Orange Crush
Posts:4499
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| 05/25/2019 10:57 AM |
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Maybe I'm wrong but thought that Roglic showed signs of tiring today. That final km where he was at back of group and let Nibali get final bonus seconds seemed uncharacteristic. Normally he is all over these sprints. Maybe just pacing himself. Nibali looks good but will need to do a lot more in week3. The real threat may come from movistar.
Stages 16 17 19 and 20 look like a brutal sequence. Tomorrow should also be good on Lombardia roads. |
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Cosmic Kid
Posts:4209
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| 05/26/2019 10:23 AM |
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Good stage today....amazing those guys stayed away.
Nibali has woken....let’s see why this week holds!! |
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79pmooney
Posts:3189
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| 05/26/2019 11:42 AM |
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Yeah! That was fun. Yes Nibali has. And I was just thinking yesterday that Nibali is a third week rider and that week is coming fast. Roglic looked like a rider who has pushed too far. Things are happening to him that shouldn't. Carapaz is fun to watch. I could easily imagine he and Nibali getting along well and cooperating in the future. (He also gets to benefit from having a really strong team behind him; a team with few egos. Shades of DQS. Landa is playing out much better than I thought he would.)
I really like this Giro. (Sorry CK.) Those long, hard, drudgery stages of the first two weeks means this week the racing is done on strong hearts and tired legs like a Grand Tour should be. Everyone in the GC hunt is either a real GT rider or has spent a mammoth day in the saddle. And (thankfully) this isn't the controlled ho-hum of the typical TdF.
Now Movistar will do its best to control stuff. Can they? With Nibali? Let the fun begin! Movistar does have to distance Roglic. 47 seconds in the final TT isn't going to work. (I can imagine Nibali going totally nuts descending from Croce d'Aune into the final climb next Saturday to get precious time on Roglic. Can Carapaz follow?)
Ben |
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Cosmic Kid
Posts:4209
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| 05/26/2019 03:54 PM |
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Gavia is out for Tuesday...two Cat 3 climbs to replace it.
Too bad but the right call.
http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/giro-ditalia-passo-gavia-removed-due-to-avalanche-threat/ |
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| Just say "NO!" to WCP!!!!
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Orange Crush
Posts:4499
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| 05/26/2019 04:59 PM |
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| Roglic again looked fatigued. I see him going backwards in week 3. |
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79pmooney
Posts:3189
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| 05/27/2019 01:39 AM |
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They were worried about ice on the way down as much as avalanches. Yeah, too bad but good call.
I'd love to see another epic Gavia. Single best, most classy ride probably ever to date by an American rider.
OC - Nibali probably almost wishes today wasn't a rest day. Yeah, his body is saying "please" but his fighting spirit is thinking that Roglic needs this rest day far more than he does; that ever day is running Roglic deeper down.
Ben |
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Orange Crush
Posts:4499
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| 05/27/2019 03:16 PM |
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Ben - I don't think Carapaz and Nibali will work together much at all. Nibali is already cursing himself for letting Carapaz take a flyer. Nibali's best hopes may lie in Yates upward swing in form and perhaps Lopez, as a way of taking the fight to Carapaz; which is now at least as important as putting time into Roglic.
Oh that Gavia stage, for the record Breukink won it. The stage may actually be more interesting now with Gavia gone as it will all come down to Mortirolo, which is an absolute beast. So perhaps more punchy racing than a grind fest. |
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79pmooney
Posts:3189
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| 05/27/2019 04:44 PM |
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Posted By Orange Crush on 05/27/2019 03:16 PM
Ben - I don't think Carapaz and Nibali will work together much at all. Nibali is already cursing himself for letting Carapaz take a flyer. Nibali's best hopes may lie in Yates upward swing in form and perhaps Lopez, as a way of taking the fight to Carapaz; which is now at least as important as putting time into Roglic.
Oh that Gavia stage, for the record Breukink won it. The stage may actually be more interesting now with Gavia gone as it will all come down to Mortirolo, which is an absolute beast. So perhaps more punchy racing than a grind fest.
Nibali may be cursing himself now and have to ride against Carapaz, but I'll bet he does not burn bridges with him. When I talked of cooperation in the future, I was thinking of future races. (And maybe, Nibali will become the Contador to Carapaz for future motivation.)
I know. Hampsten didn't win. Barely survived the descent nearly hypothermic. Breukink was allowed to go up-road as not a threat. Everyone was watching Hampsten knowing if he was going to do it he had to do it here. (Well, watching Hampsten and cursing the weather; probably more the latter.)
Ben
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Cosmic Kid
Posts:4209
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| 05/28/2019 09:58 PM |
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Wow...the race has certainly turned. Great stage today...all out action from the bottom of the Mortirolo to the finish. Nibali gave it a good shot, but Carapaz and Movistar have a fully loaded gun.
Roglic bet on the TT’s and wasn’t aggressive when he had the form...paying for that strategy now. Similarly, Nibali watched Roglic too closely and is now in the hole against Carapaz.
Fireworks await for the remainder of the week!! |
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| Just say "NO!" to WCP!!!!
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longslowdistance
Posts:2886
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| 05/28/2019 10:53 PM |
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And then there were two . . .
If the shark takes it, that would be career defining. Not sure he can, but having great fun watching. A podium for the ski jumper would still be a great finish. |
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79pmooney
Posts:3189
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| 05/29/2019 12:11 AM |
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| Cool thing is that I like both Nibali and Carapez. Nibali has slowly won me over. That ride on the cobbles a few years ago helped a lot! Carapez is too new to know but I like what I've seen so far. Just wish the Movistar steamroller was rolling over the former Sky instead trying to roll over Nibali. It's been fun racing to watch. (And I love how breakaways have mattered!) |
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Orange Crush
Posts:4499
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| 05/29/2019 10:39 AM |
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Nibali has one last chance in Stage 20 which is also stage Roglic needs to keep it together.
As it stands, I suspect final podium Carapaz, Roglic, Nibali. |
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mondonico
Posts:158
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| 05/29/2019 08:58 PM |
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| For a race that seemed slow to get into gear. Pun intended. It has made for fun watching. After many said short stages were the new way to make for interesting racing along comes a slug fest in the first two weeks that is creating some great racing in the third. Maybe still room for both styles. |
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Spud
Posts:525
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| 05/30/2019 11:35 AM |
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| Really enjoying this race so far. Moto camera feed, not so much. Almost nauseating the way the picture bounces around. |
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Orange Crush
Posts:4499
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| 05/30/2019 01:43 PM |
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Giro has certainly come alive after a slower than normal start.
Lots of suspense still with three days to go is brilliant. |
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