Giro Stage 17 - Ponte di Legno to Lavarone (168km)

mewso

Another one for the breakaway? It should be easier to get the break going early today with the climb at the start but we might see some new faces attacking today as surely Kamna, Ciccone etc. won't try again but who knows. Simon Yates didn't go that well yesterday but then he didn't over extend himself either so if he feels better today it might be for him. The bookies have Hindley (11/2) and Carapaz (6/1) as the favourites so they expect a GC finish. Lets see. Another very tough final climb awaits.

retalivity

Checking what climbers took it very handy yesterday.... my money is on Mollema and Sosa to get in the break today.

Maybe Taaramae for an Intermarche 1-2, or DeMarchi because Israel have done nothing in this tour.

Start is only 10km or so down the road from the Gavia pass I think. They haven't been up there in years.

Macy0161

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119111307#Comment_119111307

Have they not tried, and the weather has meant route changes? Their looking to move a week later, from next year I think.

mr spuckler

Yes I remember it being wiped out due to weather in the last couple of years.

edit: 2019 so just more than 'couple'! https://www.cyclingweekly.com/news/racing/giro-ditalia/watch-heavy-snow-passo-gavia-throws-queen-stage-giro-ditalia-2019-question-424006

Oh yeah looks to be snowy up there for sure still

https://www.passogavia.it/webcam-passo-gavia/

Here's the Tour Downunder stage they mentioned in commentary, I'd not heard about this before.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=02mCf0nyyEk

mewso

Dang it had Buitrago at 17/1.

eagle eye

Looks like the breakaway might stay away today. They have five minutes on the peloton as I type, only concern for the GC contenders is that Hirt is in it. Bora might decide to make it a tough day for the GC contenders and close down the breakaway.

It's a big break, 27 riders I think. I'missing one or two I think.

Nicolas Prodhomme, Felix Gall (AG2R Citroën), Mathieu van der Poel (Alpecin-Fenix), David de la Cruz (Asata-Qazaqstan), Santiago Buitrago (Bahrain Victorious), Filippo Zana, Luca Covili (Bardiani-CSF-Faizanè), Damien Howson (BikeExchange-Jayco), Guillaume Martin (Cofidis), Simone Ravanelli (Drone Hopper-Androni Giocattoli), Diego Camargo, Hugh Carthy (EF Education-EasyPost), Lorenzo Fortunato, Diego Rosa (Eolo-Kometa), Attila Valter (Groupama-FDJ), Jan Hirt, Rein Taaramäe (Intermarché-Wanty-Gobert), Koen Bouwman, Gijs Leemreize, Sam Oomen (Jumbo-Visma), Antonio Pedrero (Movistar), Mauri Vansevenant (QuickStep-AlphaVinyl), Thymen Arensman (Team DSM), Giulio Ciccone (Trek-Segafredo), Alessandro Covi (UAE Team Emirates)

As I type the breakaway is splitting up.

keane2097

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119111901#Comment_119111901

That's amazing!

neris

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119111901#Comment_119111901

Wouldn't get away with that now.

mewso

Break back together with a couple more minutes on the peleton. Hopefully Buitrago is ok after his fall.

MvdP attacking on the climb 😂

eagle eye

Van Der Poel just having fun, breaks away and three get up to him, now 30" clear of I think 17 riders. Over 6'30 back to the peloton. Hirt in that second group so not far off the virtual Maglia Rosa.

retalivity

Martin could do with tightening his helmet strap!

mewso

Carthy is a bit of a machine when he is on form. Would make him favourite at this stage.

CrowdedHouse

Yates abandon

eagle eye

Glad Yates got a stage win. It's been a tough tour for him.

I can't believe Van der Poel is still in the break. Unbelievable work from him. I don't think he can handle the last climb but he still looks very strong. Hirt would be my fancy at this stage, he's done very little work.

retalivity

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119112630#Comment_119112630

Commentators talking about what a shame he's not on form, he's won 2 stages!

mewso

This young lad on Jumbo looks like a talent too. Leemreize.

breezy1985

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119112630#Comment_119112630

With the obvious exception he just seems to be one of those riders like Pinot who can't put 21 consistent days together with out getting sick or blowing up.

