Giro d'Italia Stage 18: Valdaora-Santa Maria d.S. 220km

neris

Long one today downhill with a few lumps to get over and possibility of a sprint finish for those sprinters whove survived the mountains

Technical Overview:
The last chance for the sprinters, if there are any left after the last 6 stages... A very long but easy stage from Valdaora, in the middle of the mountains, to Santa Maria di Sala, in the Venetian flats. The stage blatantly avoids any possible climb to get to destination as quickly and painlessly as possible, which is understandable given what we already had and what is still left. The stage starts with a 30 km uphill drag to Cimabanche, and after that it features a very long descending false flat interrupted by the only GPM of the day, Pieve di Alpago (GPM4, 6.7 km at 4.5%). The last 60 km are perfectly flat.

dastardly00

The only certain thing about the stage today is that there will be an Androni Giocattoli rider(s) in the breakaway

De Bhál

downhill almost all the way, my kind of profile

terrydel

Looks like the big guys will have a rest today, and tomoro and mainly Saturday will be where its won or lost.
I cant see past Carapaz but you never know.

De Bhál

should be some nice footage from the helicopters as they get close to Venice

dastardly00

terrydel wrote: »

Looks like the big guys will have a rest today, and tomoro and mainly Saturday will be where its won or lost.
I cant see past Carapaz but you never know.

I agree. I don't think he will crack on Friday or Saturday. And Movistar are very strong, especially Landa.
I actually wouldn't be surprised to see Landa in a podium position by Saturday evening, and then be back out of it after the ITT

buffalo

That was bizarre - someone just crashed or dumped a bike in the middle of the road as the break was approaching. Riders just went around it, as someone else tried to clear it away.

https://imgur.com/a/gU7Lg0X

Saw that, the 'hoodie' seemed to be walking away and the other lad clearing it from the road . Seeing the still im wondering about the car up the road now.

Come on lads!!!!!!!

Going to be very close here.

Daroxtar

What a finish...... Brilliant!!!

Doesn't get much closer than that, chapeau.

Some tweets with footage of the incident during the stage.

https://twitter.com/thepuncheur/status/1134095540231331840

https://twitter.com/SachaModolo/status/1134117051348529152

Lumen

If there's one thing pro bicycle cyclers are good at it's dodging crashed bikes.

dastardly00

Just watched the highlights... Even though I knew the result and how it finished, it was still brilliant to watch. Rob Hatch's commentary was good.

dastardly00 wrote: »

The only certain thing about the stage today is that there will be an Androni Giocattoli rider(s) in the breakaway

D'oh

harringtonp

Know a lot of people here don't particularly like Wiggins but he is interesting to listen to and brings a lot to the Eurosport panel.

neris

harringtonp wrote: »

Know a lot of people here don't particularly like Wiggins but he is interesting to listen to and brings a lot to the Eurosport panel.

I think he's good and isn't as much of a wanker as he was when racing. Even he admitted that himself that need changed and chilled out.