[Other Sport] Cycling geeks

[Pantani]

We're on the third page! Has something happened to that football team

Well, that was one huge crash. Hope Caruso and anyone else who went down is OK. Evans took full advantage, though I can see the peloton exacting some revenge on him if anything happens to him. Racing incident or not, other riders are gonna be angry. Especially Purito who looked like he is out judging by the way he was riding last shot we saw of him.

1,3 and 9 for me from what we know.

 

[Stat Brother]

Purito certainly didn't look like he'll be getting revenge any time soon.
The constant images of an immobile Caruso were getting a little distressing, it was bizarrely an odd relief to see the close up of his face properly grimacing. I was beginning to fear the worse.

There certainly seemed to be a hell of a lot of skin and lycra left on the road, but after a quiet day they were races.
Although I'm not buying Kelly saying 'well Evans won't know how bad the crash was'.
He'd know, he would have heard it, and his DS would have referenced it when he was told to ride his arse off.

 

[Pantani]

Numbers in now, time lost:

00:49 Hesjedal, Quintana, Ulissi, Pozzovivo, Uran, Moreno, Majka, Basso. Not too bad for those guys.
01:37 Scarponi, Cataldo
1:57 Niemiec
07:43 Rodriguez
15:08 Roche
18:03 Arredondo
Last Place, Ben Swift 25:58

Gonna be a whole load of extra abandons on top of the five we have already.

 

[Indurain's Lungs]

Although I'm not buying Kelly saying 'well Evans won't know how bad the crash was'.
He'd know, he would have heard it, and his DS would have referenced it when he was told to ride his arse off.

Cheating gargoyle *******!

Seem to remember he got a go-slow in the tour as well. Quintana less than 2 minutes down so hope he rips him a new one on the zoncolan!

 

[Stat Brother]

Cheating gargoyle *******!

Seem to remember he got a go-slow in the tour as well. Quintana less than 2 minutes down so hope he rips him a new one on the zoncolan!

I can't see hope coming into it, Quintana WILL rip him a new one, as will 3 or 4 other riders.

But wasn't Evans' go-slow after someone threw a load of tacks on the road, and he got a double puncture.
If it is then it's not really the same as a racing incident, while racing.
(If it isn't, then as you were)

 

[Stat Brother]

Numbers in now, time lost:

00:49 Hesjedal, Quintana, Ulissi, Pozzovivo, Uran, Moreno, Majka, Basso. Not too bad for those guys.
01:37 Scarponi, Cataldo
1:57 Niemiec
07:43 Rodriguez
15:08 Roche
18:03 Arredondo
Last Place, Ben Swift 25:58

Gonna be a whole load of extra abandons on top of the five we have already.

Garmin would seem to have finally got some good luck.

Taking NSC's finest Ulissi and Basso out of the equation there's still 4 and a half riders in that group who can and will put Evans to the sword.

 

[Indurain's Lungs]

But wasn't Evans' go-slow after someone threw a load of tacks on the road, and he got a double puncture.
If it is then it's not really the same as a racing incident, while racing.
(If it isn't, then as you were)

It was but can't let that get in the way of some good Evans-bashing!

Impressed by Matthews - I remember seeing him win the u23 world's in Melbourne a few years ago. He was only 20 but he won the sprint by about 3 bike lengths. Said to my wife then that he was going to be some rider.

 

[1066familyman]

Numbers in now, time lost:

00:49 Hesjedal, Quintana, Ulissi, Pozzovivo, Uran, Moreno, Majka, Basso. Not too bad for those guys.
01:37 Scarponi, Cataldo
1:57 Niemiec
07:43 Rodriguez
15:08 Roche
18:03 Arredondo
Last Place, Ben Swift 25:58

Gonna be a whole load of extra abandons on top of the five we have already.

