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Giro 16 - Stage 20 ***Spoilers***

kleinstrokerkleinstroker Posts: 2,130
edited June 2016 in Pro race
The word epic is often overused, but I think today it might actually be true for what is quite possibly the most important stage of this years Giro d"Italia or any recent Giro, and we are in for a corker.

Expect 3 big men and lots of tears

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Posts

  • kleinstrokerkleinstroker Posts: 2,130
    #Giro update: @s_kruijswijk does another warming up on the home trainer and starts in the 20th stage. #ForzaStevie
  • ocdupalaisocdupalais Posts: 3,638
    kleinstroker wrote:
    #Giro update: @s_kruijswijk does another warming up on the home trainer and starts in the 20th stage. #ForzaStevie

    Excellent news.
    Assuming he doesn't take back the Maglia Rosa,
    Kruijswijk could do almost as much good for his reputation (plus the publicity for the team) by just competing today.
    And if he were to take the jersey back... Imagine.
  • bobmcstuffbobmcstuff Posts: 8,057
    Fingers crossed for Kruijswijk... Can't seem him riding at all well though.
  • ocdupalaisocdupalais Posts: 3,638
    edited May 2016
    So weirdly, he might be in a better position than he realises... Or is that too much "glass half full"?
  • DeVlaeminckDeVlaeminck Posts: 5,584
    If he weren't injured I could see him having a chance of taking the jersey back - however having seen that clip of him struggling to walk down some steps last night I wont be putting any money on him finishing on the podium let alone winning.
    AFC Mercia women - sign for us
  • manic_essomanic_esso Posts: 92
    I know it didn't look good in that video but I've had a couple of offs where going up and down stairs afterwards was pretty uncomfortable yet riding a bike seemed to be strangely almost OK. Hopefully in SK's case his is one of those.
  • ocdupalaisocdupalais Posts: 3,638
    Up until yesterday he was the best (most consistent) climber in the race. If he can regain that form, he'll cause the others a lot of grief. It's a big "if" - but sure makes watching the stage a big draw. The Giro organisers must be delighted.
    If he's able to ride better than he can walk, then today could be one the great comebacks of recent years and held up as a textbook triumph for "mind over matter". Either way, Kruijswijk could today pluck himself out of obscurity and find himself earning considerable respect amongst more fans who love seeing riders suffering majorly.
  • pinnopinno Posts: 38,185
    Who said this year's Giro was dull? In the absence of the 'Big Stars', it's still open. Anyway, who are the Big Stars, only 3 for the GC at least: Aru, Froome and Contador.
    I can see the Vuelta being an opportunity for quite a few to salvage a season and that oddly enough, starts today.

    Not trawling back through yesterdays thread. Had connection problems yesterday and didn't get to see the SK crash apart from a couple of replays. So could anyone please tell me what was the time gap between SK and Nibali/Chaves when it happened? How far from home was it?

    The questions will be answered today. Nibali has finally found his legs but at what price was yesterday's effort and was it a blip? I was surprised that Chaves couldn't stay with him considering Nibali's apparent condition and can only assume that he is tired. SK suffered more for the lack of team support as much as anything yesterday. Simone buried himself for Niballi.

    All 3 contenders are not 100%, or at least there are doubts. Makes for a great finale. I really hope SK can make a fist of it but i'm not overly optimistic.
    S - The Brazilian beach volleyball team
    W - Wiggle Honda

    "This year will be harder than last year. But that is good news; this year will be easier than next year."
  • RichN95.RichN95. Posts: 22,894
    pinno wrote:
    Who said this year's Giro was dull.

    Not trawling back through yesterdays thread. Had connection problems yesterday and didn't get to see the SK crash apart from a couple of replays. So could anyone please tell me what was the time gap between SK and Nibali/Chaves when it happened? How far from home was it?
    .
    The three of them were all together as a trio with Nibali pushing it on the descent. Valverde, Majka and Zakarin had been dropped. SK was third in line. It happened near the top of the descent.
    Twitter: @RichN95
  • pinnopinno Posts: 38,185
    RichN95 wrote:
    pinno wrote:
    Who said this year's Giro was dull.

    Not trawling back through yesterdays thread. Had connection problems yesterday and didn't get to see the SK crash apart from a couple of replays. So could anyone please tell me what was the time gap between SK and Nibali/Chaves when it happened? How far from home was it?
    .
    The three of them were all together as a trio with Nibali pushing it on the descent. Valverde, Majka and Zakarin had been dropped. SK was third in line. It happened near the top of the descent.

    Ta.

    That's doubly sore on SK. If there was already a gap and the crash coincided with a bad day, then he could probably be a bit more philosophical about it.
    S - The Brazilian beach volleyball team
    W - Wiggle Honda

    "This year will be harder than last year. But that is good news; this year will be easier than next year."
  • adr82adr82 Posts: 4,002
    pinno wrote:
    Who said this year's Giro was dull? In the absence of the 'Big Stars', it's still open. Anyway, who are the Big Stars, only 3 for the GC at least: Aru, Froome and Contador.
    A certain Mr Quintana would like a word with you :)
  • pinnopinno Posts: 38,185
    adr82 wrote:
    pinno wrote:
    Who said this year's Giro was dull? In the absence of the 'Big Stars', it's still open. Anyway, who are the Big Stars, only 3 for the GC at least: Aru, Froome and Contador.
    A certain Mr Quintana would like a word with you :)

    ..and probably the rest of Colombia :oops:
    S - The Brazilian beach volleyball team
    W - Wiggle Honda

    "This year will be harder than last year. But that is good news; this year will be easier than next year."
  • joelsimjoelsim Posts: 7,552
    Live at midday.
  • joelsimjoelsim Posts: 7,552
    adr82 wrote:
    pinno wrote:
    Who said this year's Giro was dull? In the absence of the 'Big Stars', it's still open. Anyway, who are the Big Stars, only 3 for the GC at least: Aru, Froome and Contador.
    A certain Mr Quintana would like a word with you :)

    2 for the GC. Quintana & Froome.
  • imatfaalimatfaal Posts: 2,716
    A combination of travel and boss-class in town* conspired to make me miss what seems to have been a great weeks worth of giro. Ah well back for what seems to be a make an break stage 20 - I quite like Nibali in some ways (I am a big softy and his sobbing in relief yesterday was touching but his antics last year were infuriating ) but I would prefer to see a new winner.

