Afternoon Giro 2013, 14h

[Quick]

But ape thought Xhonneux had ridden... probably saw wrong.

Only made tempo with Dekkers from my classics.

Well, quite surprised nobody was on his wheel... pretty lucky.

[Quick]

Dear diary,

today was boring.

[Robyklebt]

Plus half offline it seems, even the ape. Who came on for the sprint... lots or riders in points/money then, because almost everybody was off.

Today should be more interesting, last 9 at 8 km from the end looks like clear Benni again, but with the different hills before that not sure he can control it til then maybe. GC stuff possible too maybe.

[Quick]

Interesting stage today. Benni in the end once again too strong. EAE finally in blue. Good stage.

[Robyklebt]

Pfff
Benni not even dropped... Was clear it would be Benni-Legrand in front of the others, since they didn't fight... but Benni not dropped killed me.. 7" back.. grrr. Hoped to be at 2", max 3" seconds. GRR. Then maybe a small chance, but ok, still the sprint problem... but a sprint at 3 maybe something more possible? Anyway, not dropped that bad Benni, so 0 chances.

[gaurain rx]

Benni not even dropped... Wooww, that's an interesting news. Yeah, in these conditions, was impossible... If I would have been there, I would have siebed myself actually and looking the gaps of the other days, 3-4 secs, I think that would have been manageable! But ok, no gk time loss, I can live with this result even if I wanted one more day rosa! But mm, asked the sitter not to ride, and race chat told me he waited for a fl guy... I can't believe it

[Robyklebt]

No surprises today really. Squeeze the stage, Kwick yellow
Interesting that Preidler won 10" to AlooEfoulou, but doesn't really mean anything form wise or so... can easily just be chance. Or good riding in the TT, although I still don't know how you do that.
But already pretty clear separation between the TT guys and the non TT climbers

AlooEfoulou
McQueen 6" but the way Squeeze has been riding so far don't see a rosy future for him
Preidler 18"
Keynes: 1'15". Where did he lose all that time? TTT I guess
Wolski 1'21"
Then the non TT guys
Melotte 1'58"
Mattson 2'26"
Trapani 2'41
Sixpence 2'46"
Recio 2'50"
Momyshuly 3'17"
Lichtenstein 3'20"

Nothing too surprising really, some details yes, but basically was what was excpected until now.

GC until now nothing happened either really. Ok, today of course. Main reason IMO is that we had clear pretty clear favorites everyday.. Sprinters stage 1, they controlled, but were beaten by the new sprint system... Maréchal 3, Benni 4, they both won, 5 Maréchal, but the most open stage, Kwick then won, he did what I was too stupid to do.. bah. grrr. 6 Benni, he won.. So logically there wasn't really much space to attack really. Kwick rode well, doing early stuff to have the stage favorites do the work later, then covering the end well too. And the rest the stage favorites FL+Gaurain. Good job. Problem then that we don't have real escape teams finally. ABC yes, but there it stops really. Cost goes than off too often. Squeeze goes in strange ways. Samurais off most of the time. Leaves me and fresim, who probably were too passive... in my case.. often had an outside chance, if all goes perfectly I can get the win, fresim a bit similar. Probably we both should have tried more, for stages I mean, not GC so far, but maybe with a more offensive race we could have "created" chances for GC attacks too. Problem for us is the small group, where we have to create our possibilites, can't wait for them. But ok, in the mountains the weight of the race should be fully on Kwicks shoulder, since he's the clear stage favorite too.. we'll have to try there sooner or later... both for stages and GC of course.

[gaurain rx]

I agree with the ape on every points.

Preview for tomorrow... Seems another Benni stage, or who knows, maybe the chance for escapers after a long TT.

[team fl]

Rest day! Yay! Day to summarise the first part of the Giro, it sounds like this, Maréchal, Quick, Maréchal, Benni, Almost Benni then almost Maréchal but Xhonneux, Bunch Sprint, Benni , ITT, Cost.

GC is sorted well, looks like EAE vs. Preidler. Although McQueen is in reach too, I don't think that Squeeze will be able to make it. Keynes and Wolski are 1 min behind that group and lurking to find their way. Esp. fresim with a helper for the mountains could play an active role here. Between 2:35 and 3:12 the Singe and FL climbers take place. Trapani and Momyshuly obvously the strongest opponents for Quick's climbers in the mountains for stage wins. And with their time handicap they don't have to be held on a very short leash.

