Giro D'Italia Stage 18: Rovereto to Stradella (231km)

mr spuckler

After yesterday's damn good stage both from an Irish and general point of view, today presents a final opportunity for sprinters with just 2 more mountain stages and the TT to go.

Some small lumps towards the end of what is a long stage may encourage the likes of Bora to once again drill it on the climbs to try to distance the majority of Sagan's few remaining competitors.









Odds from Bet365
Peter Sagan 9/2
Diego Ulissi 12/1
Alberto Bettiol 12/1
Fernando Gaviria 14/1
Remi Cavagna 18/1

MangleBadger

A lot of talk of Bora not doing their usual strategy and leaving the breakaway to mop up all the points so that Sagan is safe in the ciclamino jersey. As if they do bring them back and make it into a bunch sprint there is a chance he loses the sprint to Cimolai/Gaviria and gets overtaken.
So will we see UAE/Bahrain pulling the peloton all day?

De Bhál

t'would be nice to be sitting on the bridge in Pescheira Del Garda today, drinking an Aperol Spritz watching the peloton cycle past.

neris

230km of nothing stage today, looks flat enough for them to just roll along on with a break up the road then a scramble for a sprintish finish

neris

neris wrote: »

230km of nothing stage today, looks flat enough for them to just roll along on with a break up the road then a scramble for a sprintish finish

Some of the views from the helicopter here are unreal, how the hell they built that church on a ledge of a mountain with a sheer face above and below it back in 1625 amazes me.

MPFGLB

Deleted User wrote: »

Some of the views from the helicopter here are unreal, how the hell they built that church on a ledge of a mountain with a sheer face above and below it back in 1625 amazes me.

I bet many poor guys died doing it

De Bhál

Deleted User wrote: »

Some of the views from the helicopter here are unreal, how the hell they built that church on a ledge of a mountain with a sheer face above and below it back in 1625 amazes me.

I cycled up Mont Baldo in 2019 and stopped for a look at the church on the way. Breathtaking spot.
Baldo was a tough climb on a hot day with 19% gradiants near the top which had me stopping about 5 times to ehhh... take a few pictures.

retalivity

Roche in the break, one of 3 DSM riders

De Bhál

retalivity wrote: »

Roche in the break, one of 3 DSM riders

Kelly had him as his pick this morning

Dodge

I’m just glad that Brouchard has been allowed a day off. No doubt he’ll be off up the road tomorrow for more KOM points but he can enjoy today in the peloton

mr spuckler

1hr 40mins between posts on an ongoing stage shows what an absolute belter it is today :pac:

Hopefully it livens up in the last 20 or 30km.

Dodge

mr spuckler wrote: »

1hr 40mins between posts on an ongoing stage shows what an absolute belter it is today :pac:

Hopefully it livens up in the last 20 or 30km.

I’m not even watching it tbh. Will tune in when that break splits I think

retalivity

Selection made already, Roche Izaguirre, Bettiol, Bevin all there

cunavalos

Its getting exciting now Nico is chasing down Sam Bennett at the front of the race

odyssey06

Cavagna in TT mode at the front off the breakway ... Nico in a chase group 20 seconds back.

Darkglasses

retalivity wrote: »

Selection made already, Roche Izaguirre, Bettiol, Bevin all there

Unbelievable attack by Cavagna, would be an amazing win if he can make it stick

Dodge

Kinda want Cavagna to win if Roche can’t. Does a lot of work for Sam of course, but love that he tries these breaks in nearly every race he enters

mr spuckler

Dodge wrote: »

Kinda want Cavagna to win if Roche can’t. Does a lot of work for Sam of course, but love that he tries these breaks in nearly every race he enters

Absolutely - been rooting for him and loving his aggression for a long time.

neris

Dodge wrote: »

Kinda want Cavagna to win if Roche can’t. Does a lot of work for Sam of course, but love that he tries these breaks in nearly every race he enters

At least rte have his photo for the sports news this evening

retalivity

Roche back in with Bettiol

griffin100

It would make my cycling year if Roche wins a Giro stage. He's never gotten the results he deserves.

neris

Letting Bettiol do all the work by looks of it

retalivity

So strong by bettiol

neris

Hope for Nicos sake tje 2 bits have killed themselves with that effort

mr spuckler

Cavagna completely blown

neris

Cavagnas gone

odyssey06

Nico 18 seconds back on Bettiol with Cavagna gone.
Looking like Bettiol will do it.

De Bhál

no catching Bettiol by the looks of it

Boscoirl

the gap to Nico seems smaller than 17seconds?

Head shaking from Nico there.

mr spuckler

Yep, downhill all the way from here.

neris

Looks like there's a group behind nico

retalivity

Roche gonna be caught by those behind

neris

3rd

De Bhál

3rd maybe?

retalivity

Hah Roche sniped by his teammate on the line?

odyssey06

Bettiol takes it... think Nico was 3rd in the end?

neris

The peleton don't seem in a hurry

griffin100

Chapeau to Nico, not too bad for an old man

Paddigol

Pity. Would've loved him to get a stage win.

Dodge

Paddigol wrote: »

Pity. Would've loved him to get a stage win.

Great ride but no denying the best man on the day won

retalivity

55.3kph avg over 231km...bloody hell?

EDIT: that was on Eurosport for Bettiol after the race, obviously must be wrong

MPFGLB

Great ride from Nico

I dont think anyone in the peloton could have beaten Bettiol on that stage the way he is riding ,,a RVV winner

But Nico never gave up and gave it everything ...all heart

Paddigol

MPFGLB wrote: »

Great ride from Nico

I dont think anyone in the peloton could have beaten Bettiol on that stage the way he is riding ,,a RVV winner

But Nico never gave up and gave it everything ...all heart

Yeah, it's great to be able to call himself and Dan one of our own - proper racers. Always love when they give it a rattle cos you know it'll be a proper roll of the dice.

De Bhál

any confirmation on 3rd yet?

Dodge

De Bhál wrote: »

any confirmation on 3rd yet?

Yeah. Official site has that

mr spuckler

De Bhál wrote: »

any confirmation on 3rd yet?

Nico was clearly 3rd I thought, confirmed in official results regardless.

https://www.giroditalia.it/en/classifiche/di-tappa/18/

Boscoirl

CyclingNews are giving him 3rd with Arndt 4th, would have been a frosty bus ride to the hotel if he pipped him at the line

MPFGLB

https://twitter.com/VelonCC/status/1397936219095502854?s=20

neris

MPFGLB wrote: »

https://twitter.com/VelonCC/status/1397936219095502854?s=20

I can't even average 25km/h on a short Saturday morning spin

retalivity

Sagan fined 1000 swiss francs and docked UCI points for 'intimidation'

https://www.cyclingnews.com/news/peter-sagan-fined-for-intimidation-in-giro-ditalia-stage-18/

Weird, have never seen anything like that before