The Real Giro 2025 Afternoon

[team fl]

Stade 9, strade bianche. is it * or **? How much will the time loss be for the climbers with little pavé skill? r TAKA was very convinced that this is THE stage that would decide the Giro and predicted at least three minutes! This would be the stage where the Fürst would win the GC. Well, that was not the case, but it was a stage the Fürst won in the end, seconds ahead of fellow stage hunter mates Lucas Papillon from Gipfelstuermer and Alexis Art from Romoc Riders. The best climber was, who could guess it, Baptiste Firiam from r TAKA with "only" 42 secs behind the stage winner. Other climbers were not so close and hence, the GC was turned a bit upside down. But Murdobek, although losing 1 min 26 secs on the stage, kept his Maglia Rosa after his effort yesterday by just one second in front of his team mate Crescenzo Poggiolini, who had the support of all the Italian spectator though. Alex Dixon from Big Donkey follows on the last podium place, 14 secs behind. With almost half a minute of a gap, the Fürst leads the rest of the GC riders. Two other climbers that joined the escape with Murodbek yesterday, Lachance (Big Donkey) and Macedo (Wolfpack Cycling Team) lost almost 3 min already on today's stage. Anyway, tomorrow everybody has a day off to regain energy before the Giro continues with 29 km long time trial. So most likely, Reggy Badenburg (CreditPommes) will be back in Rosa but has to catch up almost 2 min to Murodbek after yesterday and today. Another rider that will gain time on his opponents in the ITT will be Baptiste Firiam. And the rest waits for mistakes in week 2 and 3, I guess.

For the other classements not too much happend besides the usual Maglia Ciclamino flip flop at Team FL. Which means: The Fürst is back in front of Alex. As after the ITT, there will be a stage for a possible bunch sprint, also week 2 will have more of this duel within the team. Lachance kept his Maglia Azzurra, although Paul Weber got very close today. And the Maglia Bianca has two main contestants (who could have expected that!): Liu Bei from Dreizehn and Santiago Tabarz from Tornado Team, who is currently wearing it.

So what to expect for week 2 in Italy? Reggy back in Rosa, still Murodbek in the best position for the moment though with Firiam and Dixon lurking. And don't forget about the Fürst who some still see as GC favourite. Maybe it will somebody else completely, who knows. The order is: ITT, hilly, flat (possible bunch sprint), flat (climber finish with last km 8%), flat (reduced sprint most likely), mountain (with flat finish). The wait for the long and hard mountain stage with long and hard climbs in the end is still going on. Until then, the GC will stay close.

Stage 9:

01. 00:00:00 Fürchtegott Fürst (Team FL)
02. 00:00:01 Lucas Papillon (Gipfelstuermer)
03. 00:00:02 Alexis Art (Romoc Riders)
04. 00:00:05 Yannick Hoebeke (Romoc Riders)
05. 00:00:08 Mickaël Bougault (Gipfelstuermer)
06. 00:00:09 Ryodo Kajiwara (Gipfelstuermer)
07. 00:00:11 Sten Stenberg (Team FL)
08. 00:00:19 Yossi Youshimatz (Team FL)
09. 00:00:23 Sonny Sterling (Romoc Riders)
10. 00:00:42 Baptiste Firiam (r TAKA)

Maglia Rosa

01. 00:00:00 Murodbek Makhamadzhonov (Tukhtahuaev)
02. 00:00:01 Crescenzo Poggiolini (Tukhtahuaev)
03. 00:00:14 Alex Dixon (Big Donkey)
04. 00:00:29 Fürchtegott Fürst (Team FL)
05. 00:01:37 Baptiste Firiam (r TAKA)
06. 00:01:42 Alexis Art (Romoc Riders)
07. 00:01:56 Reggy Badenburg (CreditPommes)
08. 00:02:01 Rodrigo Macedo (Wolfpack Cycling Team)
09. 00:03:01 Tom Trost (Narrenparty)
10. 00:03:05 Lucas Papillon (Gipfelstuermer)
11. 00:03:15 Sten Stenberg (Team FL)
12. 00:03:19 Oskar Stoel (CreditPommes)
13. 00:03:21 Yannick Hoebeke (Romoc Riders)
14. 00:03:30 Olayuk Arlooktoo (Tukhtahuaev)
15. 00:03:30 Santiago Tabarez (Tornado Team)

Maglia Ciclamino

01. 118 - Fürchtegott Fürst (Team FL)
02. 095 - Alex Alailefaleula (Team FL)
03. 072 - Dietmar Barth (Narrenparty)

Maglia Azzurra

01. 068 - Émile Lachance (Big Donkey)
02. 064 - Paul Wenger (Wolfpack Cycling)
03. 050 - Baptiste Firiam (r TAKA)

Maglia Bianca

03. 00:03:19 Oskar Stoel* (CreditPommes)
01. 00:03:30 Santiago Tabarez (Tornado Team)
02. 00:03:44 Liu Bei (Dreizehn)

* will not be eligible for the final Maglia Bianca

Team classement

01. 00:00:00 Tukhtahuaev
02. 00:04:23 Big Donkey
03. 00:06:14 CreditPommes

Stage wins by riders:

2 - Fürchtegott Fürst (Team FL)
1 - Alex Alailefaleula (Team FL)
1 - Rafael Andrade (Dreizehn)
1 - Baptiste Firiam (r TAKA)
1 - Olayuk Arlooktoo (Tukhtahuaev)
1 - Temptation Coventry (Dreizehn)
1 - Stefano Tzimas (Narrenparty)

Stage wins by teams:

