Giro d'Italia stage 18 (spoilers!)

[chengher87]

Cadel and Uran look to be fading a bit. Scarponi gaining time on both.

[chengher87]

Whoa! Uran recovered miraculously on the second the half.

[MattTuck]

The first time I watched an uphill time trial I thought it was the coolest thing ever. Now, I'm not so sure.

[chengher87]

Unless Nibali implodes, I think he's got it. He may have gone full gas, but the rest of his teammates went pretty gingerly. They should have enough energy to drag Nibali over the mountains if need be and they might not have to if the Stelvio is cancelled.

[jpw]

Nibali seems to have improved a little more than one might have expected for just one furtherl winter of training.

[firerescuefin]

Nibali seems to have improved a little more than one might have expected for just one furtherl winter of training.

Really...has won the Vuelta...podium'd in the TDF last year, basically took on the entire Sky team by himself, and this years Giro parcours suits him perfectly.

[jpw]

Really...has won the Vuelta...podium'd in the TDF last year, basically took on the entire Sky team by himself, and this years Giro parcours suits him perfectly.

and the opposition taken care of ;-)

[firerescuefin]

and the opposition taken care of ;-)

To that I'd agree completely...warm/better weather...healthy Wiggins ....and Uran on a different team as the leader...different race.

[chengher87]

Yeah, this year's Giro seemed prime for some fireworks with such a strong field. Although Cadel looked good, I didn't think he had it in him. Kind of reverted to wheel-sucking for a while (understandable though, since BMC decided to send it's A team to the ToC) and all the medium mountain stages that suit Cadel's style are behind them. Hesjedal and Wiggins dropped out. Basso didn't even start. So many teams don't have a true GC guy and the Colombia Coldeportes team has disappointed and may not even get a chance to ride at altitude if the two mountain stages are re-routed.

Even the sprinters have disappointed me a little bit. Degenkolb abandoned and Viviani has been less than stellar. I mean Cav has probably had a proper leadout for only one of his stage victories and was out of position a few times.

[chengher87]

Really...has won the Vuelta...podium'd in the TDF last year, basically took on the entire Sky team by himself, and this years Giro parcours suits him perfectly.

Well he may have been gifted that Vuelta. If Igor Anton hadn't crashed spectacularly.........

[BumbleBeeDave]

. . . have indeed been removed according to VeloNews.

I cna hear Adny Hampsten muttering under his breath . . . "$@#$& wimps!"

:p

BBD

[firerescuefin]

Well he may have been gifted that Vuelta. If Igor Anton hadn't crashed spectacularly.........

My point was that being right there in a grand tour is not new to him...and this was his targeted race for the year.

[chengher87]

My point was that being right there in a grand tour is not new to him...and this was his targeted race for the year.

Oh I know, I was just being difficult :)

[jpw]

Overall it's been a very uninteresting Giro. Even less interesting than last year's TdF. Sky got a lot of criticism for that, but Astana seems to be getting a free ride. Clearly there is an alliance of vested interests here, the race organisers, the wider Italian cycling media, the Italian cycling industry, et.c.

[MattTuck]

Overall it's been a very uninteresting Giro. Even less interesting than last year's TdF. Sky got a lot of criticism for that, but Astana seems to be getting a free ride. Clearly there is an alliance of vested interests here, the race organisers, the wider Italian cycling media, the Italian cycling industry, et.c.

You think a memo is circulated before each stage saying, "Let Visconti win today." and the teams just fold like a cheap suit?

The amount of racing and excitement in the finishes has been great, I have thought. Much better than the TDF, where the peloton rarely allows a group to stay away.

As for the GC battle. It'll teach some riders a lesson about coming into the race too skinny with a compromised immune system.

[CunegoFan]

Overall it's been a very uninteresting Giro. Even less interesting than last year's TdF. Sky got a lot of criticism for that, but Astana seems to be getting a free ride. Clearly there is an alliance of vested interests here, the race organisers, the wider Italian cycling media, the Italian cycling industry, et.c.

The Giro has an excuse. The course was good but was neutered by the weather. The 2012 TdF has no such excuse; the course was bad from the beginning.

[slidey]

Whoa! That's some scathing remark right there. I agree with most in that it isn't a fireworks packed Giro, but it isn't anywhere as boring as the Sky show last year in France! At least Nibali has been attacking from time-time.

Overall it's been a very uninteresting Giro. Even less interesting than last year's TdF. Sky got a lot of criticism for that, but Astana seems to be getting a free ride. Clearly there is an alliance of vested interests here, the race organisers, the wider Italian cycling media, the Italian cycling industry, et.c.

[chengher87]

Overall it's been a very uninteresting Giro. Even less interesting than last year's TdF. Sky got a lot of criticism for that, but Astana seems to be getting a free ride. Clearly there is an alliance of vested interests here, the race organisers, the wider Italian cycling media, the Italian cycling industry, et.c.

Actually, Astana aren't doing quite as much as Sky. It's basically been Kangert and Nibali most of the time. And Kangert was able to attack and such, unlike Sky who basically formed a shell around Wiggins and never left. Nibali has done a lot of riding on his own and attacked with more panache.

As some people have said, the weather has limited the race a little. It has handicapped the climbers because they've less opportunity to attack. So riders can't really pull a De Gendt this year.