[Other Sport] Cycling geeks

[Fignon's Ponytail]

Stage 19....will Quintana take off & actually stay away for once? Will the Shark attack?? Will Super Cool Tom continue to stay....super cool, and fend off all challenges in an Indurain-esque manner??

http://video.eurosport.co.uk/cyclin...stage-19-a-brutal-climb_vid977761/video.shtml

Should be another cracking stage - Its a hell of a climb to finish the days racing, but Im hoping Dumoulin holds on to pink the last few days.

 

[Fignon's Ponytail]

Another attack during a Dumoulin natural break?!
This time (according to ES live feed), Rojas was shadowing TD, & radioed his team mates to attack when TD dropped off & was taking a pee!
If true, I'm losing a lot of respect for Movistar & Quintana this month.

 

[Pantani]

Another attack during a Dumoulin natural break?!
This time (according to ES live feed), Rojas was shadowing TD, & radioed his team mates to attack when TD dropped off & was taking a pee!
If true, I'm losing a lot of respect for Movistar & Quintana this month.

He had just got back on according to the Sunweb DS. Not ideal but Dumoulin probably should have kept his mouth shut after yesterdays stage. Gloves are well and truly off in this giro now.

A great stage today. Dumoulin is in big trouble now I think, four riders within a minute of him, and the shadow 38 seconds ahead. So five riders and five teams all looking to distance him. Monte Grappa will be the moment and could be the end for Dumoulin.

So pleased for Mikel Landa finally getting his stage. Particularly enjoyed him acknowledging every Basque flag on the way to the line. I think he is my new favourite. Honourable mentions for Pinot because he was the only gc guy to have the balls to try anything (or the legs), and Jan Hirt to finish up there with this kind of company two days in a row is huge.

 

[Stat Brother]

Watching today makes me think TD is in the clear.
He was only really in trouble when the % got into double figures, which won't happen tomorrow.
Plus he's got a 15km run off at the end of tomorrows stage.

A troubling thought has occurred to me, this week, that being:-
'Assuming this is clean racing. I'm not sure I like it'.

For what has only been an 8 day race everyone appears to be riding pretty much at the same level.
If any rider could have backed up an initial attack with another, (best not ask for a third) then ridden to the finish, they'd have won this Giro by a country mile.
Something I anticipate Froome doing in July.

Those designing the routes need to move with the times and spice things up a little, or else the dark days will soon be back.


With TD in pink and Bob Jungles riding 'comfortably' in the top 10, G must be absolutely livid he's sat at home.

 

[Jeep]

I think I'm enjoying the giro despite a couple of frustrations.
-work keeps disrupting my viewing
- mountain wimps team are performing even worse than expected.

 

[1066familyman]

Watching today makes me think TD is in the clear.
He was only really in trouble when the % got into double figures, which won't happen tomorrow.
Plus he's got a 15km run off at the end of tomorrows stage.

A troubling thought has occurred to me, this week, that being:-
'Assuming this is clean racing. I'm not sure I like it'.

For what has only been an 8 day race everyone appears to be riding pretty much at the same level.
If any rider could have backed up an initial attack with another, (best not ask for a third) then ridden to the finish, they'd have won this Giro by a country mile.
Something I anticipate Froome doing in July.

Those designing the routes need to move with the times and spice things up a little, or else the dark days will soon be back.


With TD in pink and Bob Jungles riding 'comfortably' in the top 10, G must be absolutely livid he's sat at home.

Apparently the numbers show that Tom D actually lost more time on the easier gradients than on the steep ones today, which is surprising...or not. Attrition, come the top when it flattened out finally caught up with him, plus that's when most others were attacking each other ( granted, Pinot had already launched his attack much earlier).

Tomorrow then, that flat section into the finish might actually see him losing more time rather than clawing back any time lost on the way up. Grappa will be ridden hard to put the hurt on him and ditch all his team mates, again. His saving grace may be the descending skills (lack of) of Pinot and Zakarin, who both looked strong today, as possibly Nibs and Quintana will be away and with team mates up the road to join them for the valley and final climb. If it all comes together though and Tom D ends up cracking on that final climb then, as P said, there are five riders and five teams that could extend the gap even further on the final rolling 15km. The irony is they could kill off Tom D the TTer by TTTing him to death in that final rolling 15km.

It really is set up beautifully now I think, and at this stage I really wouldn't to call it.

 

[1066familyman]

He had just got back on according to the Sunweb DS. Not ideal but Dumoulin probably should have kept his mouth shut after yesterdays stage. Gloves are well and truly off in this giro now.

A great stage today. Dumoulin is in big trouble now I think, four riders within a minute of him, and the shadow 38 seconds ahead. So five riders and five teams all looking to distance him. Monte Grappa will be the moment and could be the end for Dumoulin.

So pleased for Mikel Landa finally getting his stage. Particularly enjoyed him acknowledging every Basque flag on the way to the line. I think he is my new favourite. Honourable mentions for Pinot because he was the only gc guy to have the balls to try anything (or the legs), and Jan Hirt to finish up there with this kind of company two days in a row is huge.

