Giro D'Italia Stage 19: Morbego to Asti (258km)

Richard Hillman

Riders are currently refusing to race as they feel the stage is too long. It's also raining and very cold.

The current scene is that they have rode to KM0 and are standing on the side of the road.

Boscoirl

Looks like they are getting the bus through the first 100KM

Richard Hillman

I'm watching on RAI Sport so have no idea what is going on. Seems like they are waiting on the team buses to come back to collect them.

Riders have been protesting all week about the stage,which was lengthened because of a bridge collapsing.

Richard Hillman

https://twitter.com/laflammerouge16/status/1319564801526386688?s=19

Boscoirl

who ever thought a 260KM flat stage was a good idea in the first place, 5+ hours of cycling for a 300m sprint

mr spuckler

Just catching up on the live blog on CyclingNews now - that's bananas! Though for us the scenery by Como would have been spoiled by the rain anyway...tbf it was a stupidly long stage in the 3rd week and after the 2 to have just gone before.

mr spuckler

https://twitter.com/LVCKV/status/1319563013821763584?s=20

Paddigol

As rolls of the dice go (and any major sporting event rescheduled this year has been a roll of the dice) I think its fair to say this edition of the Giro has not worked out well for the organisers or the brand. And I say that as a big fan of the Giro. The Tour went better than most expected off the bikes, while the race itself included some memorable battles and interesting subplots. The Vuelta has started off with a bang on the road and with little of the drama around positive tests and bubbles that seem to have plagued the Giro since the start. Today's farce pretty much sums up the race this year.

Edit: Plus Rob Hatch has even ruined the scenery-watching for me.

Richard Hillman

I wonder how this will effect the stage time ending. It was nice to get the end of the Giro and then the last hour of the Vuelta

mr spuckler

Richard Hillman wrote: »

I wonder how this will effect the stage time ending. It was nice to get the end of the Giro and then the last hour of the Vuelta

I read that they're looking to maintain similar timings so should be fine.

As the buses drive down the Valtellina with a police escort, RAI Tv is now suggesting the new stage start will be in Abbiategrasso, to the west of Milan.

That will mean a stage of 107km, cutting 150km from the stage. Abbiategrasso is a better start location than Como because it will allow the race convoy to arrive via the hors course route.

The stage would start at around 1:30 to respect the original race schedule and live television schedule.

Dodge

Official start confirmed

https://twitter.com/giroditalia/status/1319590060094869504?s=21

Macy0161

Paddigol wrote: »

As rolls of the dice go (and any major sporting event rescheduled this year has been a roll of the dice) I think its fair to say this edition of the Giro has not worked out well for the organisers or the brand. And I say that as a big fan of the Giro. The Tour went better than most expected off the bikes, while the race itself included some memorable battles and interesting subplots. The Vuelta has started off with a bang on the road and with little of the drama around positive tests and bubbles that seem to have plagued the Giro since the start. Today's farce pretty much sums up the race this year.

Edit: Plus Rob Hatch has even ruined the scenery-watching for me.

I think that's harsh on the Giro, and maybe the Vuelta (which hasn't gone through the rest day testing yet!).

We don't have to look very far to be aware the pandemic is in a very different place now compared to the Tour. And sources such as The Cycling Podcast have clarified that things haven't been that different in terms of hotels and team bubbles at the Giro and Tour.

Yesterdays stage the Grand Tour stage of the year for me so far, including the Tour's TT!

Also think it's harsh on Hatch too, take him over Carlton anyway, never mind the heavy breathing Carlton we've got at the moment!

mr spuckler

It looks like they're now running over an hour later than planned.

RCS Sport assistant director Stefano Allocchio has said the stage should now start at around 2:30.

RCS Sport has managed to find a large factory car park in Abbiategrasso to host the new race start.

As soon as the team buses arrive at the start, the racing will start.

