. Two minute penalty and CHF200 fine to each of them (not sure what the maximum was in the rules at that time)
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/cycling/32805095

Not the one I ment then. It was someone pulling a whole climb for a friend, and even pushing him lmao. But it's a long time ago.

 

[Unchained]

Fairly nasty crash in the sprint, surprisingly not many riders stayed down.. Jamming into a gas station, riders at 60+ k on the sidewalk!! Maybe new issue for UCI is having corners wide enough, clearly marked that the best riders on the planet are not going off to improve the last few kilometers before the finish!!!

 

[Netserk]

I didn't decline to I just didn't look it up.
Also, the fact that it's hard to prove doesn't mean we need to applaud pretty obvious collusion cause it's some nice guys doing it. I am not here screaming for the UCI to punish them lmao, but making it a normal thing would be wrong and dangerous.

I don't think mutually beneficial collaboration counts as collusion.

 

[tobydawq]

Weird that Bennett didn't win in San Bennettetto del Tronto.

 

[Samamba]

I don't think mutually beneficial collaboration counts as collusion.

So we're believing they did not talk about it? Ganna would not have done what he did in the last kilometers if it wasn't for Milan being a friend. At this point UAE can just ask Alpecin to ride for them on the flat in mountain stages and they can give them 2 guys extra in flat stages. That's also "mutually beneficial". You can always spin something into being mutually beneficial. It's not like they don't know there are operating in a grey zone. There's a reason why Milan avoided questions about if afterwards.

But like I said, I don't care about instances like this, but it's a bit of slippery slope that could turn into very bad and unfair things.

 

[Netserk]

And that's good! Cycling is a social sport.

 

[Heston]

So we're believing they did not talk about it? Ganna would not have done what he did in the last kilometers if it wasn't for Milan being a friend. At this point UAE can just ask Alpecin to ride for them on the flat in mountain stages and they can give them 2 guys extra in flat stages. That's also "mutually beneficial". You can always spin something into being mutually beneficial. It's not like they don't know there are operating in a grey zone. There's a reason why Milan avoided questions about if afterwards.

But like I said, I don't care about instances like this, but it's a bit of slippery slope that could turn into very bad and unfair things.

But cycling is also a sport where you naturally ride with opponents in your wheel, technically helping opponents every time you take a pull. So the burden of proof is very difficult and muddy.

With Porte getting a wheel there is no doubt. But the stuff today I don't think they can really punish riders for.

 

[Lequack]

A bit of a non stage for the end, but great win by Milan, confirming he's the best sprinter. And Ayuso basically won GC yesterday on the one climb and that was that.

 

[Mayomaniac]

Overall the shorter, but still decently steep MTF led to more active racing on the other stages. Now of course the hilly stage that was right before the MTF should be replaced by a proper Murito stage (even better if it's the day after the MTF) but the overall design of the route (opening ITT, hilly stages, one really long MSR training stage and something like stage 4 that gave both attackers and sprinters a chance) is imo good.

 

[Zoetemelk-fan]

A bit of a non stage for the end, but great win by Milan, confirming he's the best sprinter. And Ayuso basically won GC yesterday on the one climb and that was that.

I'm really looking forward to having time in a few weeks to watch all the stages from this wonderful bike race. Beautiful pictures, thanks!

 

[Netserk]

Overall the shorter, but still decently steep MTF led to more active racing on the other stages. Now of course the hilly stage that was right before the MTF should be replaced by a proper Murito stage (even better if it's the day after the MTF) but the overall design of the route (opening ITT, hilly stages, one really long MSR training stage and something like stage 4 that gave both attackers and sprinters a chance) is imo good.

The route has been worse since it was moved to Mon-Sun. And even only comparing this year against those editions, it was still quite poor. Only 2023 didn't have the MTF as the last GC stage, but while it had the best hilly stage, the strong headwind the day before made the GC situation bad for Osimo. Because of San Giacomo last year, I'd even say this was the worst route. Had they done the original stages though, I think it'd have been on par with the other recent ones.

I'd much rather have the opening sprint and final ITT like in 2021 than the other way around as it has been since then.

 

[Red Rick]

Overall the shorter, but still decently steep MTF led to more active racing on the other stages. Now of course the hilly stage that was right before the MTF should be replaced by a proper Murito stage (even better if it's the day after the MTF) but the overall design of the route (opening ITT, hilly stages, one really long MSR training stage and something like stage 4 that gave both attackers and sprinters a chance) is imo good.

This MTF would be great for a 1st Giro week too, though maybe everyone is too passive at that point. Alternatively it's fun as mid 3rd week unipuerto

 

[Potomac]

Before the race I thought for sure Gee was going to podium