Giro D'Italia Stage 18: Pinzolo to Laghi di Cancano (207km)

mr spuckler · 22-10-2020 11:22am #1

It's the big one!

I was due to be in Bormio for this stage in May but instead I'm sitting here posting on Boards :pac:

I've spent so much time in the area over the years due to in-laws living there, this is the one that really really excites me. I've driven over Stelvio many times but only had the opportunity to cycle it once, to say it's a beast would be quite the understatement. The descent to Bormio is simply amazing, my favourite cycling memory.

With Saturday's stage being shortened and the Agnello and Izoard being taken out of play, today may be the last chance to make big inroads in the GC, I can't wait!

22-10-2020 11:53am

What was the chat going on there between DQS lads and Nibali?

Richard Hillman · 22-10-2020 12:35pm

Ben O'Connor in the break again today. Busy lad :pac:

wirelessdude01 · 22-10-2020 12:36pm

Richard Hillman wrote: »

Ben O'Connor in the break again today. Busy lad :pac:

3rd day in a row isn't it?

dastardly00 · 22-10-2020 12:37pm

mr spuckler wrote: »

It's the big one!

I was due to be in Bormio for this stage in May but instead I'm sitting here posting on Boards :pac:

Aw crap that is so unfortunate. I was in Bormio for a few days at the end of July last year. I absolutely loved it. We stayed in Eden Hotel. I'd go back there in a heartbeat. We did the Torri di Fraele climb that the riders will do today, along with the Stelvio (the side that they are descending), Bormio 2000 and the Gavia (not all on the same day obviously! :pac:).

Here's a photo from top of the Torri di Fraele climb

mr spuckler · 22-10-2020 12:42pm

dastardly00 wrote: »

Aw crap that is so unfortunate. I was in Bormio for a few days at the end of July last year. I absolutely loved it. We stayed in Eden Hotel. I'd go back there in a heartbeat. We did the Torri di Fraele climb that the riders will do today, along with the Stelvio (the side that they are descending), Bormio 2000 and the Gavia (not all on the same day obviously! :pac:).

Here's a photo from top of the Torri di Fraele climb

That photo looks amazing

I really want to get a week or 2 over there where I can do a proper bit of cycling, the family side of things and us having kids in the last few years has limited our options when we visit!

It's a great spot to visit year round, many of my visits have been during ski season

mr spuckler · 22-10-2020 12:46pm

Top of Stelvio looks well clear and 10 degrees is bloody warm up there. It was 4 degrees at the top when I climbed in August a few years ago.

22-10-2020 1:16pm

Hitting the lower slopes of the Stelvio now.

Am I right in thinking this is the harder side they are heading up? Looking at the top there is looks torturous.

retalivity · 22-10-2020 1:35pm

Just turned it on there...peloton down to about 25 already??

Long way to go yet...

wirelessdude01 · 22-10-2020 1:39pm

And those 25 are pretty lined out as well.

retalivity · 22-10-2020 1:43pm

Pozzovivo about to go. He'll lose 10+ minutes id he drops now.

wirelessdude01 · 22-10-2020 1:46pm

BOOM goes the pink.

mr spuckler · 22-10-2020 1:48pm

Deleted User wrote: »

Am I right in thinking this is the harder side they are heading up? Looking at the top there is looks torturous.

Yes there are a few stretches on the Bormio side which offer respite of 4-5%, Prato side is relentless.

Almeida looking like he might be in trouble here.

retalivity · 22-10-2020 1:50pm

Why is masnada not back helping him out???

wirelessdude01 · 22-10-2020 1:52pm

retalivity wrote: »

Why is masnada not back helping him out???

On the way back now

mr spuckler · 22-10-2020 1:56pm

There's an awful long way to climb to have been dropped already.

And there goes Nibbles and Fuglsang! Is this the arrival of Geoghegan-Hart as a force to be reckoned with?

Mefistofelino · 22-10-2020 1:57pm

Hatch makes Trump seem like a model of vocal constraint and volume control. He's appalling.

wirelessdude01 · 22-10-2020 1:57pm

Wow, just wow.

mr spuckler · 22-10-2020 2:01pm

Kelderman!! This is great tbh, descent could be very interesting.

Dodge · 22-10-2020 2:02pm

Lot of riding left today. Geoghegan Hart and Hindley look so much stronger than Kelderman

mr spuckler · 22-10-2020 2:07pm

That shot of the climb that's left to go on Stelvio :pac::pac::pac:

What that must do to the dropped riders...

Richard Hillman · 22-10-2020 2:12pm

Climb 2000 meters and you face that white wall at the top to tell you you're not there yet. It's not human

Inquitus · 22-10-2020 2:14pm

Kelderman defo in big trouble, you have to think he'll ship bucket loads more time before the top.

Macy0161 · 22-10-2020 2:17pm

Still another climb to come. Not sure I agree with Smiths tactics there - would it not be better to keep Dennis for the downhill and as much as he can up the final climb?