The other classements are more or less still open:
- Benni seems to have a nice advantage for the Maglia Rossa already. Depending on the climber results in the moutains, this could still get close though.
- Mountain classement still wide open
- White should be clear already: Rafal Wolski from ABC-Polsat with a 6:30 time advantage before the mountains start and best U24 climber.
- Team classement will go to Quick. Everything else would be a big surprise. Maybe some succesful escapes could change this, but I don't think so.

Finally here the ranking of the GC favorits:

01. 00:00 Emmanuel Aloo Efoulou (r Quick) - 88
02. 00:10 Steve McQueen (Squeeze) - 84
03. 00:22 Georg Preidler (Gaurain Rx) - 86
04. 01:19 John Maynard Keynes (fresim) - 85
06. 01:25 Rafal Wolski (Team ABC-Polsat) - 85
08. 01:58 Sébastien Melotte (r Quick) - 88
09. 02:17 Ola Mattsson (RC Cost) - 81
12. 02:45 Michele Trapani (Petit Singe) - 87
13. 02:50 Eddie Sixpence (Team FL) - 84
14. 02:54 Javier Recio (fresim) - 84
15. 03:11 Roy Lichtenstein (Team FL) - 84
16. 03:12 Rakhat Momyshuly (Petit Singe) - 86

[Robyklebt]

Bah, yeqah, grr
Yesterday another ape special... sieb, but don't sieb Benni. Damn. Need better siebers again, those 2 climbers just are nothing it seems. Anyway, GC wise I'm were I thought I'd be at this point. Stages, well, with less than brilliant riding it's not too surprising that the counter says 0. Hope for better riding and then more success from tomorrow on.

[team fl]

Puh, what a finish today. Never thought that my two climbers could keep up until the end. Roy's attack even made it worse. And then in the sprint he leaves Keynes backwheel while the latter wins the race easily afterwards. of course the result is much better than expected, but still... Grmpf. But an interesting race. And with fersim a new winner. Now only Samurais and the Singe left with zero stage wins. For the GC, nothing really important changed besides Keynes got some bonus seconds and the climbers distanced the other riders who were still among them in the GC.

[gaurain rx]

So well, group with 2 Polsat, 1 Fl/Singe/fresim. 54 moutain at max. Quick chased behind, helped by Squezze. Controlled well the first climb of the day. at the end of the downhill, counter by 2 ape classics, 1fl and 2 Polsat... But again Quick controlled without any prob. then on the last climb, Melotte (Quick) attacked at 7km from the finish (Recio (fresim) also), took 9 secs, Trapani (Singe) went in tempo, took 1 sec/km back, joined by Preidler (Gaurain) 3 km from the finish, moment choosen by Lichtenstein (fl) to try something. 2km from the finish, attack from Aloo( Quick) and Momyshuli (Ape), they landed 1 sec behind Melotte and 1 in front of the rest of the climbers. Keynes (fresim) did the job to get back everybody on the last km and won the sprint by far.

I actually don't like how the tour turns out but well, could it be different?

Tomorrow, interesting stage. Might be easy to controll for Quick if he wants! And the last climb is not really steep!

[Robyklebt]

Rakhat and Preidler took 3" back, Trapani was out then.
In the end very bad result for me...
1) Quick didn't win. Means he's still hungry. Probably if he wins 3-4 stages he'd be more relaxed about further stage wins and let's a group go... something like my great Sekiguchiattack, (ok ok, not so great), would just cover it with the back group, still chances to get the win with that too, not like yesterday were he clearly wanted the stage (with Melotte)
2) fresim wins.. .wää. Now only 2 teams without stage win. Argh.

