Giro Stage 19 Marano Lagunare to Castelmonte

Mefistofelino

After yesterdays "much-better-than-a-sprint" sprint stage, its time to head uphill again, with a detour through Slovenia.

mewso

Bookies have Carapaz, Carthy and Hindley as joint 10/1 favourites with Landa much further down (30/1) which is interesting as you would think Landa has to try something. Maybe he will wait until tomorrow (maybe they all will) but for Landa it's a bit of a gamble leaving it to one stage rather than trying in both when you are over a minute down. I'll go for Arensman in the break. He has tried often enough.

Mefistofelino

Hannah appears to have interrupted Wiggins during a spot of impromptu oxy-acetylene brazing this morning.

dastardly00

Some drive-by heckling there from Wiggins

De Bhál

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119121339#Comment_119121339

that was the most interesting thing he did all week.

retalivity

Gaviria to pull a Colbrelli and top 5 a GT mountain stage

mr spuckler

I remember finding him good in his first TDF on the moto but it just feels like parody at this point.

De Bhál

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119121502#Comment_119121502

i just don't get it at all, it adds nothing to the experience for me. He just repeats the same thing the commentators have said probably ten times by then. Like earlier he basically said

"breaks gone eventually, took longer than expected, hello Richie mate (to Richie Porte as he passed him), talk to you all later"

pointless

I thought he was very good on the couch last year, (TDF I think), good insights etc. but now I believe he would mess up the dynamic in the studio as it's relaxed and easy going right now.

There must be something better for him to do...I don't know what like interview mechanics, chefs, the support team, look at the food the teams have, look at the bikes properly, give us a tour of a bus etc. Talk to some fans or whatever.

No, sit on a bike and shout a load of rubbish at the camera. Waste of petrol.

I've actually stopped bothering with the studio stuff this year and left the multi audio feed on with Rob and Sean after the stages. Not sure why, just wasn't particularly enjoying it.

Oh no , Richie Porte looked have been sick there.

Mefistofelino

Stage 13: Wiggo near Bardet, Bardet throws up

Stage 19: Wiggo near Porte, Porte throws up

Is there a pattern starting here?

retalivity

God I'm sick of seeing Michael Buerk shilling coins, and no I do not need funeral insurance.

dastardly00

Porte abandons. Very unfortunate for him ☹️

mewso

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119121817#Comment_119121817

Ad free. The only way to go.

retalivity

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119122137#Comment_119122137

Dodgy box, so no dice!

dastardly00

Zardini attacking 🤔

odyssey06

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119122194#Comment_119122194

"He's just out to show off his jersey..."

It's working, he's got his name on the telly now.

mewso

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119122156#Comment_119122156

€40 a year for eurosport/gcn+ is slightly more than sky sports monthly charge. Easily worth the price versus other streaming options. I'm not on a commission :)

dastardly00

Not sure why Bora are riding on the front when their tactic appears to be just to ride tempo on this climb.

Pantani!!!!!

Mefistofelino

They should put Kelly on the motorbike instead of Wiggins. He'd be tearing strips off lads (assuming he didn't take a bike from the Neutral Service car and just drop them)

mr spuckler

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119122290#Comment_119122290

And then they all blow up as soon as Ineos make a surge 🤪

Looks like Valter is out for a spin with the kids, he's huge vs the others 😁

neris

da fuq? that last corners lethal

RobertKK

That was a comical ending…

They were following the car there I bet.

retalivity

ah jesus!

Mefistofelino

Not sure Bouwman was faultless in that - he shut the door on Schmid on the bend

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119122597#Comment_119122597

No they just messed up lol

neris

Its a very tight left hander for the last corner

mewso

The battle between the 3 main GC rivals is very tame really when you think about. Each of them making small bursts and then stopping. None of them willing to go all out. Landa especially should have gone for a much longer effort but then maybe didn't have it in him.

Mefistofelino

Schmid is really hacked off

dastardly00

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119122609#Comment_119122609

Yeah that slow-mo replay shows that Bouwman cut across Schmid, forcing Schmid to slam on the brakes. Schmid's back wheel locked up, he ran wide and that caused Vendrame to go off course.

eagle eye

That stage was a big letdown for me. I expected a good breakaway but we only got a few half decent riders in it.

I expected somebody from the front three on GC to make a good effort at trying to move away from the other two but we git very little from that either.

I just have this feeling that Landa is the strongest on the very steep climbs. He has nothing to lose tomorrow and he needs to break away from Hindley and Carapaz. I think he needs to get two minutes to have any chance on Sunday. That'd give him around a one minute lead.

retalivity

Think Carapaz is the strongest myself, he's just been biding his time and following attacks, with a few half-hearted ones himself. He also is a rider who doesn't really need the sky-neos train to support him, he's well able to ride himself and follow others, so the loss of Porte shouldn't be that big a deal. Can see him putting in a dig tomorrow that finally snaps Landa and Hindley of his wheel.

Would rather one of the other 2 win it because Ineos, but that would be tempered a bit as I actually like Carapaz.