Blimey!, that was horrible today. Blown things all over the place just because of crashes. Very sad to see. I'm also shocked to see how badly Arredondo has come out of this. I saw Purito struggling but I mistakenly thought Arredondo was in the front group. Real shame as he's lit up the scene in his first WT team this season and had already been lively in this Giro. May possibly have struggled a bit come week three but certainly would have animated the race along the way. Terrible day all round.

Garmin would seem to have finally got some good luck.

Taking NSC's finest Ulissi and Basso out of the equation there's still 4 and a half riders in that group who can and will put Evans to the sword.

I agree, certainly enough escaped the troubles today to mean any time Evans took today will have been very much needed by him. I'm also with you in that I think he was always going to race in that situation as it was in his game plan anyway, knowing he has to take as much time as possible in these sort of stages.

As you mention Basso. I've been keeping watch on his times and note that that's two days on the trot now that he's come in as last man in the GC front group. Smart riding from the veteran or just hanging on by the skin of his teeth even at these very early stages? Can he diesel his way to a podium spot I wonder? I highly doubt it, but a Top 5 wouldn't surprise perhaps?, given that Purito has sadly freed up one spot already.

 

[Stat Brother]

Tour of Cal starting soon, down The Pacific Coast Highway.
It should look pretty spectacular.

 

[Motogull]

We're on the third page! Has something happened to that football team

I know. A bit of an insight into what it must be to be a Spurs fan at times.

Is Sagan taking a bit of a breather at the mo? Doesn't seem to be taking control of races like he has done.

 

[Indurain's Lungs]

I know. A bit of an insight into what it must be to be a Spurs fan at times.

Is Sagan taking a bit of a breather at the mo? Doesn't seem to be taking control of races like he has done.

Suffering a bit from being a jack of all trades at the moment. He's not got enough pure speed to beat top sprinters, not quite strong enough to win the classics and not quite a top climber plus no one will work with him in a break because he can do all of the above better than them!

 

[1066familyman]

It's a shame we don't now have a couple of sprint stages rather than just one before the mountains start, as it seems Evans was the only GC contender not to be involved in a crash today. I'm particularly worried about Majka's condition and ability to recover as apparently he went down really heavy.

Purito is confirmed as a DNS for tomorrow, but from Katusha's nightmare poor Vicioso has come off the worse: http://www1.skysports.com/cycling/n...ffering-three-fractures-in-crash-on-stage-six

 

[Pantani]

Blimey!, that was horrible today. Blown things all over the place just because of crashes. Very sad to see. I'm also shocked to see how badly Arredondo has come out of this. I saw Purito struggling but I mistakenly thought Arredondo was in the front group. Real shame as he's lit up the scene in his first WT team this season and had already been lively in this Giro. May possibly have struggled a bit come week three but certainly would have animated the race along the way. Terrible day all round.

It is a shame about those two, they are the two most likely to animate the race from the chasing pack. Though, with everyone losing time it should see the two summit finishes over the weekend being a bit livelier than they would otherwise have been.

I agree, certainly enough escaped the troubles today to mean any time Evans took today will have been very much needed by him. I'm also with you in that I think he was always going to race in that situation as it was in his game plan anyway, knowing he has to take as much time as possible in these sort of stages.

Evans did the correct thing for his strategy, of that there is no doubt, he just will not get any help chasing back on when he has a problem. Still Cadel will do OK until the final week, then he will blow spectacularly on one of the big days in the mountains, imo. He is riding very well at this point though.

As you mention Basso. I've been keeping watch on his times and note that that's two days on the trot now that he's come in as last man in the GC front group. Smart riding from the veteran or just hanging on by the skin of his teeth even at these very early stages? Can he diesel his way to a podium spot I wonder? I highly doubt it, but a Top 5 wouldn't surprise perhaps?, given that Purito has sadly freed up one spot already.

