Giro Stage 1 - Budapest to Visegrád (195km)

mewso

Not surprising that MvdP is a big favourite for this stage but it's a difficult one to call really since there is nothing before the final climb to split things so you'll have a very large group coming to the bottom of it with a big clamour for position and if you are not at the front for whatever reason then it's game over. I've gone for Magnus Cort at 30/1 as if he is up there towards the end he has the sprint but MvdP is fav for good reason. He wants pink and when he wants something he tends to get it.

Betting

Matthieu Van Der Poel 5/4

Biniam Girmay 7/2

Caleb Ewan 11/2

Alessandro Covi 16/1

Sean Kelly just on the mic and already sounds really up for it.

Bernie Eisel thinks Kilderman will win 😂

mewso

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119022857#Comment_119022857

Someone else in that predictor referred to Carapaz as a wheel sucker. Kelderman is surely the ultimate wheel sucker. I do see him being involved for quite some time as he is tenacious and I give him credit for it but can't see him winning it. I see Robbie McEwen is trying to compete with Adam Blythe on the fashion stakes.

mewso

They like their horse riding in Hungary.

I'd be terrified on a horse at that speed

retalivity

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119022878#Comment_119022878

Wilco Kelderman has won 1 ITT in Denmark in 2013 and the dutch national TT title in 2015. That's it, that's his palmares.

So his only wins came when he didn't have a wheel to follow. If there's someone in front of him, he'll never pass them.

mewso

Yeah I have a grudging respect for riders who know their limits and I think Kelderman knows his. It's not exciting but can be effective. I presume he and Hindley are friends again :)

MPFGLB

So who fancies old man Valverde or is it not steep enough

MVP is the hot favourite

Maybe Magnus Cort ??

mewso

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119024170#Comment_119024170

Be mad to bet against MvdP so I did exactly that. €3 each way on Magnus Cort.

Love to see Magnus Cort do it. Head says MvdP though.

neris

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119024170#Comment_119024170

Valverde maybe a stage winner but not GC

neris

Kicking off now

retalivity

JEsus that was all over the shop

neris

Van der pole.

Caleb ewan on the ground 20 metres from the finish

neris

Looks like Ewan came over and hit the wheel of the 2nd place guy

CramCycle

Cracking finish

breezy1985

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119024427#Comment_119024427

I've often hi the ground 20m from the lounge myself 🍻

G1032

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119024453#Comment_119024453

😂😂😂😂😂

MangleBadger

Was anybody else ever going to win it? Wasn't sure how true the hype around Grmay was but he proved them all right.

Fair play to Ewan for the effort, not a bad climber while also the fastest sprinter but I think his legs were shot even if he didn't fall.

Weepsie

Van der poel giving himself a concussion there with the champagne cork

dastardly00

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119024520#Comment_119024520

He could have lost an eye 😮

dastardly00

I was wondering why MvdP had some foliage/leaves/muck on his arms during the post-race interview!

https://twitter.com/VelonCC/status/1522631525480771585?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Etweet

Brian?

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119024520#Comment_119024520

Pedantry alert: it’s Prosecco

eagle eye

Van Der Poel is just so good.

I was thinking this morning, and I bet on it too, that he'll take the points classification. There's a few stages where he'll be contending for the win and on some of the serious mountain stages he'll be there for a long way and take intermediates.

mewso

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119026474#Comment_119026474

I'm not sure he will be there for the 3 weeks. I seem to remember he said a while back the plan is to do all 3 grand tours but not in their entirety. Could be misremembering though.