Giro Stage 9 *Spoiler*

24

Comments

  • afx237vi
    afx237vi Posts: 12,630
    Harmon says even the LPR DS is opposed to this.
  • Pokerface
    Pokerface Posts: 7,960
    Before everyone condemns Lance, Astana and the riders for this protest today - we should keep in mind that the protest is not simply about TODAY'S stage - but rather about a series of unsafe finishes and routes in the entire Giro.


    Don't forget that someone nearly DIED yesterday and many more might well have on the previous day.

    I'm all for fast racing - and crashes look cool as long as no one gets seriously hurt - but WE are not there to judge how safe or unsafe the courses really are.

    The benefit of the doubt MIGHT just go to the riders until the full story comes out.

    If they are all just being big girl's blouses - then let rip and call them on it. But until then...
  • le_patron
    le_patron Posts: 494
    Hopefully there's something in the Zomengnan/LA contract which means he won't get paid the $3m if he's not 'raced' every stage.......no doubt it's already banked though.

    Bet the corporate types in the hospitality areas are well chuffed, as well as the dads who brought their kids along to the stage to watch a race.

    If I wasn't watching it on some dodgy internet feed, I'd want my Eurosport subscription back. I might go and rearrange the fridge contents, it's more interesting.
  • frenchfighter
    frenchfighter Posts: 30,642
    Pokerface wrote:
    Don't forget that someone nearly DIED yesterday and many more might well have on the previous day.

    Although I agree that it is important to get all the information, you cannot use the above point. The reason being is that as far as I am aware, he didn't crash then fall due to it being dangerous. In fact, there were some of the largest crash barriers on that descent then I have ever seen. Admittedly it is a sharp drop so necessary, but I think he must have been very unfortunate to go over the top. In addition, if the last three days had been very dangerous then we would have seen a lot of crashes or near misses, not just one.
    Contador is the Greatest
  • iainf72
    iainf72 Posts: 15,784
    LA : Ciao Angelo, can you move some of those nasty uphill sections soon. They make my legs all hurty.

    FFS - The circuit don't even look dangerous.

    Load.Of.Balls

    What we need is a Hinault type character who say "fook ya, I'm racing"
    Fckin' Quintana … that creep can roll, man.
  • frenchfighter
    frenchfighter Posts: 30,642
    Looks like the race is hotting up thanks to our very own Wiggins. On the front doing 50km/h+

    I remember that the time the riders tried to protest after the Cofidis team was pulled from the Tour he didn't. Strong character that fellow has.
    Contador is the Greatest
  • Pokerface
    Pokerface Posts: 7,960
    Is it normal to have cars parked throughout the route on a high-speed crit course? And pedestrians being able to cross the road freely?


    I though a crit course was supposed to be free and clear of obstacles?

    I can understand (a little) why the riders might feel it unsafe. Bad enough getting plowed into crash barriers - getting plowed into a Prius at the side of the road would prolly hurt a bit more!
  • afx237vi
    afx237vi Posts: 12,630
    For such a "dangerous" Giro, only 8 riders have abandoned after 9 days of racing. That's gotta be well below average for a modern grand tour?
  • teagar
    teagar Posts: 2,100
    Imagine the bollocking Armstrong would give anyone who broke the truce...

    We have a patron all right!
    Note: the above post is an opinion and not fact. It might be a lie.
  • frenchfighter
    frenchfighter Posts: 30,642
    Looks like Quinziato came down at some point although it wasn't announced. Photo by: Bettini photos.

    Earlier Markus Fothen of Milram and Serafain Martinez of Xacobeo crashed too.

    2_0038865_1_thumb2.jpg
    Contador is the Greatest
  • afx237vi
    afx237vi Posts: 12,630
    teagar wrote:
    Imagine the bollocking Armstrong would give anyone who broke the truce...

    We have a patron all right!

    But Simeoni would still have attacked if he was there...
  • teagar
    teagar Posts: 2,100
    afx237vi wrote:
    teagar wrote:
    Imagine the bollocking Armstrong would give anyone who broke the truce...

    We have a patron all right!

    But Simeoni would still have attacked if he was there...

    And got a monumental bollocking in the process.
    Note: the above post is an opinion and not fact. It might be a lie.
  • afx237vi
    afx237vi Posts: 12,630
    teagar wrote:
    afx237vi wrote:
    teagar wrote:
    Imagine the bollocking Armstrong would give anyone who broke the truce...

    We have a patron all right!

    But Simeoni would still have attacked if he was there...

    And got a monumental bollocking in the process.

    But still would have come out of it the bigger man.
  • teagar
    teagar Posts: 2,100
    He didn't last time...