Otherwise, not much happened yesterday. A long farmer try... didn't think was worth trying actually, so sent Zibi, highly undangerous Zibi in front. Easy control by Quick, with Squeeze help. The guy rides horribly... he's blocking everybody a bit... First the escape (well, was irrelevant, Kwick had that one under control anyway), then later Quick, by making tempo uphill with his helper. OK, that one still understandeble, he still is in the GC with his guy, so cover so that he doesn't lose x minutes when Quick goes. But still, could let Preidler do that. Or the apes... (who wouldn't have yesterday) Then the Legrand-Sekiguchiattack... knew was hopeless, still tried, what else to do. Last climb then Melotte goes, which opened up the stage chances, Trapani chases, then Rakhat tries, all together, sprint... not too happy with how it went, but was one of the more interesting sprints with the new system yet.

Today.... hate this stage, completely idiotic stage. In real life mostly, they could just have made it a sprint. RSF, looks good for Melotte IMO. He'll get his win today most likely, the apes will see what they can do, but...

[Robyklebt]

Another convincing ape day.

Group ok, then joined the leaders too early... FL said 107 sounded good, I joined earlier.. idiot. Fighting (which I didn't really realized) dropped on the last meters, they waited, which was nice of them actually. So Narcisse at least got blue.. I'm a blue rider now, how embarrassing. Then sucked forever in the front, but still didn't have more energy than the others... same or less it seems. Bah. In the back, a first attack by Rakhat, green, didn't even get away with Lambert in tempo.. a second one actually wasn't that bad, some followers and Rakhat and others can win a few seconds to Kwick, but no followers.. .so actually should have stopped, but ok, what for. Third try with Trapani... too bad Kwick didn't follow his plan and attack too a km later, but ok, tempo with Rakhat (who had 650 energy by then) made him just ride with Melotte. 5" lost for Trapani, doesn't matter... Squeeze wins, my "fault" for staying in too long with Narcisse... too optimistic and not enough thinking as usual, should have gone out, sorry... Blue for Narcisse.. he'll lose it soon again but at least I get to wear a jersey occasionally.

[team fl]

Grmpf, second place again. This times Fowler from Squeeze was too strong for Flachbart in coop with Vrunethen from Gaurain, after the Singe Pellevoisin (who is back in blue) saved the winner the necessary time when the two others attacked. Anyway, the result is better than expected, as yesterday, although it could have been the stage win too. The stage was nice and it was the first time, Quick got into some trouble, also because of technical problems it seems. But EAE didn't lose time so everything still in plan. Tomorrow will be interesting too as it will be questionable if the sprinter teams give it a shot, a group will do it or anybody else gives it a try with some siebing.

[Robyklebt]

Hey, I attacked too! Just green.... and he followed, then yes.. sorry..

[team fl]

Second day in a row a rider out of an early group made it, third time incl. all stage. This time it was the fresim attack at km 25 that sealed the deal. Well, it was more the reaction, or lets say the non-reaction of the sprintteams, that made it happen, although they tried everthing in the end. Milik would have won the sprint as Samurais still seems not to know the new sprint system very well. So his last chance for his sprinter will be the final stage of the Giro.

For FL and esp for Benni, the stage was more ore less recreational wie some short trips for sprint points and the sprint in the peloton at the finish of the stage. After the shortest stage of this years Giro (besides the TTT and the ITTs), today will offer one of the longest, again around 250 km, and before two hard mountain stages. Again a day for a group? Or another day for the stage hunters like FL or Gaurain? Or even a GC attack? Many questions, we will know the answers around 16:30 today.

And, as we discussed it in the chat, here the statistics about (very well distributed) stage wins so far:

Teams:

2 - FL
2 - fresim
2 - Gaurain
2 - r Quick (1 TTT)
2 - Squeeze
1 - ABC
1 - Cost

0 - Petit Singe, Samurais

Riders:

2 - Benni (Team FL
2 - Fowler (Squeeze)
2 - Maréchal (Gaurain Rx)
1 - Keynes (fresim)
1 - Milik (Team ABC-Polsat)
1 - Olsson (RC Cost)
1 - Scandiani (fresim)
1 - Xhonneux (r Quick)

[Robyklebt]