Non start for the worst kind of positive test https://www.cyclingnews.com/news/matteo-spreafico-out-of-giro-ditalia-after-doping-positive/

Inquitus

Why did they have to have a flat day at both Grand Tours on the same day. Booo!

Macy0161

Inquitus wrote: »

Why did they have to have a flat day at both Grand Tours on the same day. Booo!

Allowing us to catch up on work?

Paddigol

Macy0161 wrote: »

I think that's harsh on the Giro, and maybe the Vuelta (which hasn't gone through the rest day testing yet!).

We don't have to look very far to be aware the pandemic is in a very different place now compared to the Tour. And sources such as The Cycling Podcast have clarified that things haven't been that different in terms of hotels and team bubbles at the Giro and Tour.

Yesterdays stage the Grand Tour stage of the year for me so far, including the Tour's TT!

Also think it's harsh on Hatch too, take him over Carlton anyway, never mind the heavy breathing Carlton we've got at the moment!

I don't want to take things off topic - my point was made in the context of today's start/non-start protest. But just to clarify, I wasn't suggesting the Vuelta has been disappointing, quite the opposite. And while the Giro may have been unfairly criticised for its handling of Covid protocols, you can't escape the negative light that it has cast on the race compared to the Tour, with a whole team pulling out and constant stories bubbling to the surface. It's been much more of a distraction. And from my viewing, the race itself has flattered to deceive compared to its usual exciting standards. Other than a neo-pro holding Pink so gamely for so long, I'm struggling to think what this Giro will be remembered for.

As for Hatch, again it might just be me, but he seems to have lost the run of himself this year. Constantly interrupting his expert co-commentator for the most insignificant of developments, far to quick to reach for hyperbole and his fake posh accent has gone into overdrive. I don't mind regular-breathing Carlton. Much better at dove-tailing with his co-commentator and not taking his role too seriously. Just lets to scenery roll by when there's not much happening. I accept that tastes differ though!

Anyway... Nibbles to time-trial his way back into contention today with some opportune/ machevelian pick-pocketing of his rivals. I hope!

Dodge

On the commentary, they’re in different rooms (different countries I think) so that plays a part. They’re definitely not as in sync as previous years

Hatch’s cheerleading for Ineos was hilarious yesterday though. On a day when Sunweb won the stage and moved into 1 & 2 on GC, he literally couldn’t stop praising Rohan Dennis.

I prefer Kirby. Sure he waffles a little and makes the odd mistake but I just find him less annoying

mr spuckler

Macy0161 wrote: »

Allowing us to catch up on work?

I'm hugely lacking in motivation today so the lack of cycling is just leaving me watching other sh1te on tv rather than working!

Richard Hillman

Giro Race Director saying they will bring the Lawyers in and he's not happy at all with the riders :pac:

Boscoirl

the Giro Director is pulling no punches on Eurosport at the moment

neris

Boscoirl wrote: »

the Giro Director is pulling no punches on Eurosport at the moment

what was he saying? had him muted while on a call

marvin80

neris wrote: »

what was he saying? had him muted while on a call

The race director has spoken to the media and told them he was completely blindsided by the actions of the riders today. He didn't mince his words:

"We didn't accept the riders' proposal and we have suffered from it. This is what happens when riders doesn't show up at start. Someone will pay for it.

"What happened today will cast a shadow over everything we did about it. Everyone know the Giro was in October, today it was 13°C. I listened a lot of riders, many didn't agree. Then you know how it starts, few didn't want to race and the rest will follow.."

"We didn't receive any request yesterday. We were approached by some Lotto riders. I pointed out that buses were no longer there and they would have been stuck in the cold. Then we started loading the riders up and, as I said, the Lotto-Soudal bus wasn't there."

Boscoirl

Didnt get the whole of it, but something along the lines of taking it the lawyers, this morning was the first he heard of it, and it was not a unanimous decision in the peleton

Eamonnator

Apparently the EF bus gained 5 minutes on the rest of the caravan.
If they keep this up, it'll really shake up the G.C.

