What do you think should be done about stage 16?

[damian13ster]

Sorry in Cycling 2 + 2 ≠ 4. On stage 16 Aru wasn't in contention. He would haved just followed the pink jersey group, had they been together at the base of the last climb.

Yeah, isnt that the point most people are trying to make? If all contenders were together at the bottom of the climb then they would follow each other and gaps would be minimal? (I think so far the highest gap among GC riders was achieved by Aru on stage 15 if I remember correctly and it wasnt very big by any means)

 

[icefire]

Yeah, isnt that the point most people are trying to make? If all contenders were together at the bottom of the climb then they would follow each other and gaps would be minimal? (I think so far the highest gap among GC riders was achieved by Aru on stage 15 if I remember correctly and it wasnt very big by any means)

Check again the gap Quintana and Hesjedal made on Rolland.

 

[damian13ster]

Check again the gap Quintana and Hesjedal made on Rolland.

I meant the best GC rider on a stage vs 2nd best GC rider on a stage......
Otherwise I would mention Evans cracking yesterday. Also, whatever happens I will still refuse to consider that Stage 16 as legit so I dont use arguments from it in any discussion

 

[rhubroma]

It cracks me up to see how some people just don't get it.

A) The riders didn't "choose" not to race, but were told by their teams that the descent had been neutralized, to put on something warm and proceed together with caution. Only some chose to slip away. I don't believe Nairo and DS were unaware of what the others were doing (though this is just my opinion), but I'm certain that the others were ignorant of what Nairo and company were up to until it was too late. At any rate Nairo gained an advantage he was able to capitalize further on, only because his rivals weren't racing at a critical moment. For the Colombian's (or any athlete's) own pride this was not fortuitous, since any victory should be morally accompanied by direct and even confrontation throughout.

B) The lack of collaboration behind was due to the economy of the course and anarchy that the organizion had thus created at that point.

C) if the race had not been interefered with by the organization, there is no way that Nairo gains the time he did on his direct rivals. Had they all started together at the base of the final ascent, as would have almost certainly been the case, tomorrow's stage would have seen Quintana, Uran and Aru all within seconds, instead of the race for second place we actually have.

Thus Quintana's victory in this Giro will always be left with a "what if" in regards to stage 16, which is a shame both for himself and the Giro.

 

[kingjr]

I don't believe Nairo and DS were unaware of what the others were doing (though this is just my opinion),

May I ask what this opinion is based on?

 

[rhubroma]

May I ask what this opinion is based on?

Certainly. The fact that every team vehicle recieved the same message. So either one is stupid or one is sly. Eusebio Unzue's reputation for being rather unscrupulous and Nairo's way of racing on that stage with Pozzovivo only reinforces my feelings toward the latter.

But none of this changes the rest of my analysis.

 

[cineteq]

if the race had not been interefered with by the organization, there is no way that Nairo gains the time he did on his direct rivals. Had they all started together at the base of the final ascent, as would have almost certainly been the case, tomorrow's stage would have seen Quintana, Uran and Aru all within seconds, instead of the race for second place we actually have.

Thus Quintana's victory in this Giro will always be left with a "what if" in regards to stage 16, which is a shame both for himself and the Giro.

There your go, you contradict yoursel. IT'S THE ORGANIZERS FAULT! Not Quitana's fault. Thank you.

 

[BigMac]

There your go, you contradict yoursel. IT'S THE ORGANIZERS FAULT! Not Quitana's fault. Thank you.

No, I do not think he contradicts himself. Rhub also mentions he thinks Nairo was aware of what was going on, thus it is his fault also.

 

[rhubroma]

There your go, you contradict yoursel. IT'S THE ORGANIZERS FAULT! Not Quitana's fault. Thank you.

Grow a brain. Where do I say one at the exclusion of the other? You just don't like the implications. Personally, I think both. Although even if Nairo wasn't "at fault," that still doesn't make any less significant the fact that his triumphant ride into pink on the stage was morally dubious.

 

[kingjr]

Certainly. The fact that every team vehicle recieved the same message. So either one is stupid or one is sly. Eusebio Unzue's reputation for being rather unscrupulous and Nairo's way of racing on that stage with Pozzovivo only reinforces my feelings toward the latter.

But none of this changes the rest of my analysis.

Last year at the first stage of the Tour de France we had a situation where the finishing line was occupied by a team bus. So the finish was supposed to be at the 3k mark. Some got the message, others didn't, including the later winner of that stage. Would you say these two situations are comparable, and would you think it's possible that a similar thing happened here at the Giro?

 

[cineteq]

Grow a brain. Where do I say one at the exclusion of the other? You just don't like the implications. Personally, I think both. Although even if Nairo wasn't "at fault," that still doesn't make any less significant the fact that his triumphant ride into pink on the stage was morally dubious.

I can't grow a brain, because I don't have one.
Seriuously, I voted for number 2. I sort of agree with your last thought.

 

[rhubroma]

I can't grow a brain, because I don't have one.
Seriuously, I voted for number 2. I sort of agree with your last thought.

Ha, ha, and from your avatar it appears you have been straining your mind!

 

[rhubroma]

Last year at the first stage of the Tour de France we had a situation where the finishing line was occupied by a team bus. So the finish was supposed to be at the 3k mark. Some got the message, others didn't, including the later winner of that stage. Would you say these two situations are comparable, and would you think it's possible that a similar thing happened here at the Giro?

Why was that bus there, as you say? I don't recall what happened.

I say whenever a race is disrupted such that some riders are prevented from direct competition, or racing, then the result of the stage is negatively conditioned, if not falsified. A race needs to be an direct fight from start to finish. It obviously was not on stage 16.

Look if I were in Nairo's shoes, I'd be the first not to be pleased with how I got in pink, since under normal circumstances he gains a minute at most, which has completely change the economy of the race and the GC struggle between himself, Aru and Uran. The last two days demonstrate that he and Aru are basically even in strength on the climbs. I say this also for the pure exitement of the Giro, because it would have been a hell of a finish had the two been separated by just seconds going into Zoncolan.