Finally got my win too!
Missed the start again, came 8 minutes late.. then took me 5 min to load the race, blah 14.13 when I finally connected. Group gone, but Quick controlling... then he stopped, after Squeeze told him he just wanted the mountains jersey. So to keep him riding the ape went too... Narcisse and Zibi.. but ok, completely wasted that one, I suspect he would have ridden the same without that attack... Then, Sestriere, first part, sieb by Tasman I think, ride back to the front, 4 Quicks in the back, only the classics and leaders in front. Actually the rest except Zibi was very close to being back, pulled by FL (for no reason) and Samurais (for no reason). Went out when they were 4" or so back, Quick there simply should have ridden... in front it was dead Narcisse going green.. Then at the last red km of the first part of the climb, attack by Legrand/Sekiguchi... There Rasta missed a km in the 30" tact, because he let me a minute, which I then kept until the second part started.. there attack by Trapani, followed by the illogical Squeeze tempo... which helped me somehow today, it made Quick have to chase with his 3 classics in the back, no helps for the 2 climbers, or one helping, perfect for me, but completely senseless action by Squeeze. Yes he is in the GC, with a TTing climber, podium surely possible, but Quick wasn't going to let Trapani win minutes today... But he let Trapani the win, by going green in the flat after the downhill. (After Squeeze finally realized that he wasn't gaining anything by his tempo either and waited for the Quicks) Reg problems most likely, Xhonneux IMO very very critical, Dekkers not sure, might be close too, Bech IMO should have had reserves? But don't really know, so ok. He let the advantage grow to 1'20"+, then Bech brought it down to 1'10" at the bottom... 9" saved for Trapani, 10" to AlooEfoulou, YEAH. 32" gained in the GC, so a good day. The riding wasn't all that great again, but this time luck was on my side. Still not sure how to win this Giro though...At least got a stage, which is something too, was getting nervous being the only one without a stage win. So 14. stages, 9 different winners, I like our Giro from that point of view.

Tomorrow... same as today, Kwick the favorite at the start. But it's not an automatic win either. Depending on how weakened he is, he's at risk from other attacks again. And the final climb is long... difficult to control, so lots can happen there.

[Robyklebt]

Good day yesterday, bad day today... but ok.. that's the way it is.
Tried to put Legrand in the early group, Narcisse as puller, Legrand mostly to scare Quick. But good control by Quick in the back, saw the group, 2 apes, 2 cost, 2 squeeze, 2 fresim 1 Gaurain and 1 FL, he chased hard immediately. Right decision. But it was made easy as well. 2 fresim didn't work. They should have, they have nothing to lose. 2 Squeeze, no work, he should have, it's his best chance for blue. Ape worked 2-3 km, then didn't make sense killing Narcisse too, he was at 900 and nr 5 regarding energy at the start, Avranescu with 930 a useless nr 4... And especially.. why 1 FL and 1 Gaurain? Especially FL, that was his stage to try. What does he have 2 climbers for? OK, difficult, 2 sitters, one yesterday, different one today, and FL didn't see yesterdays race, so he didn't know exactly how the situation was. But today.... Flachbart plus Fargas or so, ride full power with Fargas as long as you can... Then see what Quick does in the Mont Cenis. Xhonneux IMO wasn't fit. What does Kwick do if a group with Legrand-Flachbart, some fresims, maybe some Gaurains goes into the Mont Cenis with 1'? Tcheutchoua or Xhonneux? If Tcheutchoua, excellent. He can try the attack with a climber on the Mont Cenis. And then see what happens. Kwick then has to possibilites. Chase hard, or let him go, since FL is not that dangerous even if he were to get yellow today. Wait for Tcheutschoua still, control, with him mostly until the Telegraphe starts and let FL gain 4-5' on the road even? No problem. If he chases harder, gets the group, or almost, then he's with Xhonneux and only has 2 more guys to use... which can benefit FL too. And this option can benefit Gaurain, fresim, me as well. Ok, me not that much today, since my only fit classic was Tasman... Legrand 6xx? Sekiguchi 7xx. But ok, for the end still could profit from a situation like that. And Gaurain too, Lédigé and Lopard or so early, tempo, get Lédigé over the hill, then see what to do. Keep the pressure high on Kwick, let him use his riders, and hope to force him to play his hand (Melotte) a bit earlier... And then see what happens, still possible AlooEfoulou drops everybody, of course can happen. But like this... early group was just everybody wanting a free ride it seems..
After that, interesting action by Gaurain for a while, but stopped it, not sure why.. looked kind of interesting, isolate Quick a bit, only his 5 left.. see if then you can keep the pressure on by going with Vrunethen and maybe Lédigé himself to have him ride.. but stopped it... .
So nothing at all happened til the Télégraphe. There... nothing happened. Xhonneux going up... Why not go with some classics.. .see how he reacts. Benni, Antiga, Timonier, Maréchal. Nothing to lose really. Nothing at all. Yes, Sekiguchi and Legrand could try too... except they had no energy, Legrand was fighting every km.... Tasman went, won 20"... if Benni or the others go it's more, and then FL can try to simply follow up with a climber and have him paced til the Galibier starts. But nothing happened again.. End then... AlooEfoulou goes, nobody follows, good and deserved win. Block the attack. everybody saw Melotte out, nobody reacted, time and in my case hoped to follow.. .and not my job (and probably wouldn't have had the time either)

