Giro Stage 13 *Spoiler*

Quite Frankly

Any updates?

iainf72

Well, aside from Lance not talking the press anymore.

Break of 3 up the road.

afx237vi

14:32 CEST 51km/125km to go
The riders have passed their first hour of racing at a brisk 46.1km/h and have now brought the three fugitives, Leonardo Scarselli (ISD), Mikhail Ignatiev (Team Katusha) and Björn Schröder (Team Milram) back to 3'50.

* Leonardo Scarselli (ISD), Mikhail Ignatiev (Team Katusha) and Björn Schröder (Team Milram)
* Peloton at 4.00

Ignatiev again... why does he do it?!

Quite Frankly

Katusha really need to do something, badly.

afx237vi

Quite Frankly wrote:

Katusha really need to do something, badly.

Well I agree with that, but I'm continually puzzled as to why Ignatiev always seems to get sent (or chooses to go on, maybe) these suicide breaks on pan-flat days.

Okay, he's not a climber, but he has a big engine, and would at least have more of a chance on a hilly transitional stage.

Bronzie

afx237vi wrote:

Ignatiev again... why does he do it?!

Airtime surely?

There's always the chance that he'll actually pull it off one day - much harder with race radios than years back, but occassionally the bunch (actually DS's now) gets it wrong. Julien El Farès won a stage and took the overall in Tirrenno from a long break. There was also the stage in last year's Tour where Cav sprinted by the last remaining break rider about 250m from the finish.

Pokerface

Early crash for Cav - but nothing serious and he was back on his bike with the peleton in no time.

afx237vi

Bronzie wrote:

afx237vi wrote:

Ignatiev again... why does he do it?!

Airtime surely?

There's always the chance that he'll actually pull it off one day - much harder with race radios than years back, but occassionally the bunch (actually DS's now) gets it wrong. Julien El Farès won a stage and took the overall in Tirrenno from a long break. There was also the stage in last year's Tour where Cav sprinted by the last remaining break rider about 250m from the finish.

Hmm, I suppose so. I could be saying the same thing about Schroder or Scarselli.

Ignatiev must be on the 20th fruitless breakaway of his short career so far... edging nearer and nearer each time to the one that sticks.

Pokerface

Good feed here: http://www.channelsurfing.net/watch-giro-d-italia.html

Spawn of Cabbie

So Sean Kelly think time bonifications are going to be improtant...interesting.

le_patron

iainf72 wrote:

Well, aside from Lance not talking the press anymore.

Break of 3 up the road.

So much for transparency and the new approachable, wiser and more-chilled LA.
One GT in and it's even worse that before.

Quite Frankly

Schröder is going well.

Should be caught though.

Kléber

Listening to the RAI commentary, you are reminded that Italy is not a country but a collection of regions and many are fiercely loyal to their region, in the way some Brits are about their football team, eg some Tuscans think Calabrians or Venetians are pure scum ;-)

So on RAI there's been a lot of praise for the wines, the hills, the roads and more from the commentary team, many of whom seem to be Tuscans.

Let's see if Marka Cavendiss, who has adopted the region to live and train in, can make the Tuscans even more proud.

Quite Frankly

Cav again!

Kléber

He had to work for it this time, Petacchi pushed him close and the Garmin boys were nudging him some in the build up.

RichN95.

Damn! I forgot to do do PTP today - 10 easy points missed.

PeteinSQ

Cavendish is a cycling god really isn't he.

Bhima

Plenty of space between Cav & 3rd place today!

You could see the frustration on the faces of the others even before they crossed the line!

All these wins are going to make the other sprinters train even harder though - all good for the sport.

Anonymous

Renshaw did a sterling job, Cavendish is bloody awesome!

frenchfighter

KING CAV.

Pettacchi was making up distance but just not enough gas.

You know that he was promised by the mayor of Quarrata that if he won this stage he would receive the freedom of the town!!

le_patron

Went with 300m to go..., it's getting longer and longer. Not sure what the others do now.

le_patron

From Velonews : "It was an interesting sight, watching Saxo Bank coming up. Haedo is a helluva sprinter, but dang, Cavendish is one amazing sprinter. He completely spanked Petacchi in that final run to the line. His loss on Stage 2 was clearly the result of a strategic mistake on his part, having been caught by surprise by the much more experienced Petacchi. He must have learned a lesson that day."

Kléber

Bouygues' JR Bernadeau was right, he said he couldn't be bothered to sign a sprinter, it would potentially cost him plenty to get even Seb Chavanel on the team, because it would be a waste of money trying to compete against Cavendish in the Tour.

afx237vi

High Road have got the lead-out down to a tee. Cav didn't need to do anything until, what, 100 metres to go? Look at the heli shots and compare how much extra work is being done by Petacchi and Farrar.

What were Rubiera and Brajkovic doing?

Anonymous

Woo hoo! Harmon just called him bingo and on the podium he was refrred to as Mark Canonball Cavendeesh again

camerone

I think he stopped wearing the White Oakleys after the Bingo laughter day!

alanmcn1

afx237vi wrote:

High Road have got the lead-out down to a tee. Cav didn't need to do anything until, what, 100 metres to go? Look at the heli shots and compare how much extra work is being done by Petacchi and Farrar.

What were Rubiera and Brajkovic doing?

You think LA don't like Bingo??? There were some veiled complaints about guys deiciding to race at end in Milan. Maybe a bit of help for Allan Davis?

Anonymous

I set up a facebook group displaying the pics I sent Harmon, surprised he hadn't heard of it before but it was hugely entertaining listening to him read the e-mail, he does a second wave of laughing when he opens the pictures.

afx237vi

alanmcn1 wrote:

afx237vi wrote:

High Road have got the lead-out down to a tee. Cav didn't need to do anything until, what, 100 metres to go? Look at the heli shots and compare how much extra work is being done by Petacchi and Farrar.

What were Rubiera and Brajkovic doing?

You think LA don't like Bingo??? There were some veiled complaints about guys deiciding to race at end in Milan. Maybe a bit of help for Allan Davis?

That's what Harmon thought, Kelly certaintly disagreed. Drilling it on the front of the bunch for 1 or 2 k is only helping Cav, surely?

alanmcn1

[
That's what Harmon thought, Kelly certaintly disagreed. Drilling it on the front of the bunch for 1 or 2 k is only helping Cav, surely?[/quote]

My only thought is that they considered two teams pulling for one sprinter would throw Cav's train. It's hard to compete with 2 teams co-opertaing against you, could esily box you in for example. I fear it's a tactic we may see in TdF. No one can beat him in a fair sprint

greeny12

afx237vi wrote:

alanmcn1 wrote:

afx237vi wrote:

High Road have got the lead-out down to a tee. Cav didn't need to do anything until, what, 100 metres to go? Look at the heli shots and compare how much extra work is being done by Petacchi and Farrar.

What were Rubiera and Brajkovic doing?

You think LA don't like Bingo??? There were some veiled complaints about guys deiciding to race at end in Milan. Maybe a bit of help for Allan Davis?

That's what Harmon thought, Kelly certaintly disagreed. Drilling it on the front of the bunch for 1 or 2 k is only helping Cav, surely?

After all, it's not like they can say they were doing it for a bit of sponsor publicity as the train rolled into Florence!!