Giro d'Italia - stage 3 - Middelburg - *SPOILER*

blazing_saddles

Vino is laughing, with the rest day, then the TTT.
Lucky that Cadel is used to riding solo. It was so painfully obvious today, it hurt.

So, in effect we have for the GC:
1 VINOKOUROV Alexandre KAZ AST 10:07:18 0:00
4 NIBALI Vincenzo ITA LIQ 10:07:23 0:05
8 GERDEMANN Linus GER MRM 10:07:30 0:12
9 GARZELLI Stefano ITA ASA 10:07:33 0:15
11 SCARPONI Michele ITA AND 10:07:34 0:16
12 KARPETS Vladimir RUS KAT 10:07:35 0:17
14 BASSO Ivan ITA LIQ 10:07:36 0:18
24 EVANS Cadel AUS BMC 10:08:01 0:43
38 ARROYO DURAN David ESP GCE 10:08:45 1:27
41 TONDO VOLPINI Xavier ESP CTT 10:08:54 1:36
43 SASTRE CANDIL Carlos ESP CTT 10:08:58 1:40
44 MOLLEMA Bauke NED RAB 10:08:59 1:41
50 CUNEGO Damiano ITA LAM 10:09:25 2:07

Garzelli, Scarponi and Evans look to be the potential big time losers on Wednesday.

dave_1

I think the race organisers really let down the riders today with that unsafe course they laid on

blazing_saddles

Dave_1 wrote:

I think the race organisers really let down the riders today with that unsafe coruse they laid on

Is that a Dutch buffet? :P

greeny12

I'm wondering why everyone seems to think Astana are going to smoke people in the TTT.

I know they pissed last year's Tour TTT but that was a totally different line-up. I can't see this Giro squad being that powerful....then again, what do I know!

FJS

greeny12 wrote:

I'm wondering why everyone seems to think Astana are going to smoke people in the TTT.

I know they pissed last year's Tour TTT but that was a totally different line-up. I can't see this Giro squad being that powerful....then again, what do I know!

I can - there's some strong TTers in there - they might struggle a bit more in the mountains

shockedsoshocked

greeny12 wrote:

I'm wondering why everyone seems to think Astana are going to smoke people in the TTT.

I know they pissed last year's Tour TTT but that was a totally different line-up. I can't see this Giro squad being that powerful....then again, what do I know!

I don't think they'll dominate the TTT, but I don't think any of the GC contendors will be able to make up any time on them.

sonny73

Dave_1 wrote:

I think the race organisers really let down the riders today with that unsafe course they laid on

Crazy to watch the last 2 days, never good to see GC contenders getting nailed due to ropey course setting.
Makes you wonder what the Tour will be like in July.

frenchfighter

Will be interesting to hear what Wiggin's has to say.

sonny73

FJS wrote:

Adam Blythe up there - 5th

Indeed bravo that man.

sonny73

frenchfighter wrote:

Will be interesting to hear what Wiggin's has to say.

Yeh for sure, can't imagine he's happy.

FJS

With all the talk about crashes, in the end (apart from VDV who I would not really consider a contender anyway), the time differences have been minimal. 43 seconds is not that much on the Zoncolan or Mortirolo.

Wiggins lost more today, but it really looked like he was here to win the TT and train for July, not for the GC.

The real differences have been due not to crashes but to the wind, proper racing - Pozzovivo, Simoni, Masciarelli, and Szmyd losing around 9 minutes today - they'll curse today, but really only have themselves to blame - echelons are part of racing.

Pross

frenchfighter wrote:

Vino is the man. Not called nails for no reason.

Evans crossed the line some 45 seconds down, with Wiggins and the Sky group only now coming in at four minutes.

- This is unacceptable for a GC contender. I guess there is quite a lot of practicing to do before the Tour. And this stage just goes to show what people say about it being lucky and all that and you could lose your whole GC in 1 stage like this. Exciting for the viewers but there is a time and a place for those conditions and they aren't Grand Tours.

What can he do? He's been on the deck three times and in the last two cases a team has driven the pace at the front when Sky have been trying to get back. I don't think there's much practising you can do for that!

inkyfingers

Sonny73 wrote:

frenchfighter wrote:

Will be interesting to hear what Wiggin's has to say.

Yeh for sure, can't imagine he's happy.

In some ways it takes the pressure off him, allows him to use the Giro as training for the tour then have a good go at the final TT in Verona.

Sounds like a mad day, I think this Giro could be a bit special....can't see Vino lasting in the big mountains so still stand with my PTP pick of Evans.

shockedsoshocked

I wouldn't write Vino off in the mountains quite yet! I think it would take someone special to dislodge him, and I don't think Evans is that rider. Maybe if he gets done over by a few riders (Basso, Nibali, Evans, Wiggins?)