Dr. Bre · 22-10-2020 2:18pm

Hindley looks so good !

mr spuckler · 22-10-2020 2:19pm

Unless TGH thinks he can attack on the descent? Pity they don't have a clock showing distance to the top of the climb.

mr spuckler · 22-10-2020 2:19pm

Dr. Bre wrote: »

Hindley looks so good !

Free ride for him!

mr spuckler · 22-10-2020 2:21pm

So far Kelderman is holding the gap pretty well.

retalivity · 22-10-2020 2:23pm

mr spuckler wrote: »

Unless TGH thinks he can attack on the descent? Pity they don't have a clock showing distance to the top of the climb.

Top is at 37.6km to go

Dr. Bre · 22-10-2020 2:24pm

3/4 Aussies

velo.2010 · 22-10-2020 2:24pm

Scratching my head about Rohan Dennis from what I'm reading. Has he ever shown this sort of form on such a hard climb?

Macy0161 · 22-10-2020 2:25pm

Hindley as about as good as me at putting a jacket on on the bike as me!

retalivity · 22-10-2020 2:25pm

Jaysus hindley....trying to put on a jacket like I do"
EDIT: snap!

mr spuckler · 22-10-2020 2:26pm

Macy0161 wrote: »

Hindley as about as good as me at putting a jacket on on the bike as me!

That was hard to watch! Now he just needs to zip it up...

Richard Hillman · 22-10-2020 2:27pm

I have never been so enthralled by a man putting a jacket on

Macy0161 · 22-10-2020 2:27pm

mr spuckler wrote: »

That was hard to watch! Now he just need to zip it up...

It's making me feel better about myself!

Mefistofelino · 22-10-2020 2:28pm

Who was it on the TdF years ago made an absolute mess of trying to put on a rain cape and Stephen Roche, who was commentating, went apoplectic? Not impressed in the slightest

Boscoirl · 22-10-2020 2:28pm

Ineos should have put him out of misery and pulled over for him

Macy0161 · 22-10-2020 2:29pm

velo.2010 wrote: »

Scratching my head about Rohan Dennis from what I'm reading. Has he ever shown this sort of form on such a hard climb?

He had attempts at GC, and you could see he was just sticking to a power output. A GT is a GT, but it's not the very best field and/or the established at their very top level either.

Mefistofelino · 22-10-2020 2:29pm

Sunweb need lessons in getting dressed

mr spuckler · 22-10-2020 2:30pm

mr spuckler wrote: »

That was hard to watch! Now he just needs to zip it up...

And he didn't get it zipped :eek:

God help him on that descent.

edit...neither did Kelderman...

retalivity · 22-10-2020 2:32pm

Kelderman isnt zipped either??
Sunweb got a batch of dodgy jackets

Dietmar Hamann · 22-10-2020 2:32pm

Kelderman doing the same unzipped descent :eek:

Should have put them on back-to-front and got some benefit

22-10-2020 2:33pm

As Smith said if the zips broke put it on backwards

mr spuckler · 22-10-2020 2:33pm

Dietmar Hamann wrote: »

Should have put them on back-to-front and got some benefit

Or even give them newspaper to stuff into their jerseys, the good old way. Terrible time for an ad break on ES

eagle eye · 22-10-2020 2:40pm

You know I think Almeida has been very smart, not killing himself.
He might have a lot more left in him on the last climb than most.
I may be wrong but just looking at him and he looks comfortable.

retalivity · 22-10-2020 2:43pm

eagle eye wrote: »

You know I think Almeida has been very smart, not killing himself.
He might have a lot more left in him on the last climb than most.
I may be wrong but just looking at him and he looks comfortable.

Everytime it cut to him, he was pulling the group along, including his own teammate. So either he was comfortable at a higher pace than the rest of the griup and pushed on, or he panicked and went into the red.
Id have thought masnada or the other bora guy would have been towing that group up instead of almeida

Dodge · 22-10-2020 2:46pm

Macy0161 wrote: »

He had attempts at GC, and you could see he was just sticking to a power output. A GT is a GT, but it's not the very best field and/or the established at their very top level either.

It seems harsh to say this a weak GT but when you see the names at the top of the GC, it really will be a freak result whoever wins this.

wirelessdude01 · 22-10-2020 2:46pm

eagle eye wrote: »

You know I think Almeida has been very smart, not killing himself.
He might have a lot more left in him on the last climb than most.
I may be wrong but just looking at him and he looks comfortable.

He'll have lost minimum of 5mins by the end and that will be a very good result.

mr spuckler · 22-10-2020 2:53pm

Kelderman completely blowing up here? :eek:

Richard Hillman · 22-10-2020 2:53pm

Kelderman should have taken his numbers off and put them down his top.

Giro D'Italia Stage 18: Pinzolo to Laghi di Cancano (207km)

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