Stage 9 Giro d'Italia 2015 *SPOILERS*

RichN95.

Let's see how Astana are going in week three. They've done loads of work so far but they've not even dented Contador and Porte.

rozzer32

Astana have big investigation for doping, UCI want them thrown out the world tour and now they are racing the giro like its nothing. Think it's clear to everyone they're using better "training methods". What a joke! This team really shouldn't be allowed near any bike race.

inseine

Dorset Boy wrote:

inseine wrote:

Dorset Boy wrote:

Rick Chasey wrote:

Astana are outstanding.

Dominating.

Astana have blown everyone up this week - they had 3 or 4 still in Uran's group as well as tiralongo, Aru & Landa. Too much like USPS..... :shock:

How often did Lance send a team mate up the road for a stage win? USPS+

That's true, but they've had almost all their team at the front of the race for the bulk of each stage this week....

I meant it in a negative way

above_the_cows

RichN95 wrote:

Let's see how Astana are going in week three. They've done loads of work so far but they've not even dented Contador and Porte.

They're like a bunch of teenagers going to the pub for the first time.

thomthom

Dorset Boy wrote:

inseine wrote:

Dorset Boy wrote:

Rick Chasey wrote:

Astana are outstanding.

Dominating.

Astana have blown everyone up this week - they had 3 or 4 still in Uran's group as well as tiralongo, Aru & Landa. Too much like USPS..... :shock:

How often did Lance send a team mate up the road for a stage win? USPS+

That's true, but they've had almost all their team at the front of the race for the bulk of each stage this week....

Except for the first 5 days but okay..

thomthom

Alberto has dislocated his cheek now has he..

RichN95.

rozzer32 wrote:

Astana have big investigation for doping, UCI want them thrown out the world tour and now they are racing the giro like its nothing. Think it's clear to everyone they're using better "training methods". What a joke! This team really shouldn't be allowed near any bike race.

But what have they achieved? A stage win today, but on GC three of the four pre race favourites are separated by basically the gaps from the TTT. They are conspicuous but not effective.

RichN95.

ThomThom wrote:

Alberto has dislocated his cheek now has he..

Contador says it's basically the same facial injury Harvey Dent had at the end of The Dark Knight.

above_the_cows

ThomThom wrote:

Alberto has dislocated his cheek now has he..

It's the strain from hiding his porky pie in his cheek.

norvernrob

The Clinic is loving all this at the moment. Domestiques flying off to win stages, Astana, Portes 'marginal gains' camper, Sagan winning a TT and nearly holding GC on a MTF.

One post about the Giro actually slightly shocked me though, which considering the fruitcake-ness of that forum was a surprise.

'

They are all doing it, they are not going to stop. 197 cheats.

Seriously, why even bother if they really think that? Nobody thinks any sport is completely clean, but these guys are pure comedy. Spending hours everyday on a forum, just to accuse every sportsperson going of cheating....sad.

Macaloon

RichN95 wrote:

But what have they achieved? A stage win today, but on GC three of the four pre race favourites are separated by basically the gaps from the TTT. They are conspicuous but not effective.

Uran +2.07 is quite important for Aru's podium hopes given his TT weakness. Unless the other teams are saving their legs (whie exposing their leaders - doubt it?) Astana are miles stronger than Skykoff.

Nice to see Contador managing a miraculous sprint to the line.

emadden

Above The Cows wrote:

I wish Flecha wouldn't wear that orange POC helmet.

Hahah that picture is so awesome I borrowed it and tweeted it to him

mechanism

Macaloon wrote:

RichN95 wrote:

But what have they achieved? A stage win today, but on GC three of the four pre race favourites are separated by basically the gaps from the TTT. They are conspicuous but not effective.

Uran +2.07 is quite important for Aru's podium hopes given his TT weakness. Unless the other teams are saving their legs (whie exposing their leaders - doubt it?) Astana are miles stronger than Skykoff.

Nice to see Contador managing a miraculous sprint to the line.

And 2nd, 4th and 5th overall isn't a bad return for all that work.

above_the_cows

emadden wrote:

Above The Cows wrote:

I wish Flecha wouldn't wear that orange POC helmet.

Hahah that picture is so awesome I borrowed it and tweeted it to him

Ooo let's hope he responds. Maybe that's why he was Mr Chuckles during the post-stage show just now.

ridgerider

Above The Cows wrote:

Blimey with Kruijswijk's tweede place, does it mean Ridgerider's got some PTP points?

I almost picked him again then got distracted. Kicking myself as I would have had double enjoyment from today's stage.

Victory would have been hollow without PTP points!

craigus89

I feel fortunate having only been watching cycling for the last 18 months, as I've missed most of the serious doping stuff that went on.

It has not crossed my mind once watching any cycling that any of them might be cheating. I find it seriously sad that anytime someone does anything remotely impressive they are accused by someone of doing something suspicious. I'm glad I don't though, it must spoil the immersion.

thomthom

RichN95 wrote:

ThomThom wrote:

Alberto has dislocated his cheek now has he..

Contador says it's basically the same facial injury Harvey Dent had at the end of The Dark Knight.

At least he remembered to ice the thing using his left.. or was it right arm?

above_the_cows

Ridgerider wrote:

Above The Cows wrote:

Blimey with Kruijswijk's tweede place, does it mean Ridgerider's got some PTP points?

