Giro stage 8 (spoiler)

afx237vi
afx237vi Posts: 12,630
edited May 2009 in Pro race
80 odd kilometres to go, this group is 3 minutes ahead:

Dario Cataldo (Quick Step), Johann Tschopp (Bbox Bouygues Telecom), Evgeni Petrov (Katusha), Giovanni Visconti (ISD), David López García (Caisse d'Epargne), Serge Pauwels (Cervélo TestTeam), Carlos José Ochoa (Diquigiovanni), Jelle Vanendert (Silence-Lotto), Héctor González (Fuji-Servetto) and Eduard Vorganov (Xacobeo Galicia)

3 minutes ain't much, but Petrov, Visconti and López are quality riders, and you ask yourself why the peloton would bother chasing on a day like this. The run-in to Bergamo has a tough, cobbled climb near the finish -- too hard for the sprinters, but not hard enough for the GC riders.
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Comments

  • afx237vi
    afx237vi Posts: 12,630
    Pedro Horillo seriously injured and airlifted to hospital after falling 60 metres into a ravine. Not good.

    Breakaway is close to being caught on the climb. Lampre trying to set things up for DC.
  • Le Commentateur
    Le Commentateur Posts: 4,099
    edited May 2009
    Garzelli, Horner, Pelizotti, Bosen-Hagen -- now it gets interesting!

    Finish ought to suit a climber who can sprint.
  • afx237vi
    afx237vi Posts: 12,630
    Woah. It's gone mental on the climb :shock:

    Rogers, Horner, Leipheimer, Pelizotti.... all on the attack, but where are DDL and Basso?

    EBH keeping pace with Leipheimer :shock:
  • Le Commentateur
    Le Commentateur Posts: 4,099
    Garzelli won here 2 years ago....
  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Posts: 79,667
    This is quality viewing!
  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Posts: 79,667
    leipheimer is making a big move today... Could be a big turning point.
  • Le Commentateur
    Le Commentateur Posts: 4,099
    And Cunego -- Lombardy winner...
  • afx237vi
    afx237vi Posts: 12,630
    Di Luca only has Bosisio to chase. What is Basso going to do? He has Pellizotti up ahead, but so is Leipheimer.
  • afx237vi
    afx237vi Posts: 12,630
    54 seconds at the top.
  • afx237vi
    afx237vi Posts: 12,630
    Menchov too, of course. Haven't seem him, even at the front of the pink jersey group.
  • Le Commentateur
    Le Commentateur Posts: 4,099
    This is amazing, 2 years ago Garzelli, Simoni and others ambushed Di Luca just like this on the stage to Bergamo, albeit from further out, and caused a furious chase -- it's like a replay.
  • afx237vi
    afx237vi Posts: 12,630
    Looks like DDL has been let off the hook. No co-operation in the front group. Still a nasty hill to come though.
  • Le Commentateur
    Le Commentateur Posts: 4,099
    btw, I was wondering the other day about Pellizotti's game-plan for this tour, as I suspect Basso was deliberately putting the hurt on him on that uphill finish a couple of days back to force him into a supporting role.
  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Posts: 79,667
    Damn. It's coming back together.
  • Le Commentateur
    Le Commentateur Posts: 4,099
    Nice to see a rider gamble all and prevail.
  • donrhummy
    donrhummy Posts: 2,329
    Is Di Luca really strong enough to keep putting out all the super hard efforts or is he going to suffer in the 2nd half of the race? I think he's going to suffer big time in the TT and then when they reach the final mountains there's chance he could have the same dropoff he did last year against Contador. Still, it's really cool to see a GC guy constantly trying to push the other riiders and shake things up - really exciting! The last time I remember a rider like that was Hinault who refused to lose anything to anyone.
  • frenchfighter
    frenchfighter Posts: 30,642
    edited May 2009
    Siutsou gets it.

    EBH wins the following bunch again! That is 2nd, 1st, 2nd. Brilliant. Columbia are killing it.

