Just watched highlights of today's stage. Without knowing the result. Fantastic racing. Beautiful scenery. Can't believe how much snow is still in the Italian alps. What I can't understand is why there is controversy over the fact the peloton did not wait for the pink jersey when he had to take a natural break at the start of one of the climbs. Surely this is a question of his fitness and mistakes with his fluid and food intake during the day. What do the cycling fans on here think?
i agree with you. i guess its difficult to train your body so you can time when you want to go to the loo. other riders seem to manage it though. some could argue its a tactic that certain riders do when they want to stop any attacks by other riders at crucial moments (such as at the start of a climb) Anyway they were going to wait for him until apparently another team starting pulling the peleton forward (supposedly racing their own race and nothing to do with pink jersey)
About to start the final climb of this year's Giro. Top 4 riders covered by 54 seconds. Last stage tomorrow is a time trial. Time Trials, for me, are always the most boring stages. If the other GC riders don't get a lead of at least a minute and a half then Domoulin will win in the time trial tomorrow.
Imo they should never have time trials as the last stage.
Shocked that the last stage is a TT, if your going to have one it should be second or third last with the very final stage being like the final day of the TdF
The best Grand Tour of the modern era finished on a TT. Lemond's win in '89 against Fignon was phenomenal. Watching Fignon tacking his bike under himself with one disc wheel, whilst Lemond rode in tuck in line on a full TT setup was awesome.
Also the Giro TT finish of 09 with Di Luca and Dennie Menchov was unrivalled for drama by the drug cheats: Yep I liked watching it and knew both were hugely dodgy, but in the rain and with Menchov crashing it was awesome.
Grand Tours should be setup with different ends and different challenges. The way the Spanish teams gang up and drug cheat their way through the season into the Vuelta is more frustrating. When Astana isolated Dumoulin in 2015 Vuelta it was frustrating, but that's bike racing. If he wins against Nibali and Movistar in the TT, I'll be ecstatic. OK he's had support in the mountains this time, but he rode the mountains in the Vuelta virtually on his own and would probably have matched the contenders mono a mono. Tough if Qunitana or Nibali didn't do enough in the mountains. The Time Trial shows whose still got it at the end of a Tour; oh and how much Valverde's been 'recovering' off the bike in his Grand Tours.
Comments
think he might have the pink Jersey in the bag. Be a huge first for him.
some could argue its a tactic that certain riders do when they want to stop any attacks by other riders at crucial moments (such as at the start of a climb)
Anyway they were going to wait for him until apparently another team starting pulling the peleton forward (supposedly racing their own race and nothing to do with pink jersey)
What a fantastic way to end the best Grand Tour I've seen.
Let's hope the TdF is half as good.
It's not like the route was a surprise. It was on movistar to put the time into Dumoulin in the mountains, which they've been unable to do.
Things could not go as expected this afternoon but I hope not - big Tom will be a worthy winner.
Have the TT as the final stage and its going to hinder those who arent good at Time Trials but better on the moutains
Have a Mountain Stage as the final stage but that'll hinder those who arent good at Mountains but better on the mountains.
Have a Sprint stage and it'll only favour the current leader.
Also the Giro TT finish of 09 with Di Luca and Dennie Menchov was unrivalled for drama by the drug cheats: Yep I liked watching it and knew both were hugely dodgy, but in the rain and with Menchov crashing it was awesome.
Grand Tours should be setup with different ends and different challenges. The way the Spanish teams gang up and drug cheat their way through the season into the Vuelta is more frustrating. When Astana isolated Dumoulin in 2015 Vuelta it was frustrating, but that's bike racing. If he wins against Nibali and Movistar in the TT, I'll be ecstatic. OK he's had support in the mountains this time, but he rode the mountains in the Vuelta virtually on his own and would probably have matched the contenders mono a mono. Tough if Qunitana or Nibali didn't do enough in the mountains. The Time Trial shows whose still got it at the end of a Tour; oh and how much Valverde's been 'recovering' off the bike in his Grand Tours.