Giro 2017: Stage 5 - Pedara > Messina. (157km) **spoilers**

andyp

Blazing Saddles wrote:

Ewan looking like a boy against men.

I know he's young, and has time to improve, but he does seem to struggle with the intensity of sprints in GTs, especially as the race progresses. He started relatively brightly at the Giro last year and faded away to anonymity, he runs the risk of doing the same again this year.

rick_chasey

Quick Step.

Smashing the Giro with kids.

Ooof.

That'll help Lefevre get some sponsors *fingers crossed*

rick_chasey

andyp wrote:

Blazing Saddles wrote:

Ewan looking like a boy against men.

I know he's young, and has time to improve, but he does seem to struggle with the intensity of sprints in GTs, especially as the race progresses. He started relatively brightly at the Giro last year and faded away to anonymity, he runs the risk of doing the same again this year.

If I take off my biased hat - he's done GTs too soon in his career.

If sprinting is a confidence thing, doubly so when you're small and get muscled out why knock it when you're not fully developed yet?

specialized_nick

Crampeur wrote:

French TV making an interesting point about how Ewan started sprinting when he saw Pibernik going for the line - a sign of ineperience and lack of understanding of the parcours in the final. Maybe something there.

Funnily enough, Orica did a pre stage backstage pass this morning and he said then that it was the 1st time he'd even looked at the profile/route?!

m.r.m.

It's incredible that Quickstep can't find sufficient sponsorship.

Lanterne_Rogue

Rick Chasey wrote:

andyp wrote:

Blazing Saddles wrote:

Ewan looking like a boy against men.

I know he's young, and has time to improve, but he does seem to struggle with the intensity of sprints in GTs, especially as the race progresses. He started relatively brightly at the Giro last year and faded away to anonymity, he runs the risk of doing the same again this year.

If I take off my biased hat - he's done GTs too soon in his career.

If sprinting is a confidence thing, doubly so when you're small and get muscled out why knock it when you're not fully developed yet?

Didn't work out too badly for Cavendish after his first (winless) TdF though, did it?

ocdupalais

Cavenwho?

salsiccia1

Cavenfinished

rick_chasey

Yeah but he's a bit special.

Cavendish Ewen ain't.

thegibdog

Pibernik was entertaining - it looked like he thought it was the finish when he rode off the front and kept glancing behind him, and he didn't disappoint.

Ewan looks to be the fastest sprinter here so must be getting frustrated now.

Anyone any idea why the Tour of Azerbaijan are advertising on Eurosport when the race finished last weekend?

blazing_saddles

thegibdog wrote:

Anyone any idea why the Tour of Azerbaijan are advertising on Eurosport when the race finished last weekend?

Because the advert lasts longer than their coverage. :P

philwint

Specialized_Nick wrote:

Crampeur wrote:

French TV making an interesting point about how Ewan started sprinting when he saw Pibernik going for the line - a sign of ineperience and lack of understanding of the parcours in the final. Maybe something there.

Funnily enough, Orica did a pre stage backstage pass this morning and he said then that it was the 1st time he'd even looked at the profile/route?!

I saw that and it clashed significantly with Cav's approach as described in his books. Where he does an in-depth analysis of the last 5-10k on the previous evening. Including street view of the finishing 1km.

craigus89

I find that quite astounding that he hadn't even looked at the profile till the morning of the stage. Even if he wasn't motivated to look at it in a bit of depth, you'd think someone on the team would have sat down with him for 10 minutes or something. I guess we never know how focused they are on different aspects of the race though, it has always been Orica's intention to start targeting GC, perhaps at the expense of the sprinters?

As said above though, maybe it just shows a lack of experience or immaturity on his part.

rick_chasey

Craigus89 wrote:

I find that quite astounding that he hadn't even looked at the profile till the morning of the stage. Even if he wasn't motivated to look at it in a bit of depth, you'd think someone on the team would have sat down with him for 10 minutes or something. I guess we never know how focused they are on different aspects of the race though, it has always been Orica's intention to start targeting GC, perhaps at the expense of the sprinters?

As said above though, maybe it just shows a lack of experience or immaturity on his part.

You gonna say the same about Nibs who last year didn't know, until he started warming up, that the TT wasn't in fact a TTT?

craigus89

Rick Chasey wrote:

Craigus89 wrote:

I find that quite astounding that he hadn't even looked at the profile till the morning of the stage. Even if he wasn't motivated to look at it in a bit of depth, you'd think someone on the team would have sat down with him for 10 minutes or something. I guess we never know how focused they are on different aspects of the race though, it has always been Orica's intention to start targeting GC, perhaps at the expense of the sprinters?

As said above though, maybe it just shows a lack of experience or immaturity on his part.

You gonna say the same about Nibs who last year didn't know, until he started warming up, that the TT wasn't in fact a TTT?

Clearly not inexperience in his case. It does surprise me though that the riders don't take more notice of the parcours, you'd think some advantage could be gained there. I mean, what the hell are they doing every evening at the hotel!?

rick_chasey

Craigus89 wrote:

Rick Chasey wrote:

Craigus89 wrote:

I find that quite astounding that he hadn't even looked at the profile till the morning of the stage. Even if he wasn't motivated to look at it in a bit of depth, you'd think someone on the team would have sat down with him for 10 minutes or something. I guess we never know how focused they are on different aspects of the race though, it has always been Orica's intention to start targeting GC, perhaps at the expense of the sprinters?

As said above though, maybe it just shows a lack of experience or immaturity on his part.

You gonna say the same about Nibs who last year didn't know, until he started warming up, that the TT wasn't in fact a TTT?

Clearly not inexperience in his case. It does surprise me though that the riders don't take more notice of the parcours, you'd think some advantage could be gained there. I mean, what the hell are they doing every evening at the hotel!?

Travelling to the hotel, and then probably trying to think of anything but the race!

craigus89

Rick Chasey wrote:

Craigus89 wrote:

Rick Chasey wrote:

Craigus89 wrote:

I find that quite astounding that he hadn't even looked at the profile till the morning of the stage. Even if he wasn't motivated to look at it in a bit of depth, you'd think someone on the team would have sat down with him for 10 minutes or something. I guess we never know how focused they are on different aspects of the race though, it has always been Orica's intention to start targeting GC, perhaps at the expense of the sprinters?

As said above though, maybe it just shows a lack of experience or immaturity on his part.

You gonna say the same about Nibs who last year didn't know, until he started warming up, that the TT wasn't in fact a TTT?

Clearly not inexperience in his case. It does surprise me though that the riders don't take more notice of the parcours, you'd think some advantage could be gained there. I mean, what the hell are they doing every evening at the hotel!?

Travelling to the hotel, and then probably trying to think of anything but the race!

Yes but they are professionals, I wouldn't have thought it too taxing to expect a bit of prep for the following day inbetween glasses of red.

salsiccia1

Craigus89 wrote:

Yes but they are professionals, I wouldn't have thought it too taxing to expect a bit of prep for the following day inbetween glasses of red.

Those days went out with Vinokourov etc