    Di Luca has 13 secs on Lovkvist.
    Contador is the Greatest
  • frenchfighter
    frenchfighter Posts: 30,642
    Brilliant - Siutsou decides not to pop the Tentduc...maybe keeping it for his team or as memorabilia.
    Contador is the Greatest
  • donrhummy
    donrhummy Posts: 2,329
    BTW, how did DiLuca get 3rd? On the TV it looked like he was 4th.
  • afx237vi
    afx237vi Posts: 12,630
    Great stage to watch, Bergamo looks like an amazing place.

    EBH goes into second in the points competition. Wonder if there will be any chance of him sprinting tomorrow?
  • blazing_saddles
    blazing_saddles Posts: 22,725
    Nice little stage.
    The Giro always kicks up a little gem.
    Gotta love those American squads.
    Aren't the super-duper strong or what?!

    I expect a major thread from Iain, any time soon, now, as "Clean Team" Columbia/High Horse sweep all before them.

    Mick Rogers celebrating Kloeden getting all the Freiburg focus?

    I think Gibo might say something along the lines of them all escaping from Rockwell! :lol:
    "Science is a tool for cheaters". An anonymous French PE teacher.
  • iainf72
    iainf72 Posts: 15,784
    Blaze you under estimate me.

    Columbia doing so well, combined with the lack of passport news is clearly evidence that cycling is as pure as Armstrongs wee in 2001!

    :wink:

    I only saw the last 2km but will watch the rest later.
    Fckin' Quintana … that creep can roll, man.
  • blazing_saddles
    blazing_saddles Posts: 22,725
    Breaking news from Twitter...." Bob what are your guy's on and where can I get some, lots of love Lance"
    "Science is a tool for cheaters". An anonymous French PE teacher.
  • frenchfighter
    frenchfighter Posts: 30,642
    Some cycling 'fans' are actually doping 'fans'. They live for the epo and the 'soap-style' gossip. They love to speculate and cast aspersions. They are addicted to talking about it. They need to weave it in to every comment and every thread.

    They would vanish if pro cycling was squeaky clean.

    Long live the ardent fans of tenacity, bravery and excitement.
    Contador is the Greatest
  • blazing_saddles
    blazing_saddles Posts: 22,725
    You obviously don't read as well as you write, so I'll repeat myself.
    Nice little stage.
    The Giro always kicks up a little gem.


    However, if it were PVC, or CSF from last year, who were achieving these results, this question would get asked by a fair number of posters.
    "Science is a tool for cheaters". An anonymous French PE teacher.
  • rockmount
    rockmount Posts: 761
    You obviously don't read as well as you write, so I'll repeat myself.
    Nice little stage.
    The Giro always kicks up a little gem.


    However, if it were PVC, or CSF from last year, who were achieving these results, this question would get asked by a fair number of posters.

    Montgolfierballoon.jpg
    .. who said that, internet forum people ?
  • calvjones
    calvjones Posts: 3,850
    I think there's a difference between being strong and tactically astute on a lumpy stage, and Sella in '08 on the big mountains.

    Also, CHR clearly have the money to buy the best youngsters.
    ___________________

    Strava is not Zen.
  • frenchfighter
    frenchfighter Posts: 30,642
    edited May 2009
    My post was not related to one person, but since you chose to reply Blazing Saddles, I will simply mention that:

    1. Half of your first comment was related to 'doping'
    2. All of your second comment was related to 'doping'
    3. Your signature which is at the bottom of every comment, and is in bold and in red, is related to 'doping'

    No further points are needed.

    No more replies by me either on this - I have no desire to clog up threads on pro races with arguments on doping or other un-related topics.
    Contador is the Greatest
  • frenchfighter
    frenchfighter Posts: 30,642
    Btw, Siutsou won the overall in the Tour of Georgia 2008, was 17th overall in the Tour de France 2008, was Belarus National Champ in 2006 and was U23 World Road Race Champ in 2004.
    Contador is the Greatest
  • frenchfighter
    frenchfighter Posts: 30,642
    Does anyone know anything more about Horrilo? I heard that he fell on a descent, came down 60m, his bike was found before him, he was airlifted to hospital and was a 3.5 on a scale of 1-5 according to Giro doctor.

    PIC30041949.jpg
    Contador is the Greatest