    * I seem to be senior enough to have the TV on in my room whilst I am working - but not senior enough to chose to watch the cycling when the boss wants the boring french open
  • deejaydeejay Posts: 3,138
    12.50 and they have finally started
    Organiser, National Championship 50 mile Time Trial 1972
  • RichN95.RichN95. Posts: 22,894
    Less than 10km into the race and Valverde is in the break. Let's see how long it lasts.
    Twitter: @RichN95
  • jam1ejam1e Posts: 905
    From how he's been riding I would probably say that kw would have had the form to take today (gc-wise) had it not been for the crash. Hopefully he's not injured and being forced to attack shows his relative strength vs the other riders in the way his defensive riding didn't.

    Obviously I'd prefer mm Chavez to beat nibali but I can't help but think it's nibali or kw to take the overall.
  • RichN95.RichN95. Posts: 22,894
    Valverde not in the break

    The riders are: Kangert, Atapuma, Dombrowski, Brambilla, Foliforov, Denifl, Visconti & Nieve. They have 1.24

    Ulissi and a couple of Russians on a potato hunt
    Twitter: @RichN95
  • blazing_saddlesblazing_saddles Posts: 14,001
    Tour of Belgium news.
    Apparently the stage has been cancelled.
    Word is that it's 2 motos have gone into the peloton.

    Any news from our posters out there?
    "Science is a tool for cheaters". An anonymous French PE teacher.
  • adr82adr82 Posts: 4,002
    Blazing Saddles wrote:
    Tour of Belgium news.
    Apparently the stage has been cancelled.
    Word is that it's 2 motos have gone into the peloton.

    Any news from our posters out there?
    From someone in the cyclinghub chat:
    Apparently, two motors tried to overtake the peloton via the bike path in the descent of the Baraque Michel. At the end of the bike path, the first motor stopped in the grass, and the second one crashed into it. As a consequence, both motors fell over, right into the peloton..
  • blazing_saddlesblazing_saddles Posts: 14,001
    Eleven riders taken to hospital 19 riders involved.
    "Science is a tool for cheaters". An anonymous French PE teacher.
  • deejaydeejay Posts: 3,138
    12.50 and they have finally started

    EDIT
    Remember this :- That I travelled over the Col Bonette in the 1960's when it was a narrow dangerous gravel/dirt road around the Headland at 2805 meters high and the headland put the fear of christ into my wife.
    Because of increased traffic over the pass they cut a road through the ridge so vehicles could pass one another safely without having to reverse. They had widened the headland because of the danger out there.
    The road was Tarmaced in 1993 for the Tour de France and Robert Millar dropped Pedro Delgado just after they past me and Robert won the mountain prize before Indurain and his followers passed on the Isola 2000 climb.

    Today is almost the same route.
    Organiser, National Championship 50 mile Time Trial 1972
  • RichN95.RichN95. Posts: 22,894
    The King of the Mountains is providing a good sideshow. Nieve, Denifl and Atapuma all in contention (the leader Cunego not in the break)
    Twitter: @RichN95
  • Le CommentateurLe Commentateur Posts: 4,174
    How many Columbians are riding in today's stage? Just wondering about the possibilities for a Chaves meta-team.
    Un uomo solo al commando
  • ugo.santaluciaugo.santalucia Posts: 24,227
    deejay wrote:
    12.50 and they have finally started

    EDIT
    Remember this :- That I travelled over the Col Bonette in the 1960's when it was a narrow dangerous gravel/dirt road around the Headland at 2805 meters high and the headland put the fear of christ into my wife.
    Because of increased traffic over the pass they cut a road through the ridge so vehicles could pass one another safely without having to reverse. They had widened the headland because of the danger out there.
    The road was Tarmaced in 1993 for the Tour de France and Robert Millar dropped Pedro Delgado just after they past me and Robert won the mountain prize before Indurain and his followers passed on the Isola 2000 climb.

    Today is almost the same route.

    Great post!
    http://whosatthewheel.com
  • adr82adr82 Posts: 4,002
    Le Commentateur wrote:
    How many Columbians are riding in today's stage? Just wondering about the possibilities for a Chaves meta-team.
    Uran and Atapuma at least. The latter is up the road in the break today, and Uran already said yesterday he'll try to help Chaves if he gets the opportunity.
  • blazing_saddlesblazing_saddles Posts: 14,001
    Very much the calm before the storm.
    "Science is a tool for cheaters". An anonymous French PE teacher.
  • EnacheVEnacheV Posts: 235
    Would be epic for Nieve to win after 100km solo and bonus mountain KoM red
  • RichN95.RichN95. Posts: 22,894
    Blazing Saddles wrote:
    Very much the calm before the storm.
    The Snow before the storm at the moment
    Twitter: @RichN95
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