Author Topic: Giro d’Italia 2020 (Read 19849 times)

LittleWheelsandBig · « **Reply #125 on:** 23 October, 2020, 12:58:27 pm »

It isn’t just sport, it is professional sport. Towing him to the finish is just part of the job.

akin · « **Reply #126 on:** 23 October, 2020, 06:51:32 pm »

Tao also got his stage 15 win from sitting on Jai Hindley’s wheel up the whole of the final climb. Made it all square.

I kind of felt like Tao didn’t concentrate on the final climb and could have put more time into Kelderman. He seemed overly preoccupied with Hindley sitting on. Of course that’s easy to say sitting watching and its likely due to the effort put in up the Stelvio.

Mr Larrington · « **Reply #127 on:** 23 October, 2020, 07:39:46 pm »

Mauro Vegni is Not Happy with the idle dogs in the pelican who forced today’s stage to be halved in length. Threatening to get lawyered-up.

rogerzilla · « **Reply #128 on:** 23 October, 2020, 07:59:21 pm »

Bunch of wussies.

Good finish though.

Mrs Pingu · « **Reply #129 on:** 23 October, 2020, 08:08:00 pm »

We don't want to ride cos it's raining, meh.
Was that brought about by all the people who couldn't get their jacket on yesterday?

spesh · « **Reply #130 on:** 23 October, 2020, 08:23:52 pm »

Quote from: Mrs Pingu on 23 October, 2020, 08:08:00 pm

We don't want to ride cos it's raining, meh.

It's not so much simply because it's raining, the argument from the riders is that it's more that with immune systems already battered from nearly 3 weeks of racing, riding 250km in the wet after yesterday's queen stage would be making them even more vulnerable to catching the dread lurgi.

TBH, that's not unreasonable, but they should have sorted it out last night, not drop it in the race organiser's lap after signing-on for the stage. Or, as I've seen argued on Bike Radar, raised the issue months ago after the race was rescheduled for mid-autumn. It's as if the riders had been banking on the Stevio being impassable - a truncated stage yesterday would have left them a little fresher for today.

Though I note that Ineos and Bora apparently wanted to ride the full distance - Kelderman looked spent yesterday

giropaul · « **Reply #131 on:** 23 October, 2020, 08:39:19 pm »

Quote from: spesh on 23 October, 2020, 08:23:52 pm

Quote from: Mrs Pingu on 23 October, 2020, 08:08:00 pm
We don't want to ride cos it's raining, meh.

It's not so much simply because it's raining, the argument from the riders is that it's more that with immune systems already battered from nearly 3 weeks of racing, riding 250km in the wet after yesterday's queen stage would be making them even more vulnerable to catching the dread lurgi.

TBH, that's not unreasonable, but they should have sorted it out last night, not drop it in the race organiser's lap after signing-on for the stage. Or, as I've seen argued on Bike Radar, raised the issue months ago after the race was rescheduled for mid-autumn. It's as if the riders had been banking on the Stevio being impassable - a truncated stage yesterday would have left them a little fresher for today.

Though I note that Ineos and Bora apparently wanted to ride the full distance - Kelderman looked spent yesterday

Extra kms had been recently added due to a bridge failing. However, it’s been confirmed by other riders that 2 official representatives of the Rider’s Union/ association did meet with race officials last night, not representing their teams but the rider’s association.

CrazyEnglishTriathlete · « **Reply #132 on:** 23 October, 2020, 09:25:02 pm »

The people who deserve an apology today are all the marshals and others who would have gone out and put up all the signage to warn of bollards , etc, and prepared to stand to warn the riders of obstacles, working away in the pouring rain, all of those on the abandoned section would have done this in vain. As I understand it they are mostly unpaid volunteers.

Mrs Pingu · « **Reply #133 on:** 23 October, 2020, 09:54:36 pm »

Well yeah, it's not like today's stage was a surprise, they didn't need to leave it this late.

rogerzilla · « **Reply #134 on:** 24 October, 2020, 07:34:00 am »

Also...it's not a Sunday club run, where you might have a reasonable policy of not setting out if it's raining. This is their job.

