Giro d'Italia Stage 7 – May 10th, San Salvo - Pescara 177km, **Unmasked Spoilers**

dastardly00

There are going to be loads of riders fancying their chances today, and there is a good chance that a breakaway will make it the whole way. Expect riders who are not threatening the overall lead, and who want to get their hands on the KOM jersey, to be in the breakaway.

The individual TT tomorrow will no doubt allow Wiggins to gain a nice bit of time on his rivals, so there is a good chance that Vincenzo Nibali, Ryder Hesjedal and Cadel Evans will attack today. Some of the climbs around the area of Chieti are often found in the Tirreno-Adriatico, and Evans and Nibbly know these well. Luca Paolini and Katusha will want to keep the pink jersey for another day so they will be quick to chase down any attacks by GC contenders so that could be very helpful for Wiggo.





@Km / To Go | Climb | Length | Av. Grade | Max | Cat.
124.6 / 52 | Villamagna | 2.3km | 6.8% | 18% | 4
138 / 39 | Chieti-Pietragrossa | 2.5km | 9.5% | 16% | 3
142.4 / 35 | Tricalle | 1.1km | 11.5% | 19% | n/a
157.3 / 20 | Santa Maria di Criptis | 3.5km | 6.9% | 18% | 3
169.6 / 7 | San Silvestro | 1.5km | 8.5% | 14% | 4

Live TV coverage on Eurosport1 from 1.15pm. Highlights on Eurosport2 at 10.30pm, and on Sky Sports 3 at 9.30pm.
Live ticker here.

Inquitus

1.1km at 11.5% avg and 19% max how does that compare to our Wicklow wall? I would imagine it makes it look like a false flat!

mcgratheoin

Inquitus wrote: »

1.1km at 11.5% avg and 19% max how does that compare to our Wicklow wall? I would imagine it makes it look like a false flat!

The Wall is 1.6km at 9.4% average so it's not a million miles away from it. Basically the same only without that flatish section leading up to the crossroads in the middle.


http://app.strava.com/segments/824925


**edit** The top half of the wall up towards the old long hill is .6km at 12.2%

http://app.strava.com/segments/1077130

Inquitus

mcgratheoin wrote: »

The Wall is 1.6km at 9.4% average so it's not a million miles away from it. Basically the same only without that flatish section leading up to the crossroads in the middle.


http://app.strava.com/segments/824925


**edit** The top half of the wall up towards the old long hill is .6km at 12.2%

http://app.strava.com/segments/1077130

I fully expect them all on Compacts with a 28T at the back just like me on the wall then

IM0

ouch this is like amstel or something :eek:

sy

This should be a classic stage and I expect Evans and Nibali to do well. Evans is looking particularly strong over the last few days.

n-dawg

I've been looking forward to this stage... I hope Evans, Nibali and Hesjedal try make Wiggens hurt today. Great stage to have just before the long TT

IM0

sy wrote: »

This should be a classic stage

intentional or not? hmmmmmm

retalivity

Evans is sick, allegedly. If so I doubt we'll see much from him today.

C-Shore

retalivity wrote: »

Evans is sick, allegedly. If so I doubt we'll see much from him today.

Does he live in a hospital? :mad:

buffalo

retalivity wrote: »

Evans is sick, allegedly. If so I doubt we'll see much from him today.

Phinney is apparently in the gruppetto with the sprinters too.

dastardly00

Seemingly Evans has had a bit of a mechanical problem.... in that he needed to change his shoe!

Also Uran has had a hilarious fall

Dermot Illogical

That surface will be interesting..

retalivity

nibali you muppet

retalivity

wiggins down now too!

DDC1990

Wiggins down!

Up quickly but might lose some time.

retalivity

wiggins is coasting down the hill now

DDC1990

A 2 km TT for Wiggins on the flat to make up some of the time.

Well deserved win by Adam Hanson. Delighted for him.

Brad768

He really is taking it easy.
I'd say it would be an easier job counting the riders that haven't hit the floor today rather than the ones who have!

dastardly00

Fantastic win by Hansen!

retalivity

inxausti into pink?

DDC1990

Bradley Wiggins lost just under 1m30sec on the second group in.

Couldn't see Nibali in that group though.

EDIT: Eurosport got it wrong he was in that group. 1m20 lost.

Hope its raining tomorrow so Wiggins doesn't destroy everyone in the TT :P

retalivity

DDC1990 wrote: »

Hope its raining tomorrow so Wiggins doesn't destroy everyone in the TT :P

If wiggins hurt himself then no rain would be needed

petethedrummer

Evans is looking good. No mistakes and always up there at the end of stages, like when he won the tour.

pelevin

My 25 euros on Ryder H is looking to at least have a decent run for its money.

IM0

oh dear that was interesting but in all the wrong ways

pelevin

IM0 wrote: »

oh dear that was interesting but in all the wrong ways

I thought it was interesting in good ways.

Inquitus

Tomorrow will tell us alot, if Wiggins takes 3-4 mins out of them all then we know he was just being prudent, if he doesn't take pink by a decent amount then he's off form.

He either TT's to a decent lead and holds his own in the mountains or he finishes nowhere imo, and it's too early to say which way it will go.

MPFG

Can't understand why SKy had to send back Uran for Wiggins ...wouldn't Henao have done ... Both Henao and Uran were in the top 10 and Uran could have had the Maglia Rosa today if he stayed up front .....strange decision at sky

Bradley Wiggins looked like he could murder someone....probably the guy who set the Giro course...I did think he descents are his achilles heel and need to be exploited by others

Glad Hejestal is doing so well (want him to win) and even Sammy moved up to 11th ...:D

RobFowl

Have to say am a fan but Wiggins descending after he fell was simply pathetic....