I almost picked him again then got distracted. Kicking myself as I would have had double enjoyment from today's stage.

Victory would have been hollow without PTP points!

Oh no. Shame.

FJS

Another great stage. Good value this first week. Could turn out to be a classic Giro. Hope it stays good in the last week

specialgueststar

The summary of the day.
7 h45 réveil
8 h PTI DEJ
9 h depart for 1 H by bus up to depart
10 H15 Briefing Ds The bus
10 h50 depart race
17 pm Arrival Course (6 H Of Velo 4100 M D+)
17 h15 snack bus
17 h30 depart bus PR Hotel 450 km (5 h of bus) :shock:
22 h30 lunch a l hotel
00 h sleep

frenchfighter

So. My man Tiralongo wins - always a true fan of the sport happy moment. My man Aru launches the hostilities at 14km out - has provided a lot of viewing pleasure this week. My man Contador looks totally at ease and retains the leaders jersey.

Porte on the other hand is a complete disgrace. Sucks more wheels then mudflaps. Gives 0 viewing pleasure the fans. If all riders were like him there would be no incentive to turn the tv on.

Landa, great domestique. Looks like first proper mountain then Contador is going to bury Porte - he probably would have today had his friend Tiralongo not been riding for the win. Good job Kreuziger is not Tinkoff's leader as he is not on top form this Giro.

Great first week as can be expected with the Tour. Good times.

frenchfighter

Contador has good words for Aru. Says he sees himself in him. 4 career wins for Tiralongo - three are Giro stages; solid wins.

stifflersmom

frenchfighter wrote:

So. My man Tiralongo wins - always a true fan of the sport happy moment. My man Aru launches the hostilities at 14km out - has provided a lot of viewing pleasure this week. My man Contador looks totally at ease and retains the leaders jersey.

The last person to have this many men was the Grand Old Duke of York.

mike6

"Contador has good words for Aru. Says he sees himself in him" (Quote) Then Aru should sue Contadoe for defamation.

frenchfighter

Contador says he is worried about the stage 14 ITT, which is 59km long and he doesn’t know if he can hold the aero bars for that long.

“That’s a question that I have in my mind,” he said. “Yesterday, I thought that I only have about five to six stages to go until the time trial. We’ll have to make a test to see how I can hold the bars. I usually have the arms together very close, but perhaps we’ll have to change that.”

"It's not over yet, an the race hasn’t really begun. How often do riders in the final week come back? And it's not that I'm already an hour down," JVB told Sporza.

"We have had preliminary short, explosive climbs so far. That's not my thing. There are riders now in front of me in the standings, but in the real mountains I’ll be with the leaders."

Tiralongo and Aru are bound by a similar background. The two islanders – Tiralongo hails from Sicily, Aru from Sardinia – both had to exile themselves in northern Italy to further their careers, and they now live close to one another near Bergamo.

In the lead-in to this Giro, they barely left one another’s side, spending notably long spells at altitude at Teide and Sestriere together over the spring. Tiralongo turned professional in 2000, when Aru was 9 years old, and that age difference means that their relationship has something of a father-son dynamic, though he said that they had never once argued during their time together.

“Never, never, never,” Tiralongo smiled. “We’ve had discussions in the sense that we’ve had different opinions on tactics and races. We talk at night before going to bed, all of the team, we have a little meeting on what we could improve, but we never argue. This is a very united group. There are no arguments, we’re here to work.”

philwint

rozzer32 wrote:

Astana have big investigation for doping, UCI want them thrown out the world tour and now they are racing the giro like its nothing. Think it's clear to everyone they're using better "training methods". What a joke! This team really shouldn't be allowed near any bike race.

Whatever has happened in the past i think you make a very good argument for Astana being currently clean.

I doubt there are many teams (if any) under as much scrutiny at the moment!

frenchfighter

Amazing that Hesjedal won the Giro really when he can't even win a stage like this from the breakaway.

Anonymous

frenchfighter wrote:

Amazing that Hesjedal won the Giro really when he can't even win a stage like this from the breakaway.

That was 3 years ago, not all riders hold GT winning form into their 30's. It was also hardly against the best of the best.

My man Contador looks totally at ease and retains the leaders jersey.

Porte on the other hand is a complete disgrace. Sucks more wheels then mudflaps. Gives 0 viewing pleasure the fans. If all riders were like him there would be no incentive to turn the tv on.

Landa, great domestique. Looks like first proper mountain then Contador is going to bury Porte - he probably would have today had his friend Tiralongo not been riding for the win. Good job Kreuziger is not Tinkoff's leader as he is not on top form this Giro.

What nonsense.

Contador says he is worried about the stage 14 ITT, which is 59km long and he doesn’t know if he can hold the aero bars for that long.

He's lied about his injury as an excuse, he's lying about this.

frenchfighter

Not sure what stage this was but Graham Watson said Paolini had to stop from 60km/h to 0 after break failure:

hammerite

frenchfighter wrote:

Porte on the other hand is a complete disgrace. Sucks more wheels then mudflaps. Gives 0 viewing pleasure the fans. If all riders were like him there would be no incentive to turn the tv on.

I'm taking it that this is a tongue in cheek comment Frenchie. Surely no one is so naive to really think this?

First week in a 3 week tour and he's riding so as not to lose the race. Plenty of time for him to try and win the race when he needs to. No, it might not be entertaining, but I don't think many of us expected the main protagonists to be so attacking in the first week.