If Cadel is going to blow up at some point in the final week Basso will blow up at some point in the two summit finishes this week. He has repeatedly done this for the last few years, strangely he isn't the rider he once was

 

[1066familyman]

I'm not entirely convinced Evans will blow spectacularly in the final week. He will lose time to Quintana and Uran almost certainly, probably Pozzovivo too, and possibly Majka and Scarponi as well (both heavy fall victims today apparently). However, it seems to me we've been here before with a predicted Evans meltdown that never quite materialises.

 

[Pantani]

It's a shame we don't now have a couple of sprint stages rather than just one before the mountains start, as it seems Evans was the only GC contender not to be involved in a crash today. I'm particularly worried about Majka's condition and ability to recover as apparently he went down really heavy.

Purito is confirmed as a DNS for tomorrow, but from Katusha's nightmare poor Vicioso has come off the worse: http://www1.skysports.com/cycling/n...ffering-three-fractures-in-crash-on-stage-six

Sounds like Majka will be OK http://www.tinkoffsaxo.com/news/crash-report-6th-stage/

 

[Indurain's Lungs]

I'm not entirely convinced Evans will blow spectacularly in the final week. He will lose time to Quintana and Uran almost certainly, probably Pozzovivo too, and possibly Majka and Scarponi as well (both heavy fall victims today apparently). However, it seems to me we've been here before with a predicted Evans meltdown that never quite materialises.

It's materialised quite a few times!

Suppose last year he plodded through as others fell by the wayside!

 

[Stat Brother]

I'm not entirely convinced Evans will blow spectacularly in the final week. He will lose time to Quintana and Uran almost certainly, probably Pozzovivo too, and possibly Majka and Scarponi as well (both heavy fall victims today apparently). However, it seems to me we've been here before with a predicted Evans meltdown that never quite materialises.

I might be rewriting history here, but I'm not convinced we've collectively predicted an Evans meltdown.
What you describe would seem to be standard fair for an Evans Grand Tour challenge.

Get as much and he can, as early as he can, then try and hold on.

Invariably there's always been someone, climbier, druggier, or youngerer that pips the diesel.
I guess, in the past, that then may induced a meltdown, but as it stands it would appear we are heading for textbook Cadel.

 

[1066familyman]

Sounds like Majka will be OK http://www.tinkoffsaxo.com/news/crash-report-6th-stage/

Thanks for the link.

With the GC that's left now (from a relatively weak one to start with) and currently sat in 4th, he'll be looking to sneak onto that podium hopefully so plenty of motivation to carry on and recover well.

I'll go out on a limb already and say that, barring more crashes, I can see a podium of Quintana, Uran and then any one of Evans, Pozzovivo and Majka for that 3rd spot. Scarponi 4th. I had decent e/w odds riding on both Pozzovivo and Majka from the start.

 

[Pantani]

I'm not entirely convinced Evans will blow spectacularly in the final week. He will lose time to Quintana and Uran almost certainly, probably Pozzovivo too, and possibly Majka and Scarponi as well (both heavy fall victims today apparently). However, it seems to me we've been here before with a predicted Evans meltdown that never quite materialises.

Three years ago...

One year ago we were predicting it and he did. 1:30 back on Nibali and 1:20 up on Uran before the Mountain time trial.

He lost 2:36 to Nibali and 1:10 to Uran at the time trial.

Next stage was cancelled, then on the final mountain stage he lost 1:30 to Nibali and 1:11 to Uran. Ending up in 3rd, 5:52 down on Nibali and 1:09 down on Uran.

If not quite blowing up he certainly blew his second place and could have blown his podium spot too. I think this will happen again.

I'm fancying a punt on a podium spot for one of the lesser lights. Maybe Majka, or Pozzovivo

 

[Pantani]

I'll go out on a limb already and say that, barring more crashes, I can see a podium of Quintana, Uran and then any one of Evans, Pozzovivo and Majka for that 3rd spot. Scarponi 4th. I had decent e/w odds riding on both Pozzovivo and Majka from the start.

Well done, beat me too it, I was too busy last week to have a proper look at putting any bets on. Scarponi just keeps going doesn't he? He has come 4th in the Giro three times already!