I'd love to see van der Poel do this, purely so the Giro organisers will have to eat pineapple pizza 😁

retalivity

This last climb looks like a brute, surely Hirt/Carthy/Martin will take a minute back on MVDP who is carrying an extra 20kg on them!

Mefistofelino

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119112706#Comment_119112706

The monocle-dropping outrage on Twitter this Giro about post 11 a.m. cappuccino, pineapple on pizza or tomato ketchup on pasta has been some Velominati-level horseshyt.

Eat and drink what you want, when you want. Life's too short to be worrying about what the wait staff will think of you.

mewso

Its unreal from MvdP but surely Leemreize paces to the win here??

mewso

Of course I forgot about the flat bit after this final climb meaning if MvdP can at the least be alongside Leemreize at the top then he wins.

Leemreize looks to be hanging on.

mewso

And more

What a finale here.

Macy0161

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119112670#Comment_119112670

And his Giro podium, obviously...

breezy1985

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119112894#Comment_119112894

As I said obvious exception. I am being a little harsh on him in fairness he has had a few top 10s as well but he does seem suspectable to getting sick or having one really bad day to wreck his tour.

mewso

My 17/1 bet comes home. A determined man was Buitrago.

retalivity

Completely forgot about Almeida and Nibali, its so long since I saw them. 1 min only lost for Almeida is not that bad seeing he was dropped so far out

mewso

Look up compatriot in the dictionary Bradley.

eagle eye

It was a great stage, looked certain to be Van der Poel, then looked certain to be Leemreize and then Buitrago realised he was wasting his time sticking with Carthy and Hirt and went and won it impressively in the end.

As far as the GC battle is concerned I'm expecting Landa to make a move for the last couple of days, he always looks comfortable but doesn't seem able to get away from Carapaz and Hindley.

f1000

spectacular looking and well planned Giro this year. Great stage. Was cheering for MVDP for being unscripted but the climbers waited

breezy1985

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119114134#Comment_119114134

I just can't get into it. To me it looks like the "Europa league" Giros of lesser GC guys. I honestly could not care who wins.

eagle eye

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119114192#Comment_119114192

How many can you name that's better than the three leaders?

Carapaz was third in the Tour last year. Mas was sixth. Kelderman, whose working for Hindley, was fifth.

breezy1985

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119115010#Comment_119115010

The Tour last year was very weak from a GC point of view. No one got in a million miles of Pogacar.

retalivity

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119115419#Comment_119115419

It'll be the same this year, apart from Roglic and with no Bernal. Mas, Vlasov, Yates, Martinez, Haig, O'Connor, Caruso all 5mins+ behind them. Pinot isn't even kidding himself this year, says he going for stages & KOM jersey.

Macy0161

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119112920#Comment_119112920

I had the obvious exception as his Vuelta win!

Dodge

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119114192#Comment_119114192

It’s always the second choice though (maybe 3rd choice for some as it’s before the Tour whereas the Vuelta allows a catch up). This year is no different.

In saying that I’d have Carapaz as a top quality GC rider. Only the Slovenians and maybe Bernal are better.

keane2097

It's just great entertaining racing in any case. To be fair most cycling events have really delivered for the last while.

eagle eye

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119115419#Comment_119115419

So then you are saying that if Pog is not in it that it's unimportant?

Things change all the time. Pog couldn't conquer Mur De Huy this year. Roglic looked a shadow of himself in the Tour of the Basque

Vingegaard hasn't show much either to this point.

You could argue that right now the three best are Martinez, Carapaz and Higuita.

Don't forget about Froome 😂

breezy1985

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119115828#Comment_119115828

No you couldn't argue that really. Pog and ROG are only working themselves up to form. They will be the big 2 at the tour.

loyatemu

I'm really enjoying this Giro, and in general it's more entertaining than the TdeF which will probably be another comfortable win for Pog this year.

Dodge

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119116588#Comment_119116588

And even that ‘another’ comfortable win for Pog when last year he was helped massively by injury to Roglic and Sky making Thomas leader instead of Carapaz. I can’t see this year being as comfortable

loyatemu

maybe, I just think he's a different level as a grand tour rider to anyone else around. It would be great if it was a close tour this year.