Giro

[olmania]

Yes, fog !!!
Excellent Sorensen !
I'm a bit surprised about Gadret, easy with the maglia rosa group, and he tried a lot, and finished just before this group ...
Sastre out again !

[iBanesto]

Ok, it's time to reduce my eight-gc-men finally...

Vino
Evans +1:12
Nibali +1:33
Basso +1:51
Garzelli +2:47
Cunego +3:08
Scarponi +3:09

The contenders of the big group today, minus Gadret, Mollema and Tondo which are already more than 6 minutes down. Honestly, I can't pick someone out of those seven. All of them have a chance to win, some more, some less. Vino and Basso have to fear the big climbs. Evans' team shrunk to seven today and once the climbs start he is alone with Santambroggio. Nibali remains unsure about his form, it's not bad, but good enough to win? Garzelli, Cunego and Scarponi were very strong today and yesterday, especially the latter two, but they have a big Netherlands/TTT handicap to catch up.
Astana now has to control in the next flat stages, they will get some help from Garmin and Columbia for the bunch sprints, but the stage to L'Aquila will be very tough on Vino's team. Flat stages after Wednesday are also +200 km, Monte Grappa and Zoncolan looming after ten days racing without a restday...

[NoPikouze]

Richie Porte is quite impressive so far, good ranking on both stages

[iBanesto]

He's ok for the white jersey, but he can't compete with the big guys. Yesterday Larsson dragged him to the line, today he couldn't go with the maglia rosa group, even though they were riding very tactically. He should keep an eye on Mollema.

[Lizard]

Finally Evans is not the one being chased like always in the tour, now he can go for attacking and stages. Vino easily so far, but I guess it will be very close between him and Evans. And who knows, the italians behind em are strong climbers, and Garzelli showed yesterday that he will ride offensive.

[Bear]

Another hard day for all the guys. Heavy rain and water everywhere.

[Rockstar Inc]

Matthew Harley Goss..i like this kid

[Bear]

I don't think that Greipel has a chance to start at the giro. Although he was ill, his performance in the sprint is not really good. Or did he put on the sprint for Goss today??

[Luna]

Goss: “I was still trying to help André [Greipel], but he wasn’t there when there was a split with 10km-to-go,” said Goss. “He came back and I looked after him for most of the last few kilometres. At the 400m mark I thought, 'if he’s on my wheel, he’ll pass me in the sprint', but he wasn’t there, so I took the opportunity to win.”

( http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/goss-co ... t-the-giro )

[Bear]

What a strange race today. Rain as usual and a early 50+ man group. How can the favorites for the GC let this group a 17min advantage knowing that there are riders like Sastre, Arroyo and Porte in front?? I can't believe this. Now it gets very exciting how the GC favorites work on this disadvantage.

[NoPikouze]

TEAMATTACK @@@@@@

But very strange indeed, I don't believe the favo-teams are so weak...
Perhaps Gerdemann favo for the maglia rosa

[iBanesto]

Holy moly...
Have to analyse stuff now...

[iBanesto]

Esto and his trusty calculator!

Arroyo
Tondo +2:12
Sastre +5:27
Vino +8:16
Evans +9:28
Nibali +9:46
Basso +10:07
Garzelli +11:00
Cunego +11:21
Scarponi +11:22

Matchpoint Sastre? Or Arroyo? God this is so awesome now.

[NoPikouze]

Taking minutes is very rare, leaders will have to attack from far away. Let's hope they do it

[Bear]

This Giro will be fascinating I think

[Luna]

Unbelievable stage! Unbelievable Giro!

[el Galactico]

Arroyo won't lose so much time on a Sastre in this form i think. He is the man for me now!

[Elaska]

Show time Giro !!!!

[Bear]

Cadel Evans to yesterdays stage:

A long, horrible bizarre day here at the #Giro today. Race leader leaves 56 in the break. Not normal, but neither is this race!

A few words can say so much!!!

[iBanesto]

Pippo fantastico! Didn't see it unfortunatly...

[Bear]

Cadel's diary:

What looked to be sprint until some of the GC favourites attacked on the last little climb of the day. My fault for not being there, I didn't position myself very well. I was relying on Sky and Garmin to chase a bit more. Hence me getting frustrated with those who were purposely slowing down the chase, not the done thing in professional cycling. I let it be known to them, much to everyone's entertainment – sorry about that - not bad for a boring rider who never attacks, hey?

Now I realized why Cadel was so angry. Yesterday I didn't see that.

[Luna]

La Gazzetta dello Sport reports that yesterday's fight between Cadel Evans (BMC) and Daniele Righi (Lampre) is not an issue anymore today. Apparently, the two riders have solved their dispute. "Sometimes you lack some lucidity," Evans is reported to have said. "But the important thing is to learn from your mistakes."

And Righi commented: "I saw the gesture on TV, it's true that it was quite brutal. We're sorry for what happened. It's all cleared up."

( http://www.cyclingnews.com/races/93rd-g ... ive-report )

[iBanesto]

Nibali is a dangerman and a question mark. How well prepared is he? If we see the Nibali from last years Tour and Dauphine then he will be the best Italian in this Giro. Strong downhiller, Monte Grappa...

Nibali was unstopable today. I think I never saw someone downhill like today. Bettini Giro di Lombardia 2006 comes close, but that was different. Can Nibali win the Giro? I think so. But the race is still wide open, Zoncolan tomorrow could be hard for those that pushed hard today, Nibali, Scarponi, Evans, Vino. Basso probably won his first sprint ever.

[Bear]

I was thinking of Paolo Savoldelli when I saw Nibali flying down to Asolo.

[iBanesto]

Garzelli +18:50 today...