DuncanM · « **Reply #135 on:** 24 October, 2020, 12:14:43 pm »

It's easy to say that they should just ride whatever the course is, but putting a 3 hour transfer immediately before a 260km stage and the day after a huge climbing day is excessive.
Adam Hansen tweeted that rider representatives met with the organiser the night before, who refused to change the stage at all. These guys take huge risks on their bikes the whole time and treat it like it's nothing, so when they collectively agree not to race because they feel it's too much of a health risk, I tend to think they should be listened to.
That's not to deny the upset of the volunteers, the townspeople, and whoever was missed out of the race, just that fundamentally they aren't the ones putting their necks on the line.

rogerzilla · « **Reply #136 on:** 24 October, 2020, 01:21:41 pm »

But there was no surprise - they'd known about each stage for weeks. It was because of the rain.

andyoxon · « **Reply #137 on:** 24 October, 2020, 01:24:46 pm »

'parently...

Quote

Competing in heavy rain can cause riders, whose immune systems may already be compromised by excessive exertion, to become unwell as dirt and bacteria from the road is sprayed through the peloton. Many riders were concerned it would increase the risk of contracting coronavirus.

BBC

fd3 · « **Reply #138 on:** 24 October, 2020, 02:21:21 pm »

I don't see why they couldn't have just put on the rain jackets, agreed to let the breakaway go and set a steady non-race pace to the finish. Flat stage so no reason to go crazy, just ride it out.

Nuncio · « **Reply #139 on:** 24 October, 2020, 02:42:07 pm »

On very recent form, JH came in 49 secs secs ahead of TGH in the opening TT and TGH came in 1:15 ahead of JH in the long one. I have no idea of the relative conditions or how motivated they were to do good times.

andyoxon · « **Reply #140 on:** 24 October, 2020, 02:51:29 pm »

TT form could be critical. JH/TGH still sticking like glue.

DuncanM · « **Reply #141 on:** 24 October, 2020, 03:16:19 pm »

Quote from: rogerzilla on 24 October, 2020, 01:21:41 pm

But there was no surprise - they'd known about each stage for weeks. It was because of the rain.

You don't know about the transfers until much closer to the race, because you don't know which hotels you are being assigned. But clearly the rain was a factor, and so is the way that the riders felt that the Covid precautions weren't implemented properly.
A steady non-race pace for 260km is a looong day.

Hot Flatus · « **Reply #142 on:** 24 October, 2020, 05:11:27 pm »

Oh my god.

spesh · « **Reply #143 on:** 24 October, 2020, 05:28:12 pm »

Quote from: Hot Flatus on 24 October, 2020, 05:11:27 pm

Oh my god.

Well, that could cover a multitude of scenarios.

<checks sports news>

Whale oil beef hooked...

Hot Flatus · « **Reply #144 on:** 24 October, 2020, 05:29:43 pm »

What is going on this year???

Young riders with next to no background dominating.

andyoxon · « **Reply #145 on:** 24 October, 2020, 06:21:42 pm »

Quote

No Grand Tour has been this close going into the final day...

www.theguardian.com/sport/2020/oct/24/cycling-giro-ditalia-stage-20-report

Mrs Pingu · « **Reply #146 on:** 24 October, 2020, 09:09:33 pm »

Cor, that was exciting!

rogerzilla · « **Reply #147 on:** 24 October, 2020, 09:32:40 pm »

A downhill, very short TT. I think average speeds tomorrow will be almost 40mph.

Pingu · « **Reply #148 on:** 24 October, 2020, 09:41:39 pm »

It doesn't get closer than that. Just a kumquat between them.

Mr Larrington · « **Reply #149 on:** 24 October, 2020, 11:02:37 pm »

P@nd3m1c Pr0duckt10nz^TM® is going to have to take back some of the rude things it's said about Rohan Dennis…