A mere 4 fantasy credits too

 

[Motogull]

He drove over it. You know what I'm talking about. Can't be arsed to give it chapter and verse.

 

[Pantani]

Apparently the numbers show that Tom D actually lost more time on the easier gradients than on the steep ones today, which is surprising...or not. Attrition, come the top when it flattened out finally caught up with him, plus that's when most others were attacking each other ( granted, Pinot had already launched his attack much earlier).

Tomorrow then, that flat section into the finish might actually see him losing more time rather than clawing back any time lost on the way up. Grappa will be ridden hard to put the hurt on him and ditch all his team mates, again. His saving grace may be the descending skills (lack of) of Pinot and Zakarin, who both looked strong today, as possibly Nibs and Quintana will be away and with team mates up the road to join them for the valley and final climb. If it all comes together though and Tom D ends up cracking on that final climb then, as P said, there are five riders and five teams that could extend the gap even further on the final rolling 15km. The irony is they could kill off Tom D the TTer by TTTing him to death in that final rolling 15km.

It really is set up beautifully now I think, and at this stage I really wouldn't to call it.

I think attrition is the right word. Dumoulin can climb once as well as anyone, but repeated efforts not so much. In some ways it is a relief to see him struggle towards the end of this Giro, seeing a guy that big keep up with tiny climbers like Quintana was a little suspicious.

Hoping that Movistar go at today in the Sky tried and tested mountain train method from the start. This stage needs to be super hard. Would also like to see Landa sit in the peloton and test himself Vs the GC boys today.

 

[1066familyman]

So Bob Jungels turned it into a TTT v TTT in the end and may prove crucial in securing this Giro for Tom D now. Not that Tom D hasn't done enough himself to deserve winning as he certainly has.

No Jungels there today there though and I think the gap might have been nearer 40 seconds to a minute, which would have set tomorrow up really nicely.

Great racing today again. Loved every minute of it!

 

[Pantani]

So Bob Jungels turned it into a TTT v TTT in the end and may prove crucial in securing this Giro for Tom D now. Not that Tom D hasn't done enough himself to deserve winning as he certainly has.

No Jungels there today there though and I think the gap might have been nearer 40 seconds to a minute, which would have set tomorrow up really nicely.

Great racing today again. Loved every minute of it!

It was proper wasn't it. Not sure it is quite over yet. Dumoulin has had to empty the tank three or four days in a row, he should make up the time but do not think by as much as we are all expecting. The Shadow could find himself 5th which would please me no end, he has ridden an appalling tactical Giro, and never worked properly with others when the opportunity has arisen. Normally I love tiny Colombian climbers but I just cannot warm to Quintana.

 

[Stat Brother]

It was proper wasn't it. Not sure it is quite over yet. Dumoulin has had to empty the tank three or four days in a row, he should make up the time but do not think by as much as we are all expecting. The Shadow could find himself 5th which would please me no end, he has ridden an appalling tactical Giro, and never worked properly with others when the opportunity has arisen. Normally I love tiny Colombian climbers but I just cannot warm to Quintana.

Damn straight, he did next to nothing today knowing he had it all to do.
It was so typical of NQ when he put a half wheel in front then instantly pulled wide and did the circular gesture.

It was nice to see Pinot win, Zakarin's a bit of an oddbod doing all the work, then not working to distance Dumoulin.

TBH I can't see anyone getting close to TD tomorrow.
These time trialer are just weird, he'll assume 'the' position and ride away with the race.

 

[1066familyman]

To be fair to Quintana, he's clearly not 100%. I think he's come into this a bit under cooked with the double in mind​. That's probably arrogance in itself though thinking he can win that way, but he's been found out.

I'll be very surprised if Tom D doesn't win this tomorrow, and I for one will be very happy for him if he does. He's deserved it.

 

[banjo]

Really enjoyed The Giro this year.

 

[Fignon's Ponytail]

Super, Super Tom
Super, Super Tom
Super, Super Tom
SUPER TOM DUMOULIN!!!

 

[Stat Brother]

Really enjoyed The Giro this year.

Forgive me but I think that should read:-

Really enjoyed the last week of the Giro, this year.

 

[1066familyman]

Super, Super Tom
Super, Super Tom
Super, Super Tom
SUPER TOM DUMOULIN!!!

Seconded!

Brilliant final week to this Giro and a very worthy winner

Really happy for him.

 

[banjo]

Forgive me but I think that should read:-

Really enjoyed the last week of the Giro, this year.

I stand corrected.

 

[TrickyOne]

What a great last week of the Giro this week!

 

[Fignon's Ponytail]

If anyone is after a new helmet for themselves, or a family member, I can thoroughly recommend the B'Twin 500 from Decathlon. Had seen it online for a while &, because the strap on my old Giro has almost torn right through, decided to pop up to the Crawley store the other day to check one out. For £17 you cannot beat it I reckon. Really comfortable, nicely ventilated, & comes in a range of colours. Its supposedly an MTB lid - but it doesn't look out of place on the road bike either tbh (minus the visor). As I do both disciplines its perfect....Brilliant value.