Giro d'Italia Stage 3 – May 6th Sorrento – Marina Ascea 212k **Unmasked Spoilers**

Flandria

So, after a criterium and a TTT we have the first full length road stage. It's advantage Sky but they will have to do some work today. Most of the day is on the coast and the forecast is for some rain but not much in the way of wind. The first 70km is full of punchy climbs along the Amalfi coast before settling down for a flat run to a Cat 2 climb San Mauro Cilento and from there it’s up and down to the finish which is at the end of a technical descent.

An immediate opportunity for Nibali or other contenders to take a few seconds and bonus time with a stage win, but can they get away? Visconti might be a good shout as he will be looking to defend his climber's jersey. A tickler of a stage...

RamirezAuron

This stage could lead to some surprises...

Darkglasses

Unless there's a killer breakaway, I think the stage winner will come from whoever can descend the best. The climbs don't look tough enough for any of the main contenders to put in major time on the way up. There is a 20 seconds bonus for the stage winner however. Nibali? Sanchez?

TheBlaaMan

Flandria wrote: »

Most of the day is on the coast and the forecast is for some rain but not much in the way of wind. The first 70km is full of punchy climbs along the Amalfi coast before settling down for a flat run to a Cat 2 climb San Mauro Cilento and from there it’s up and down to the finish which is at the end of a technical descent.

the Inner Ring ‏@inrng
Webcam near the finish of today's #Giro stage with dark skies, rain forecast for later http://www.campaniameteo.it/dettaglio_webcam.php?webcam=35

IM0

RamirezAuron wrote: »

This stage could lead to some surprises...

certainly could get interesting if there are drying roads for the last descent. interesting to see what niballi will do though whatever happens
and with 20 seconds up for grabs he might try something

Flandria

The Colombia kit is nice.
The Amalfi coast looks beautiful.
There isn't much happening.

Yet...

dastardly00

Flandria wrote: »

The Colombia kit is nice.
The Amalfi coast looks beautiful.
There isn't much happening.

Yet...

Cav is gone out the back of the peloton.... Although that doesn't come as a surprise!

Flandria

dastardly00 wrote: »

Cav is gone out the back of the peloton.... Although that doesn't come as a surprise!

Can't see him getting to Milan tbh. All's not well at OPQS methinks - only one rider back to mind the designated team leader and the rest riding up the front?

retalivity

alright ryder, what are you up to??

Flandria

I think he is just letting Sky know how much of a job they have on for the next three weeks...

BQQ

Nibali well placed to make a move here.

Should be an exciting finale

MPFG

Juat love Ryder Hasjedal .....he made that very exciting....he seesm so strong...after all his attacking still manages third....happy to see Sammy in top 5 and Cadelin 2nd

Never seen so many crashes....luckily most up again
Scarponi probably rueing the fact that he followed the Blancos so closely!

TheBlaaMan

Great stage and its really refreshing to see something other than yet another race that Sky try to control. I'm really turning against them ...!

Lets hope that this is a taste of what the next three weeks will look like.

Flandria

Unwritten rule - don't ever follow Euskaltel or Rabo. Great to see the champ riding like the champ. A good race and bodes well for the next week...

Flandria

Stage 3 Results

ITA 1 PAOLINI, Luca (KATUSHA) 5:43:50
AUS 2 EVANS, Cadel (BMC RACING) + 16
CAN 3 HESJEDAL, Ryder (GARMIN SHARP)
ITA 4 SANTAMBROGIO, Mauro (VINI FANTINI - SELLE ITALIA)
ESP 5 SANCHEZ GONZALEZ, Samuel (EUSKALTEL EUSKADI)
ITA 6 CARUSO, Giampaolo (KATUSHA)

GC (Provisional)

ITA 1 PAOLINI, Luca (KATUSHA) 9:04:32
GBR 2 WIGGINS, Bradley (SKY PROCYCLING) + 17
COL 3 URAN URAN, Rigoberto (SKY PROCYCLING)
ESP 4 INTXAUSTI ELORRIAGA, Benat (MOVISTAR TEAM) + 26
ITA 5 NIBALI, Vincenzo (ASTANA PRO TEAM) + 31
ITA 6 AGNOLI, Valerio (ASTANA PRO TEAM)
CAN 7 HESJEDAL, Ryder (GARMIN SHARP) + 34
ITA 8 CARUSO, Giampaolo (KATUSHA) + 36
RUS 9 TROFIMOV, Yury (KATUSHA)
COL 10 HENAO MONTOYA, Sergio Luis (SKY PROCYCLING) + 37

IM0

where did that come from! thought there might be something interesting with nibali but I dont think anyone was expecting that to happen! chapeau ryder
very interesting end of stage, and laying part of his stall out very soon.

dermabrasion

That was awesome, but I wonder did the rest of the Garmin boys keep their powder dry wile Ryder was pointing out that the script for this years Giro has not been written. Sky-Borg did not assimilate...bssst...zzpp.... I have my doubts about Astana, but I was glad to see them react.

