Giro D'Italia Stage 19: Abbiategrasso to Alpe di Mera (Valsesia) (166km)

mr spuckler

Back to the mountains for 2 days in a row before the final TT on Sunday. Today doesn't look too bad on paper but with almost 3 weeks in the legs it could be a case of who's got anything left. Of course that big question is most focused on Bernal - was Wednesday just a blip of a sign of things to come?

Here's hoping for good weather (no excuses for Yates) and a proper examination of who's got most left to give, especially with 3 Cat 1s coming tomorrow!













Odds from bet365
Simon Yates 7/2
Jaoa Almeida 4/1
Egan Bernal 9/2
Dan Martin 9/1
George Bennett 14/1

mr spuckler

And the sun is shining!

MangleBadger

Apart from the obvious descents over the Cat 4 and 3 climbs it is all uphill. So hopefully that will sap some legs and allow fireworks to start early.

mr spuckler

Jens Voigt going for Dan Martin for the stage! *fingers crossed*

retalivity

Almeida for me, looked in great form the last day.
Think Yates/Bernal will mark each other out, Almeida is far enough back to be given leeway.
Bennett not a bad shout but think he'll be minding Foss up the climb

Dcully

Hoping Bernal has a bad day to make things interesting nothing at all to do with my dislike for Ineos :P

neris

Breaks not having much luck getting developed

neris

And that spire and dome looks completely out of place on they church

MPFGLB

Its a great finish for Dan Martin

Dodge

I’m going for Yates today. Think it suits him perfectly. Long climb up to burn off the likes of Almeida

retalivity

Split in the Peloton, Dani Martinez and a few of the Ineos guys caught behind

Panrich

I've just tuned in and see that there's a split in the peloton. Did this come about on a climb, accident or crosswind?

retalivity

Panrich wrote: »

I've just tuned in and see that there's a split in the peloton. Did this come about on a climb, accident or crosswind?

Didn't seem to be anything like that Quickstep just started riding hard on the front and took about 40 riders with them

mewso

Is that catering service motorbike guy driving and handing out food? Crazy if you ask me. Accident waiting to happen.

dastardly00

It looks like Bernal has all his team mates except one (Puccio I presume)

dastardly00

The peloton are making light work of this climb so far.

mr spuckler

Not sure Dan is on it today, hanging around the back of that group and no reaction to yates attack.

retalivity

Bernal struggling to follow??

Dodge

Fair play to Yates and Caruso. Giving it a go

MangleBadger

This is looking interesting!

mr spuckler

He' not pulling out that much time as yet and the others are being pulled back.

I think Bernal is managing this quite well actually.

retalivity

mr spuckler wrote: »

He' not pulling out that much time as yet and the others are being pulled back.

I think Bernal is managing this quite well actually.

Bernal looks weirdly comfortable

mewso

Yeah I'd say Ineos are happy to keep it within 30 seconds or so.

mr spuckler

Last 4km average over 10%, if he was suffering badly you'd expect the gap to widen much more quickly.

edit...Dan's lost contact with Bernal group

dastardly00

Yates to be caught by Martinez and Bernal will then win the stage

Brian?

Bernal is different class.

mewso

Would like to see Almeida do it to be honest.

REBELSAFC

Ineos have managed this superbly

Almeida looks to be climbing so much better than last year.

mr spuckler

Harsh on Almeida being so close 2 mountain days in a row. Hopefully he has enough left to attack again tomorrow. Has Bernal rightly blown here?

edit, not really :pac:

Brian?

[Deleted User] wrote: »

Almeida looks to be climbing so much better than last year.

Great ride

Brian?

mr spuckler wrote: »

Harsh on Almeida being so close 2 mountain days in a row. Hopefully he has enough left to attack again tomorrow. Has Bernal rightly blown here?

Blown may be an exaggeration

Dan 5th there I think?

retalivity

Dan recovered well for 6th

mr spuckler

Brian? wrote: »

Blown may be an exaggeration

As noted in my edit! He looked like he was slowing much more than turned out to be the case.

neris

Dan came in well there

Gerry

Magghhleeya Roohsa. Thanks Carlton. Yates showing that Brexit hasn't ruined everything in blighty

REBELSAFC

Good finish from Dan. Up into tenth place on GC

dastardly00

Yates needs to do tomorrow what Froome did to him a few years ago.

Quick-Step really messed up not backing Almeida as their leader.

Dani Martinez should be a GC leader with another team.

mr spuckler

Caruso managed that really well too actually, although only 20 seconds now back to Yates in the overall.

Heraclius

What are people's predictions for tomorrow? I'm guessing Bernal will lose more than a minute to Yates but will still hold on.

retalivity

dastardly00 wrote: »

Yates needs to do tomorrow what Froome did to him a few years ago.

Quick-Step really messed up not backing Almeida as their leader.

Dani Martinez should be a GC leader with another team.

He was last year at EF.
Almeida's leaving Quickstep at the end of the year, hence backing golden boy Remco who had just signed a new 6 year contract.
I've a fear he's going to Ineos...

Eamonnator

REBELSAFC wrote: »

Good finish from Dan. Up into tenth place on GC

Dan was in 10th place before today's stage, however he certainly has consolidated his position. Great ride from him today.

MPFGLB

I heard ALmedia was going to Bora

CantGetNoSleep

MPFGLB wrote: »

I heard ALmedia was going to Bora

I thought it was UAE

MPFGLB

What about this chiropractor that Wiggins is talking about who is saying Bernal's back is 'falling off'

Surely he didn,t mean Wiggo to broadcast that as surely discretion is required in his job

wpd

last stage is a flat 29km tt
who is the better time trialler yates or bernal and what would difference be time wise do you think

Dodge

wpd wrote: »

last stage is a flat 29km tt
who is the better time trialler yates or bernal and what would difference be time wise do you think

Yates could put 90 seconds into him if all went well

Almeida may set a record for top 10 performances without a win

Brian?

dastardly00 wrote: »

Yates needs to do tomorrow what Froome did to him a few years ago.

Quick-Step really messed up not backing Almeida as their leader.

Dani Martinez should be a GC leader with another team.

I’m every GT there’s a Sky/Ineos domestique who should be a leader elsewhere. Their budget is ridiculous

mr spuckler

Dodge wrote: »

Yates could put 90 seconds into him if all went well

Almeida may set a record for top 10 performances without a win

After Nizzolo :pac:

retalivity

Dodge wrote: »

Yates could put 90 seconds into him if all went well

Almeida may set a record for top 10 performances without a win

Just looking at last year's giro, didn't realise he had so many - 11, and 4 again this year so far