Giro starts today - and it's on "normal" TV

[Samuel D]

I could see Sky winning a stage yet, maybe with Landa who seems to be recovering better than Thomas after initially appearing the worse off.

[trekker12]

I know there is no honour in the peloton any more but to attack Dumoulin whilst he had his trousers down yesterday seemed a bit harsh. Did well not to incur any more losses than he did.

[Little Jim]

Yes, never been a fan of Nibali and he has form for this as well - 2015 TdF, stage 19, as well as the infamous "motor pacing" incident in that year's Vuelta.  Quintana strikes me as someone who is more of a follower rather than a leader but he really should have had the moral courage to do something especially after his crash the other day.  You can argue that in modern racing that is commercially driven then mechanicals, accidents, whatever, should just be accepted and taken on the chin and that probably seems like a good idea until you are the one standing at the side of the road with a flat tyre.

Hopefully the karma police will be along in a day or so.

[TigaSefi]

Quintana is a knob jockey. Really hope his plans to do two tours to fall apart!

[rafletcher]

OTOH older members will recall Lemond riding into Paris with diarrhoea running down his legs.

[LEE]

I went for a dump in the Friar Tuck Cafe in Amesbury (on a Denmead Audax) and all my mates were waiting for me afterwards*


*To be precise they were still eating their Full English Breakfasts..but it was the right thing to do.

[Karla]

OTOH older members will recall Lemond riding into Paris with diarrhoea running down his legs.

Didn't both team cars look about as bad as Lemond, after Hinault's team manager tried to get up to him to tell him to attack but Lemond's team car was in the way?

[rob]

OTOH older members will recall Lemond riding into Paris with diarrhoea running down his legs.

Didn't both team cars look about as bad as Lemond, after Hinault's team manager tried to get up to him to tell him to attack but Lemond's team car was in the way?

I believe they were both riding for La Vie Clare at the time 1986 tour.   The whole incident is recounted in the foreword to Slaying the Badger.   It was earlier in the tour than the Champs Elysses.

[trekker12]

In Put me Back on my Bike, the mechanic recalls cleaning similar substances from Tommy Simpsons bike the day before the fatal ride up Ventoux - although there were other reasons for that.

[Karla]

OTOH older members will recall Lemond riding into Paris with diarrhoea running down his legs.

Didn't both team cars look about as bad as Lemond, after Hinault's team manager tried to get up to him to tell him to attack but Lemond's team car was in the way?

I believe they were both riding for La Vie Clare at the time 1986 tour.   The whole incident is recounted in the foreword to Slaying the Badger.   It was earlier in the tour than the Champs Elysses.

Aah just a sec, I was thinking of Lemond vs Fignon on Alpe d'Huez in 1989.  Let's call it similarly 'sporting' behaviour.

[Ruthie]

The Dolomites are a spectacular backdrop aren't they? Loving the Giro this year, full of drama of the best kind 

[Veloman]

Great win by Landa today and if he manages to stay upright for the rest of the race then he will have won the Blue jersey which is excellent news considering the spill earlier in the race.  May not be GC, but Sky will come away with more than some other teams have done who were not involved in the nonsense with the motorbike.

[αdαmsκι]

https://twitter.com/Eurosport_UK/status/868117228566093824

[TigaSefi]

That was exciting!! Top 6 riders racing up a mountain!! Dumoulin did well to get back to 7 secs but ran out of energy to do any more!

[Veloman]

Super finish to race on Sunday when it is so open when small matters like a puncture can have a decisive input.

Good to see Landa had a relatively easy day after securing the climbers jersey. Must be seen as a good Giro for Sky considering their ill-fortune.

Hilarious to see after the stage yesterday that Movistar and Bahrain teams were in bottom two places for Fair Play classification:

http://www.giroditalia.it/eng/rankings/?tpp=21001

No idea how it is calculated and seems to be inverse of general classification. Seems some teams are getting grief for riding too fast!

[Hot Flatus]

No, they are getting grief for ignoring usual race etiquette.

Barring incident, Dumoulin will probably win.

[andyoxon]

So 54seconds to make up... C'mon Tom.

[Veloman]

(click to show/hide)

Fantastic result and fantastic ride from Tom D.  Clearly, karma that Nibali referred to has happened and Tom has won despite everything that was thrown at him.

And Landa stays upright to ensure Sky salvage something of note from the Giro.  Superb performance from Landa all other matters considered.

[Pingu]

WTF language does Sean Kelly speak 

[Ivo]

The anthem was not entirely the correct one

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YHVDToj2Y9A

(modified to English subtitles)

[Ivo]

Celebrations in Maastricht yesterday:

Full version: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i_igbtQeOWA

short version: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WYiC90Y_fOc

[mattc]

WTF language does Sean Kelly speak 

He speaks the language of Green Jerseys



Very pleased for Tom. I've nothing *against* Quintana, but cannot really like the guy either. Tom's smile as he watched the race clock tick-over into "win" was just lovely

I missed most of the stages (I was riding thru Swiss/Italian alps  ); in the last highlights programme, was Dumoulin bunny-hopping a kerb in an ITT???

[Little Jim]

WTF language does Sean Kelly speak 

He speaks the language of Green Jerseys



Very pleased for Tom. I've nothing *against* Quintana, but cannot really like the guy either. Tom's smile as he watched the race clock tick-over into "win" was just lovely

I missed most of the stages (I was riding thru Swiss/Italian alps  ); in the last highlights programme, was Dumoulin bunny-hopping a kerb in an ITT???

No, that was Quintana - he wore pink for both TTs and lost it to Tom D after each TT.

I've never warmed to Quintana, he seems to have less charisma than Froome, but I do think he showed a complete lack of any leadership skills after the infamous toilet stop and has gone down in my estimation.  Not that he'll be particularly bothered by my lack of support.

[Pingu]

WTF language does Sean Kelly speak 

He speaks the language of Green Jerseys

He speaks like his mouth is stuffed with green jerseys.

[Legs]

I've never warmed to Quintana, he seems to have less charisma than Froome, but I do think he showed a complete lack of any leadership skills after the infamous toilet stop and has gone down in my estimation.  Not that he'll be particularly bothered by my lack of support.

I spent the weekend with my sister-in-law's family and friends - her best friend's common-law husband is Colombian and says that Quintana has the personality of a brick.