Good race by Kwick and Cost (who did the only real early attack finally) the rest basically sucked big time (including me, the way it went should just have gone at the bottom of the Telegraphe)

[gaurain rx]

I share ape analysis! Too passive today, but even since one week, really passive field, gc speaking!

My plan was trying to get rid of some quick's in mont Cenis! So ledigé in front, then sieb with Maréchal, but ok didn't work... just went with ledigé in tempo, lagged a bit. did it once again, tcheutchoua at 1min, mmm, yeah, then attack vrunethen/timonier would have made sense, what I didn't, dunno why, thought about it but choosed the passive way. But Telagraphe, it was over.... classic attack made no sense! So well, as said, Aloo went, everybody saw it but nobody blocked. It was mostly my duty, I can admit even if I'm not sure I would have been fast enough but IMO, with how the race goes since 2 weeks (classic stages blocked cause Maréchal/Benni, no real move except from the apes) I don't think it would have deeply changed the things, gc speaking. I just don't get what the guys with 2 climbers are doing with them. 4,5 teams with 2, only 2 are using them!

And IMO I have the same problem as in 2010 : 2 leaders! Ok, here less relevant as prebois 2010 was fighting hard for cyclamino but still, sacrificied some potential opportunities for stage! And 2 climbers would be a must for me here also! But ok, can't tell I ride good gc speaking!

[Robyklebt]

Not too passive from the beginning of the Giro IMO. There weren't really too many possibilities either until the mountains. Today basically the first stage where not enough was done IMO.

[gaurain rx]

Not too passive from the beginning of the Giro IMO. There weren't really too many possibilities either until the mountains. Today basically the first stage where not enough was done IMO.

Well, not too passive cause you oppened the fire twice but the others...

[Robyklebt]

No, there wasn't really much to do before I think.

[team fl]

Back from the week-end, Quick seems to have strenghtened his position in the GC and the Singe has his stage win now too. Is there anybody left without one? Guess not. I hope my sitters behaved badly, so you want me back desperatly .

See you at 14h!

[Robyklebt]

Cool stage yesterday. FL might not agree.. but don't mean the end really.
Weird anyway, Cherasco of the attackers only Samurai goes, with 4 as usual. Easy to control for the Duo Benni Maréchal, both go..Yesterday that IMO was much more difficult to control, or energy consuming at least, the chase. But that's what made it fun, if the group had just been let go... we get 10', we stop, maybe we get 15' to be surer... then wait for the hill, which Legrand would have been ok to just ride with everybody basically, Sprint all similar... would have been kind of boring, group goes, let through, finished. Like this much more fun. First sieb Tasman with Maréchal.. mmh, like it. He got 2 helpers from then on, hoping to be in front of Maréchal at the decisive one. Wasn't the case, 1" back, then riding, but Benni+Bech (who had chances with Melotte I thought) too strong. Then weird bug or something in the sprint for FL, so fresim wins, Trapani gaines 12" bonification and now is firedangerous!!!! Hihi. In the back Tasman no chance against Maréchal.... but 1 vs 1 was clear. With Benni-Roy-Melotte-Tasman-Maréchal the chances were better I thought, but still Maréchal the favorite of course. But with his weakish train... if there is a stronger one... who knows.

Today... not sure if it's the same as yesterday or this time the escape goes through... if same as yesterday, same favorites.