I know he may have been sore and shaken but to free-wheel down long sections while other dropped riders cruised by and left him was poor.

He's been around long enough to know that it does rain occasionally !!

Craig06

I think Ryder could take pink tomorrow. Could see wiggins doing that much damage to him to recoup the time difference.

TheBlaaMan

RobFowl wrote: »

I know he may have been sore and shaken but to free-wheel down long sections while other dropped riders cruised by and left him was poor.

He was clearly 'making the cal-cul-ay-shun' as SK would say. But I agree it was a poor spectacle - pretty much what we've come to expect from Wiggins though......He sees no point in taking too many risks, he just wanted to stay safe and 'in range' of the other GC guys as he's obviously confident that he can put a few minutes into them tomorrow. I'm hoping (vainly perhaps) that its not as suited to him as other 55km TT courses might be. I thought I read that it had nearly 1000m of altitude gain, but checking this I see it actually has only just over 500m - though with a climb to the finish. There is a 60% chance of rain tomorrow, (again "apparently")

I presume its in everyone's plan to use TT bikes, but is there a chance someone will use their road bike?

EDIT: Wiggins now 23rd on GC @ 1:27 from Nibali and 1:24 from Hesjedal

retalivity

TheBlaaMan wrote: »

I presume its in everyone's plan to use TT bikes, but is there a chance someone will use their road bike?

If there is, i'd bet you the princely sum of one euro that its someone from euskaltel.

downwiththatsor

Technical descent before the 26km time check, if its wet then Wiggins may not gain as much as he might otherwise.

Nice preview video here from Dan Llyod here-

https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=HOzElgMXg9o

godtabh

Any one have detailed classifications?

MPFG

retalivity wrote: »

If there is, i'd bet you the princely sum of one euro that its someone from euskaltel.

Ae you saying Sammy may not realise his potential tomorrow as he will be on a road bike :rolleyes:

retalivity

http://www.cyclingnews.com/giro-ditalia/stage-7/results

stege results and gc there....no sprints or KOM yet

pelevin

RobFowl wrote: »

Have to say am a fan but Wiggins descending after he fell was simply pathetic....

I know he may have been sore and shaken but to free-wheel down long sections while other dropped riders cruised by and left him was poor.

He's been around long enough to know that it does rain occasionally !!

But unlike the European continental riders, British riders like Wiggins won't have grown up with much rain around.

MPFG

pelevin wrote: »

But unlike the European continental riders, British riders like Wiggins won't have grown up with much rain around.

It never rains in Kilburn....I used to live there an I would know

petethedrummer

It doesn't rain indoors.

TheBlaaMan

Interesting preview of tomorrow stage here.
http://www.pelotonmagazine.com/Wilcockson/content/21/2289/Wiggins-Big-TT-Gamble

MPFG

TheBlaaMan wrote: »

Interesting preview of tomorrow stage here.
http://www.pelotonmagazine.com/Wilcockson/content/21/2289/Wiggins-Big-TT-Gamble

Like how Sammy got a mention as serious GC contender

Rastadoyle

Wiggo will realise now the giro is tougher than the tour! unpredictable stages and weather. hats off if wiggins does win from here! stil surprised uran went back for him

Leroy42

I don't get what you all complaining about Wiggo about. The conditions were terrible, he already crashed, and he knows that he will knock 3/4 minutes out of the others from the safety of the TT. Why would he risk doing anything else?

He only lost 1.30 or so, and I bet the other guys gave ot everything towards the end.

ashleey

It has all the hall marks of being planned so that you can't just look at your power meter all day like sky did in le tour, particularly today's stage with so much up with a technical descent and then a repeat. I like brad but he definitely looked shook as they say. Even the TT stages aren't really set for him, ending on a stiff climb tomorrow. He is looking a bit brave in saying he wants to win a tour that looks like it was almost deliberately designed against his style.

pelevin

Leroy42 wrote: »

I don't get what you all complaining about Wiggo about. The conditions were terrible, he already crashed, and he knows that he will knock 3/4 minutes out of the others from the safety of the TT. Why would he risk doing anything else?

He only lost 1.30 or so, and I bet the other guys gave ot everything towards the end.

There's risk and there's descending like a granny.

happytramp

The difference in attitudes between Wiggins and Nibali couldn't be stronger. Wiggins crashes, casually climbs back on, rolls down the hill at a snails pace after consulting with the team car whereas Nibali throws himself back on the bike and hurls himself down the hill as fast as he can. It's possible that Wiggins is incredibly confident that he can cruise to victory on his TT skills but it's also possible that Nibali has more fight in him and just wants it more.

niceonetom

http://twitter.com/#!/Vaughters/status/333023235841073153

If Wiggins was devoting a portion of his energies to not shîtting himself on the already poop inducing descents then I'm more inclined to forgive yesterday's lack of fight.

MrCreosote

Yup, Wiggins is sick. Should knock him back a bit today too. A number of the Sky team are sick or recovering.

I think he mightn't even win today- certainly won't be taking 3-4 minutes out of the rest.

happytramp

If he is sick and it's the same thing as Cataldo then he should be better in a day or so. Cataldo seemed back on form yesterday. Although, it's likely to cost him a bit today alright.

IM0

wiggins sick? ah feck you want the roads and fitness to sort men from boys not the weather and illness