Giro Stage 7 - Diamante - Potenza

Mefistofelino

Looks like today will give the GC a good rattle. Half expecting Girmay to finish in the top 10 again. Not because he's necessarily a top level climber, but he's like the second coming of Sagan -not interested in following the script. (And he's actually younger than wunderkind Remco)

mewso

Betting

Matthieu Van Der Poel 11/1

Mauro Schmid 12/1

Magnus Cort Nielsen 12/1

Bauke Mollema 14/1

Diego Ulissi 16/1

Vincenzo Nibali 16/1

Lennard Kamna 22/1

Koen Bouwman 22/1

Attila Valter 22/1

Are they predicting MvdP to go in the break? Interesting for the top 3 who would normally be looking to get in the break but will any of them be allowed to? Could it be another chance for Vansevenant? At 40/1 might be worth a punt. The main GC guys would probably be happy to let him go but what is Trek's plan I wonder.

Mefistofelino

 Michael Mørkøv out due to illness. (Fever, as opposed to being "sick of Cav"). Wonder if MM lacking a little top-end was why Cav was launching early?

devonp

surely with todays finishing town one of the Campag shod teams will go for the win !!! 😜 (just AGR and UAE ??)

breezy1985

This could me a great stage if any rider really wants to go for it.

retalivity

Mollema will surely be looking after Lopez and/or Ciccone, so doubt any trek rider will be up the road.

And MVDP, De Gendt, Cort & Schmid all on the move early already

mewso

Yeah we can see who wants to get away now. Looks like Quickstep have a couple trying but not Vansevenant so I was wrong about him. Schmid or Ballerini. MvdP looks determined to get away. Some battle for it.

Mefistofelino

They are, to quote Bishop Brennan, "knocking the sch!t out of each other" in an effort to get away.

Anyone spot the gang in the studio all had horrific matching pink socks?

Mefistofelino

Wout looks to be regretting this already and its only been a kilometer

MangleBadger

Could be an interesting day if they keep trying to chase down any attackers. Lot of climbing to be done today.

This is class even Lenny is trying to go.

mewso

This is mad stuff Ted.

Dodge

The DSs must have ate the bollocks out of them for going so slow yesterday.

retalivity

If Big Tom gets up the road here, Ineos/Bikeexchange will have to ride hard to not let him get back into the GC piicture

neris

Where's Carlton these days, not heard him on eurosport

mewso

Hes doing Tour of Hungary at the moment.

seaviewphotos

Enjoying the stage today, I wonder will Tom grab a stage win?

Mefistofelino

It would be nice, but he's got no kick whatsoever. Probably between Formolo and Bouwman with Mollema third

retalivity

Dumoulins only hope is to attack on the last little climb and hope bouwman acts as an anchor on the other 2

Mefistofelino

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119057536#Comment_119057536

Problem is the last time he tried that 15km ago, he just oozed past the others and dropped Bouwman

retalivity

The grupetto allegedly 33mins behind!

CrowdedHouse

Well the learning for me today is that Potenza is not just a Pirelli car tyre 😁

Mefistofelino

Bouwman will take the Maglia Azzurra from Kamna for his troubles

retalivity

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119057637#Comment_119057637

He's also the highest place Jumbo guy on GC, 35seconds behind Yates but 2+ minutes ahead of Foss and Oomen. But sounds from himself that bar Foss, the rest are all in it for stages.

neris

Odd interview there with Dumoulin

Dodge

Stage turned into a bit of a damp squib after the early back and forth. Once the break established, that was it. I know the front 4 went at each other but a bit of an anti climax.

Eamonnator

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119057629#Comment_119057629

And for me learning that Potenza is not just a Campagnolo group set.