    Why else isn't he riding the Giro?
    Note: the above post is an opinion and not fact. It might be a lie.
  • fast as fupp
    fast as fupp Posts: 2,277
    BIG GANG OF PUSSIES!

    thats what they are after today and after the texan gobsh1te was bleating about having to ride in the rain!

    DQ the fuppin lot of them
    'dont forget lads, one evertonian is worth twenty kopites'
  • afx237vi
    afx237vi Posts: 12,630
    teagar wrote:
    He didn't last time...

    Why else isn't he riding the Giro?

    He was the moral victor.

    But Xacobeo-Galicia are such a good team. Haven't you seen them ripping it up in the mountains?
  • teagar
    teagar Posts: 2,100
    Moral victor. :roll:


    Where do you live? Never never land?
    Note: the above post is an opinion and not fact. It might be a lie.
  • afx237vi
    afx237vi Posts: 12,630
    teagar wrote:
    Moral victor. :roll:


    Where do you live? Never never land?

    He helped the world to see what a vindictive bully Lance Armstrong really is. That's a moral victory in my book.

    Now this thread is well and truly derailed.
  • teagar
    teagar Posts: 2,100
    Yeah it is.

    Then again, so was today's stage anyway.


    Simeoni's lost a lot of cash. I'd bet that if he hadn't shat on Armstrong he'd be in the Giro with the Italian Jersey...
    Note: the above post is an opinion and not fact. It might be a lie.
  • frenchfighter
    frenchfighter Posts: 30,642
    Dangerous element was due mainly to parked cars and pedestrians walking around.

    They are definitely racing now though...speed is consistently 50km/h +.

    Jens is on the front...nuff said.

    Hillingdon circuit race that is on today just got a mention on eurosport!
    Contador is the Greatest
  • Biscuiteer
    Biscuiteer Posts: 143
    Eurosport have just noted that Cav's got his 'Bingo' shades on. :)
  • blazing_saddles
    blazing_saddles Posts: 22,725
    Must be my imagination, all those parked cars in Flanders, Gent-Wevelgem, Amstel.......
    ....I look forward to seeing most of next year's classics getting neutralised.
    "Science is a tool for cheaters". An anonymous French PE teacher.
  • afx237vi
    afx237vi Posts: 12,630
    Some major shoulder / headbutt action from Matt Goss in the final sprint. They should ban sprinting, really, it's very dangerous.
  • jimycooper
    jimycooper Posts: 740
    yes! cavendish won. al least somthing good came out of this crappy stage.
  • frenchfighter
    frenchfighter Posts: 30,642
    edited May 2009
    afx237vi wrote:
    Some major shoulder / headbutt action from Matt Goss in the final sprint. They should ban sprinting, really, it's very dangerous.

    LOL

    Cav absorbed it really well though...apparently one of his attributes making him the best sprinter (realxed arms).
    Contador is the Greatest
  • iainf72
    iainf72 Posts: 15,784
    jimycooper wrote:
    yes! cavendish won. al least somthing good came out of this crappy stage.

    What a stinker of a stage for him to win though. Imagine he doesn't win any other, Asthma-Jet will be able to walk around like the prize peacock saying he wins real stages.
    Fckin' Quintana … that creep can roll, man.
  • blazing_saddles
    blazing_saddles Posts: 22,725
    jimycooper wrote:
    yes! cavendish won. al least somthing good came out of this crappy stage.

    The way EBH is riding, that could become his job description.
    Compared to all the team's wins, this one is was bit of a stinker.
    I wonder what Mr Asthma-Jet :lol: would give to have such a TGV towing him to the last 150....
    "Science is a tool for cheaters". An anonymous French PE teacher.
  • afx237vi
    afx237vi Posts: 12,630
    Pozzato saying that Armstrong went to talk with the other GC riders and it was decided not to race... Pozzato disagreed with the decision.
  • iainf72
    iainf72 Posts: 15,784
    afx237vi wrote:
    Pozzato saying that Armstrong went to talk with the other GC riders and it was decided not to race... Pozzato disagreed with the decision.

    When did Armstrong become a GC rider :wink:

    Absolute nonsense. There were nought wrong with that circuit.

    Lesson learnt Angelo - Don't change any of the stages. If they don't like the conditions, they should go home.
    Fckin' Quintana … that creep can roll, man.
  • LangerDan
    LangerDan Posts: 6,132
    There was one nasty section - I think it was at the end of the paved sector shown above. Coming off the paving on a 90° left-hander across two pairs of tram tracks. (I think it was where we were shown Visconti getting his turbo bottle on lap 6). It would have been fairly bad in the wet. Other than that it looked ok.

    I can't help but have the feeling that something else is going on in the background (and not just that a crit is the last thing some middle-aged guy with a dodgy collarbone wants.)
    'This week I 'ave been mostly been climbing like Basso - Shirley Basso.'

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