Giro Stage 2 Belfast - Belfast *Spoilers*

Pross

Above The Cows wrote:

If anyone is watching Eurovision...

Its seems Nacer Bouhani is singing the Danish entry.

Austria isn't it?

Wheelspinner

Pross wrote:

Horse doesn't look impressed, it's hard enough getting my daughter's horse to stay still to be brushed!

You just know the horse is thinking " If I just keep my eyes closed, nobody will see me like this."

mulletmaster

ThomThom wrote:

mulletmaster wrote:

Not sure what the people saying it was boring were expecting from the pan flat opening stage of a GT? Shockingly the best sprinter in the race (arguably the workd) won. I suspect the same folks may have moaned if that last corner had caused a pile up. They were offered hills in the route and turned them down picking and very boring flat route between the Glens. Organisers got what they wanted!

So people can't expect a dull stage and have a bit of a go at it for actually being.. dull?

This is the same situation in Denmark a couple of years ago. Massive event and enormous hype about it but very forgettable with stages that were as boring as a tennis match in a best of five sets format.

People can moan about whatever they want, it's their perogative. If they are stunned when tony Martin wins a tt or kittel wins a sprint stage or froome wins a mountain top finish it seems a bit pointless though. If every stage was a tt it would be a bit odd, if every stage was a hill top finish (which they could have had 5 miles away) it would be odd, or if every stage was a sprint finish it would be tour of turkey. Just seems pointless to me complaining about a stage which was patently designed as a sprint stage, being won, fair and square, cleanly , by the race's best sprinter!?
If Quintana wins one atop of the Dolomites is that also boring?

frenchfighter

Its no criticism of the organisers unless there is some proper parcours in that area. With that rain all day I dont blame them for not wanting to race. I thought the scenery was good (although seen much better on CTips website) and there were lots of fans and general Giro mood around. My main issue is that the sprint was totally underwhelming from leadout to finish.

frenchfighter

Matthews thinks they can hold the jersey for a week. Tomorrow and Tues are uninspiring sprint stages but they are going to have to work very very hard to keep it on wed and thurs.

FJS

http://instagram.com/p/n1O9EkE6In/

frenchfighter

Lovely photo.

Caruso of Katusha crashed yesterday after some amateur feel in front of him in the feed zone. His hand is pretty busted but he did the last 100km with it so there is hope JRod wont lose an experienced and strong domestique. He is doing an mri and they are going to try and use a makeshift brace to support him - the proper brace would be too restrictive (braking and handling the bars).

mulletmaster

Went for a quick look around the paddock before they left


Had to sprint up the shore road to watch the breakaway form at the zoo, hell of an effort from them all day!


My view of the line.


What a day, other than the weather it couldn't have gone better!
Ciao to the Giro it's been great

frenchfighter

Great view of the sprint!

mulletmaster

Cheers FF it was on the balcony of a restuarant, a lot of brown nosing (and money) required to get there but was well worth it. Feel very lucky as the breakaway formed before my eyes on the antrim road as well. They did bloody well of a disgusting day to be away in a small group!

Dorset_Boy

What a great view of the finish!

TheBigBean

Just catching up. A lot of teams seemed to hand that to Giant-Shimano on a plate - the whole Cannondale team spent a long time chasing which is odd given that it is was quite unlikely that Viviani would beat Kittel in a sprint.

frenchfighter

Made me chuckle:

frenchfighter