Team Banana Spokesman

c vdv

"I am ok after the fall, so is Tyler (obviously) Just have a nice new tattoo from a Chainring on my shin."

calvjones

Would be nice to see Millar in Pink on Wed. Has he worn it before?

ademort

Dave_1 wrote:

I think the race organisers really let down the riders today with that unsafe course they laid on

You dont want to know how many traffic islands, bollards trees etc were removed for todays stage with safety in mind. Just for the record the place where Wiggins and co crashed is no danger spot at all. I,ve been past that spot loads of times and it should have been no problem.I was at the finish had a VIP pass and sat in the stand just next to the finish, a great experience and the kids loved it too.Just to add that the Dutch TV commentators have had a field day about all the crashes
Ademort

timoid.

calvjones wrote:

Would be nice to see Millar in Pink on Wed. Has he worn it before?

Don't think so. I think he's worn gold and he's definitely worn yellow, so it could be the comlplete set come Wednesday.

simon t

yeah millar for pink.i cant stand vino.

nibali for the GC

afx237vi

Garmin are down one of their strongest men for the TTT, and at 32 km it's long enough to make a big difference.

I think BMC could take a bit of a pasting, I'm afraid.

DavMartinR

Eurosport highlights should be fun tonight.

Bit like watching the Grand National re-run to see where your horse fell??

Philip S

afx237vi wrote:

Garmin are down one of their strongest men for the TTT, and at 32 km it's long enough to make a big difference.

True - and it's not their strongest TTT line up - certainly not on a par with their 5-man masterclass at the Tour last year - and losing CVDV won't have helped at all. I'll be willing them on though - a 2 second gap on Astana should be enough.

Millar seemed to be wearing his skin suit today - hope he can get it washed in time for Wednesday...

micron

After Astana's performance helping to create the divisions in the peloton today and keeping Vino right in contention will everyone now stop going on about Contador potentially losing time in echelons?

The difference with the Tour is a) they don't go down narrow little roads by and large because they can't get the all important caravan/support vehicles etc etc down them and b) the roads the TdF travels are 'French' until the broom wagon goes through and as such will be tarmaced/street furniture removed etc etc as they see fit. Like it or not, the TdF can make the kinds of demands that no other race can.

rick_chasey

Weylandt won? And then got bollocked by Greipel for winning using his train?

What a legend.

rick_chasey

micron wrote:

After Astana's performance helping to create the divisions in the peloton today and keeping Vino right in contention will everyone now stop going on about Contador potentially losing time in echelons?

The difference with the Tour is a) they don't go down narrow little roads by and large because they can't get the all important caravan/support vehicles etc etc down them and b) the roads the TdF travels are 'French' until the broom wagon goes through and as such will be tarmaced/street furniture removed etc etc as they see fit. Like it or not, the TdF can make the kinds of demands that no other race can.

That'll be why they're riding over pave this year then?

knedlicky

Timoid. wrote:

Isn't it against etiquette to take advantage of another rider's fall?

I don’t believe in such rules. I don’t think they existed in the past, at least not to the same extent as they started to be some time during LA’s era. I’m sure Merckx’s opponents took the opportunity.

As soon as any rider enters a race he’s got to realistically reckon with the possibility of a crash, whether it be his own or that of another rider, which may also bring him down or might cause him a delay. And so he has to both accept that, and that others may also take advantage of the situation; it’s part of competition.

The only time I’d say taking advantage wouldn’t be the thing to do is when a fall is due to very unforeseen and unpredictable circumstances, like when there are barriers but a child still climbs over and causes a rider to fall, a very strong gust of wind causes the barrier to suddenly shift into the path of a rider, an unauthorised car drives on to the race route and causes a crash, etc.

Etiquette which rules one shouldn’t take advantage of a rider’s fall in any circumstances just strike me as political correctness taken into the sport arena.

oldwelshman

ShockedSoShocked wrote:

I wouldn't write Vino off in the mountains quite yet! I think it would take someone special to dislodge him, and I don't think Evans is that rider. Maybe if he gets done over by a few riders (Basso, Nibali, Evans, Wiggins?)

Vino in no way should beat Evans in the mountains, if he does then wait for the test results !!

rick_chasey

oldwelshman wrote:

ShockedSoShocked wrote:

I wouldn't write Vino off in the mountains quite yet! I think it would take someone special to dislodge him, and I don't think Evans is that rider. Maybe if he gets done over by a few riders (Basso, Nibali, Evans, Wiggins?)

Vino in no way should beat Evans in the mountains, if he does then wait for the test results !!

Beat him in Liege and that's hardly the Fens is it?

mididoctors

afx237vi wrote:

I think BMC could take a bit of a pasting, I'm afraid.

I reckon so

I hope evans doesn't lose heart

secretsqirrel

mididoctors wrote:

afx237vi wrote:

I think BMC could take a bit of a pasting, I'm afraid.

I reckon so

I hope evans doesn't lose heart

If it is some consolation BMC was second in the team rankings after stage 1. Not sure what the DNF situation is but there is some TTing expertise in BMC. However TTT also requires good team work and co-ordination, that's the worry. Just for the record the top 5 teams after stage 1 were

1. Sky
2. BMC
3. Saxo
4. Astana
5. Rabobank

Astana have the 'go last' advantage (unless the weather progressively deteriorates). But it is probably Sky's day to really show what they can do.