Stage 15 *spoiler*
Comments
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It'll happen <s>in the next half hour</s> once they're on the Giau.
They're there now!
I can't believe the speed they just rode up the initial 15% ramp - I groveled up that in the Maratona last year...
<font color="black">london</font id="black"><font color="red">phoenix</font id="red"><font color="black">.co.uk</font id="black"><s></s>0 -
What I would dearly love to know is how DiLuca managed that burst?
any ideas?
Jocksyboy0 -
That was quite amazing. The final climb was a monster.
Di Luca looks fairly unbeatable. Unless Astana manage to work him over again on Tuesday. Gibo doesn't look convincing.0 -
couple of beers and some whisky? The night before, I mean (edit)0
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I found that stage very depressing. I'm pretty cynical, but usually don't care when I'm watching the racing. But today I just got annoyed. Eddy Mazzoleni? Is he having a laugh? Almost as ridiculous as the Buffalo.0
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I reckon Elisa offered Eddy a special treat if he rode a good race.0
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I find DiLuca depressing I'm afraid.
Brings out all the cynicism in me
<font size="5"><b><font color="blue">|</font id="blue"><font color="red">|</font id="red"><font color="black">|</font id="black"><font color="yellow">|</font id="yellow"><font color="green">|</font id="green"></b></font id="size5">0 -
This all poses the question, who is a valid GC rider these days? Do we have any idea what so ever?
Anyway, according to the interweb
Mazzoleni : 70kg, 1.82m
Schleck : 67kg, 1.87m
Vino is shorter and weighs 74kg. Ullrich used to be 73 when leanish.0 -
One of the big differences between "climbers" and "non-climbers" is not necessarily their size or weight (many of the bigger riders have the same power to weight ratio as the pure climbers) but the ability to cope with repeated changes in pace. One of the keys to Armstrongs tour results was that his team kept the pace so high on the early slopes that the pure climbers couldn't keep altering the pace.
The key to Mazzoleni's ride today was probably the fact that he was on his own and could dictate his own constant pace. If he had been with either the Piepoli or Di Luca group, the frequent attacks on the Tre Cime would probably have had him out the back.
<font size="1">"Hincapie's Disco pants are the best,
They go from his arse to his chest,
They're better than 'Sandro Ballans.
Hincapie's Disco pants"</font id="size1">'This week I 'ave been mostly been climbing like Basso - Shirley Basso.'0 -
Good ride by Ricco and Piepoli, Saunier Duval are turning out to be a very strong team!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Ride Daily, Keep Healthy
Ride Daily, Keep Healthy0 -
Di Luca spent a lot of holidays in Mexico. Its obviously helping now. Does anyone know whether any of the current tests by the UCI / WADA can detect transfusions of their own blood or HGH injections?!0
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<blockquote id="quote"><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"><i>Originally posted by sylvanus</i>
Di Luca spent a lot of holidays in Mexico. Its obviously helping now. Does anyone know whether any of the current tests by the UCI / WADA can detect transfusions of their own blood or HGH injections?!
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AFAIK, they can't. In order to fail a test you either have some bad luck or are an idiot.0 -
We had this discussion before about Fast Eddy.
If he was 23/24 and had just burst on the scene or had show gradual progression, you'd be more inclined to believe that he had a brilliant power to weight ratio, V02 Max or whatever else makes these boys fly. BUT he's never been more than a super-domestique, is in his early thirties and rides for a highly dubious team.
And for what its worth, I have never believed Vino was playing fair.
TdG0 -
And for what its worth, I have never believed Vino was playing fair.
TdG
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Sadly, I have to agree with you Timoid[V][:
Is it me or has Mayo been something of a real disappointment? Or is he just saving form for his top 30 place in the TDF?
[;)]
(]0 -
<blockquote id="quote"><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"><i>Originally posted by iainf72</i>
That was quite amazing. The final climb was a monster.
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote"></font id="quote">I've ridden it and can confirm that it is a monster! I had to go up to the Refugio Arronzo so went 100 metres more than the riders yesterday. Wimps. [;)]
It's comedy steep - I was wearing a cap on that I wanted to remove as I was getting too hot but I wasn't confident of taking my hands off the handlebars and maintaining my balance.
The finish on Wednesday is even steeper though! [:0]0 -
<blockquote id="quote"><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"><i>Originally posted by andyp</i>
It's comedy steep - I was wearing a cap on that I wanted to remove as I was getting too hot but I wasn't confident of taking my hands off the handlebars and maintaining my balance.
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What a great stage that was. I've been lucky enough to have ridden those climbs and there something about seeing the pro's riding a road you've suffered on yourself. I really like the Passo Giau. Wonderful rock faces at the top.
Rode the Tre Cime di Laveredo one May a few years ago. Cafe owner at the Lago di Misurina wouldn't let us leave our panniers there, so we slogged up it fully laden. An absolute b***d of a climb. Unrelenting.
Still had snow on the road near the top.
Had to put the balaclava on for the descent. It was baltic up there.
I'd love to go up there on a clear sunny day. The views must be magnificent.
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