Giro d'Italia Stage 18 – May 23th, Mori - Polsa (ITT) 20.6km,**Unmasked Spoilers**

dastardly00

Today's ITT could very well decide the Giro, as Friday and Saturday's stages up in the Dolomites might be re-routed or neutralised (linky).

The first 1.5 km of the stage are flat, then the road ramps up to 6.6% average gradient for 7.5 km. It’s then almost flat for 5 km with a little descent and a short ascent. The final 6.4 km are uphill with an average gradient of about 7%, but there are parts with 10% gradient within the last 5km.

The full list of start times (CET!) can be found here.

GC Top-10 start times (GMT):
GESINK Robert @15:06
INTXAUSTI Be @15:09
MAJKA Rafal @15:12
BETANCUR Carlos @15:15
SANTAMBROGIO Mauro @15:18
NIEMIEC Przemyslaw @15:21
SCARPONI Michele @15:24
URAN Rigoberto @15:27
EVANS Cadel @15:30
NIBALI Vincenzo @15:33




Last kilometre


Live TV coverage on Eurosport1 from 1.30pm. Highlights on Sky Sports 1 at 6.30pm, and on Eurosport1 at 10.30pm.
Live ticker here.

bazermc

So will the lads have full TT bikes or regular bikes with bars on them?

mistermatthew

bazermc wrote: »

So will the lads have full TT bikes or regular bikes with bars on them?

Full TT bikes,
Perhaps Euskatel will have road bikes, they do hate the old TT bikes

dastardly00

Nibbly started his TT a few minutes ago.
There are 4-way split screens popping up on the tv coverage :pac:

retalivity

if that time is correct, cadel is well off the pace already

AstraMonti

Wow nibali is already 1:30s in front of Evans..

Rovi

Nibbles is really going for it!

dastardly00

absolute nightmare from Cadel so far.

Rovi

Cadel could do with the lads to give a bit of a push today:

retalivity

well...thats the end of that then

Guybrush T

Rovi wrote:

Cadel could do with the lads to give a bit of a push today:

Well he needs to rethink his hydration if he needs a 'natural break' on a 20k ITT

Unregistered.

:eek: Nibbles wins by 58seconds.

dastardly00

ITT result:

1. Vincenzo Nibali Astana 0:44:29
2. Samuel Sanchez Euskaltel-Euskadi @00:58
3. Damiano Caruso Cannondale @1:20
4. Michele Scarponi Lampre-Merida @1:21
5. Rafal Majka Team Saxo-Tinkoff @1:25
6. Rigoberto Uran Sky Procycling @1:26
7. Carlos Betancur Ag2R La Mondiale @1:32
8. Stef Clement Blanco @1:36
9. Dario Cataldo Sky @1:41
10. Danilo Di Luca Vini Fantini-Selle Italia @1:52

1. Vincenzo Nibali Astana 73:55:58
2. Cadel Evans BMC @4:02
3. Rigoberto Uran Sky @4:12
4. Michele Scarponi Lampre-Merida @5:14
5. Przemyslaw Niemiec Lampre-Merida @6:09
6. Rafal Majka Team Saxo-Tinkoff @6:45
7. Carlos Betancur Ag2R La Mondiale @6:47
8. Mauro Santambrogio (Ita) Vini Fantini-Selle Italia @7:30
9. Benat Intxausti Movistar @8:36
10. Samuel Sanchez Euskaltel-Euskadi @9:34

Dolomites or no Dolomites, Nibbly has the overall wrapped up.
But the fight for the white jersey between Majka and Bentacur is fantastic!

MPFG

Oh nearly there for Sammy...Thought he could win a stage though not necessarily a TT

However he could come good tomorrow or Saturday...getting better as he goes along (not Cadel though )

Was up the Tre Cime di Lavaredo four years ago (not during the Giro) .....there was so much snow then and it was good weather

riparooo

Well I'm thinking that Betancur is the only one who can stay with Nibali when he, inevitably in my view, attacks in mountains, and I get to cash in my each way bet!

Betting aside Betancur is probably the most exciting young rider out there at the moment.

buffalo

riparooo wrote: »

Betting aside Betancur is probably the most exciting young rider out there at the moment.

Aye, was sad to see him lose the white jersey, he's been livening up the race for me!

Dr. Bre

buffalo wrote: »

Aye, was sad to see him lose the white jersey, he's been livening up the race for me!

Also Majka has been good. No stelvio climb tomorow thats a pity!

dastardly00

Bentacur has been an unbelievable signing for AG2R. So far this season: 3rd in La Fleche Wallone, 4th in LBL, and 7th overall in the Tour of the Basque Country. And he is only 23!

Majka has been great in the Giro. I'll admit that I had never heard of him before this race. This is going to be a great result for him in his first year as a pro!!!

IM0

Dr. Bre wrote: »

Also Majka has been good. No stelvio climb tomorow thats a pity!

or gavia