Flandria

I think Nibs missed an opportunity today. Hesjedal was on fire and if Nibali had pushed on the descent with him they could have really piled on some pressure...

MPFG

I thought Wiggins didn't look too hot on the descent ...maybe a place to attack in future stages
And sky train were not their usual invincible selves

Danielson was in the same group as Ryder and finished 12th ..(now 7th and 13th in GC)... I'd say Garmin have some tricks up their sleeve...which will make it exciting

And if Evans and Sanchez can gain sometime we may have a more open Giro than the two horse race of Wiggly Nibbly most expected

Craig06

I still think the Garmin team are the ones to watch. Ryder is very strong and has great back up from quite an experienced team.

Darkglasses

Who was on the microphone today? I'm watching to highlights, and it isn't Declan and Sean?

dastardly00

Darkglasses wrote: »

Who was on the microphone today? I'm watching to highlights, and it isn't Declan and Sean?

Are you watching it on Sky Sports by any chance :pac:

Darkglasses

dastardly00 wrote: »

Are you watching it on Sky Sports by any chance :pac:

Derp. Yes, I am.

MPFG

Here is the last kilometres with Declan and Sean if you are missing them !

http://cyclingtips.com.au/2013/05/2013-giro-ditalia-stage-3-results/

AlreadyHome

MPFG wrote: »

I thought Wiggins didn't look too hot on the descent ...maybe a place to attack in future stages
And sky train were not their usual invincible selves

I don't think Wiggins would've been too keen to risk his neck at such an early stage over a potential few seconds. If he's confident he can stick with them on the climbs and he has the TTs seemingly in his pocket, the risk of a damaging spill on a descent would be senseless.

MPFG

AlreadyHome wrote: »

I don't think Wiggins would've been too keen to risk his neck at such an early stage over a potential few seconds. If he's confident he can stick with them on the climbs and he has the TTs seemingly in his pocket, the risk of a damaging spill on a descent would be senseless.

You may be right but the bonifactions are the issue ...if he is out of the top places and his rivals get the points then he could loose more than a few seconds ...I guess for me he lacks the daring of Ryder and others....playing safe may be his achilles heel......and nothing is certain on TT,s although he is superb at that discipline

Darkglasses

MPFG wrote: »

You may be right but the bonifactions are the issue ...if he is out of the top places and his rivals get the points then he could loose more than a few seconds ...I guess for me he lacks the daring of Ryder and others....playing safe may be his achilles heel......and nothing is certain on TT,s although he is superb at that discipline

Indeed, it's far from a foregone conclusion. There's an awful lot of time bonuses up for grabs over a 21 stage race. If Bradley/Team Sky ever get casual about this race, they will lose the Giro. However if Sky are anything, they're pure professional.

Speaking of professionalism, no points for the motorcycle cameramen in today's stage. Italian driving is living up to it's stereotype.

Darkglasses

Bloody hell Paolini. What a monster.

Flandria

Darkglasses wrote: »

Indeed, it's far from a foregone conclusion. There's an awful lot of time bonuses up for grabs over a 21 stage race. If Bradley/Team Sky ever get casual about this race, they will lose the Giro. However if Sky are anything, they're pure professional.

Apart from when they send Froome out underdressed and overgeared at Tirreno-Adriatico, or when they give Wiggins a spare bike at Trentino that has a different set up, or when they get the gearing wrong on the Angrilu, or when they let Dan Martin up the road at Catalunya...;)

Darkglasses

Flandria wrote: »

Apart from when they send Froome out underdressed and overgeared at Tirreno-Adriatico, or when they give Wiggins a spare bike at Trentino that has a different set up, or when they get the gearing wrong on the Angrilu, or when they let Dan Martin up the road at Catalunya...;)

I didn't mean infallible or unbeatable! They are leading the way in professionalism in the pro peloton, as I'm sure you'll agree.

dexty

Where is Harmon gone btw? I think Declan's doin a good job!

Flandria

I think that's the point though. For a team whose mantra is 'marginal gains' achieved through this uber-professionalism that they embody (did you hear Kerrison talking last week about how they have exploited the 'knowledge gap'?), they make some pretty basic errors. I hope that sending what looks so far to be a pretty lightweight road team to the Giro might end up being one of their biggest mistakes.

Beasty

dexty wrote: »

Where is Harmon gone btw? I think Declan's doin a good job!

Not gone anywhere - He'll be back for the Tour based on what he said in another commentry a week or so ago