Plastik

Bad and all as Kirby is, Hatch is infinitely worse. Why doesn't he put on an american accent when he's pronouncing US riders names? Or an ozzie accent for Rohan Dennis? IS IT BECAUSE HE'S RACIST?

neris

this is pretty boring

Inquitus

neris wrote: »

this is pretty boring

Aye multiple hours of cycling along for 200m of action at the end, sadly the same in both the Giro and the Vuelta today.

Paddigol

Dodge wrote: »

On the commentary, they’re in different rooms (different countries I think) so that plays a part. They’re definitely not as in sync as previous years

That's a fair point.

Inquitus

Some possible splits here?

Macy0161

Had lunch break - Sagan gets more unlikeable as this season goes on. Pure cheek of him wanting the GC riders to ride for him (and making it so obvious perhaps more to the point), the number of times he's come up short after the team burying themselves for him this season.

velo.2010

I'm not his biggest fan but Wiggins made a very good point about the riders taking more of a stand with protesting today than they did with Kevin Reza and racism at the Tour. The optics of today are not good for the sport given the current pandemic. 260km in the third week is a bit of madness but 200km or so would have been a much better compromise.

neris

Macy0161 wrote: »

Had lunch break - Sagan gets more unlikeable as this season goes on. Pure cheek of him wanting the GC riders to ride for him (and making it so obvious perhaps more to the point), the number of times he's come up short after the team burying themselves for him this season.

looks like hes sulking now

Did they just stop riding?

dahat

neris wrote: »

looks like hes sulking now

What a surprise....

Been out for a bit, have the peleton sat up?

Boscoirl

they stopped at KM0

Macy0161

dahat wrote: »

What a surprise....

Been out for a bit, have the peleton sat up?

Yep, break was still gaining time despite Bora riding. No one else was bothered. Went out to 5 mins almost straight away from around a minute, now at 9+.

neris

thank god carlton isnt commentating today or all we,d be hearing about is simon clarke and how hes carltons tip for the win

mr spuckler

Amazing effort by Cerny here.

Richard Hillman

Thank god there wasn't a bunch sprint. That finish looks tight. Was that a roundabout with about 50m left?

That roundabout that had been halved near the end looked pretty sketchy too

Raoul Duke

Richard Hillman wrote: »

Thank god there wasn't a bunch sprint. That finish looks tight. Was that a roundabout with about 50m left?

Yeah, I was worried for Cerny with his hands off his bars.

irishrover99

Any chance that thread about Kirby can be revitalised for the weekend?.

Also add Hatch to the title and Mr can’t pronounce a bloody thing Sean Kelly.
That way cycling can be discussed in the race day threads.

Raoul Duke

irishrover99 wrote: »

Any chance that thread about Kirby can be revitalised for the weekend?.

Also add Hatch to the title and Mr can’t pronounce a bloody thing Sean Kelly.
That way cycling can be discussed in the race day threads.

You mean Sean "your mike's on" Kelly.

Melodeon

irishrover99 wrote: »

Any chance that thread about Kirby can be revitalised for the weekend?.

Also add Hatch to the title and Mr can’t pronounce a bloody thing Sean Kelly.
That way cycling can be discussed in the race day threads.

:eek:

Raoul Duke

Raoul Duke wrote: »

You mean Sean "your mike's on" Kelly.

Dan Lloyd is far worse on the talking to himself front. I do it all the time if I'm in Xbox party, I regularly get told I'm muted having talked to myself for a fair amount of itme

CantGetNoSleep

irishrover99 wrote: »

Any chance that thread about Kirby can be revitalised for the weekend?.

Also add Hatch to the title and Mr can’t pronounce a bloody thing Sean Kelly.
That way cycling can be discussed in the race day threads.

Maybe a thread about commentary, then a ban on speaking about it in other threads?