3 - Team FL
2 - Dreizehn
1 - Narrenparty
1 - r TAKA
1 - Tukhtahuaev
1 - Wolfpack Cycling

Days in the Maglia Rosa

5 - Reggy Badenburg (CreditPommes)
2 - Murodbek Makhamadzhonov (Tukhtahuaev)
2 - Temptation Coventry (Dreizehn)

[team fl]

After today new favorites check:
*****M. Makhamadzhonov
**** R. Badenburg-B. Firiam
*** A. Dixon
** F. Fürst, É.Lachance, C. Poggiolini
* R. Macedo, T. Trost

I think this hasn't changed after stage 9. I guess the GC rankingn will look something like this after the ITT, given all GC riders start with 1000 energy, same form and 100% all the way (which could be questionable for some riders, regarding stage 11):

01. 00:00 Reggy Badenburg
02. 01:30 The Fürst
03. 01:45 Murodbek
04. 02:00 Crescenzo Poggiolini
05. 02:15 Alex Dixon
06. 02:20 Baptiste Firiam
07. 03:25 Rodrigo Macedo
08. 03:30 Alexis Art
09. 04:15 Tom Trost
...

The Fürst will be first chaser after the ITT, but I don't think he hold his advantage, even if it might increase a bit (very optimistically). So essentially for me, it's Reggy vs. Murodbek vs. Baptiste. CreditPommes will have to defend 1:45 against Murodbek, which will be hard enough, and Murodbek will have to defend a bit more than half a minute against Baptiste, who might still get bonifications with stage wins (Murodbek too of course). Poggiolini is out, as long as he's helper for Murodbek. Dixon, and a bit further behind Trost or Macedo (Lachance too far gone imho, but who knows, see stage 8...), could be free radicals who use a stalemate or a fight among Reggy, Murodbek and Baptiste. Again, I think it's very intersting to have strong climbers in the mix, a Huber (80 climber with 70+ ITT) and a 80-70 rider (Art like Lachance imho). At least for now.

[Tukhtahuaev]

Gap to Firiam certainly not as comfortable as I had hoped before the gravel stage. Bonus seconds for Firiam alone could already make up the time difference, so it seems to be an open race now.

Still very happy with how this has gone so far. That big time gain on stage 8 was quite unexpected. Had hoped to get a tiny advantage because no one wants to kill his team before the gravel stage and it worked out much better than I could ever dream. Maybe it would have been better for Taka to weaken his team a little bit and gain less time on the gravel stage instead of losing 3 minutes the day before

[cataracs]

I didn't react to your attack not because I wanted to save energy, but because I think it's CP's job to chase you. And because of his super sensless riding against my classics while gifting FL many seconds in week one he certanly lost any chances of collab from me.

[Robyklebt]

After pavé the stars thing changed again! And will change more after the TT.

Lachance, actually it went well in the pavé stage until I decided not to drop Lanfredini to him, but only to Dixon. We once came back to within 10" of the group ahead with Lachance... but then without fresh puller it exploded in the end. Should have dropped to Lachance, especially since i missed the moment to go in for Dixon, once I went in Badenburg and Trost were back, pff. without them made much more sense.

[team fl]

I didn't react to your attack not because I wanted to save energy, but because I think it's CP's job to chase you. And because of his super sensless riding against my classics while gifting FL many seconds in week one he certanly lost any chances of collab from me.

-> Stage 1, Km 1: Itachi Uchiha (r TAKA) attackiert
-> Stage 3, Km 4: Abdullah Yilmaz (r TAKA) geht mit

This was the foundation for CreditPommes for "collab", I guess.

[team fl]

01. 00:00 Reggy Badenburg
02. 01:30 The Fürst
03. 01:45 Murodbek
04. 02:00 Crescenzo Poggiolini
05. 02:15 Alex Dixon
06. 02:20 Baptiste Firiam
07. 03:25 Rodrigo Macedo
08. 03:30 Alexis Art
09. 04:15 Tom Trost

Let's see how good the prediction was:

01. 00:00 Reggy -> correct!
02. 01:47 the Fürst -> 17 secs off
03. 02:12 Murodbek -> 27 secs off
04. 02:25 Baptiste Firiam -> only 5 secs off!
05. 02:28 Crescenzo Poggiolini -> 28 secs off
06. 02:44 Alex Dixon -> 29 secs off
07. 04:01 Alexis Art -> 31 secs off
...
09. 04:33 Rodrigo Macedo -> Almost a min off!
...
12. 05:04 Tom Trost -> 49 secs off

Guess some have not been riding 100% all the time. Form plays a role too. But good day for Reggy. Question will be if he will be fit tomorrow for stage 11. And ready for week 3.

[Robyklebt]

Lachance continues to be mobbed by FL.

[team fl]

Here the statistics after stage 10:

Stage 10:

01. 00:00:00 Stefanos Tzimas (Narrenparty)
02. 00:00:38 Reggy Badenburg (CreditPommes)
03. 00:01:04 Anderson Appollo (Romoc Riders)
04. 00:02:44 Temptation Coventry (Dreizehn)
05. 00:03:09 Lautaro Lucifero (Team FL)
06. 00:03:22 Baptiste Firiam (r TAKA)
07. 00:03:32 Sten Stenberg (Team FL)
08. 00:03:34 Sergey Kriushenko (Tornado Team)
09. 00:03:36 Oleksandr Piskun (Tukhtahuaev)
10. 00:03:40 Liu Bei (Dreizehn)

Maglia Rosa

01. 00:00:00 Reggy Badenburg (CreditPommes)
02. 00:01:47 Fürchtegott Fürst (Team FL)
03. 00:02:12 Murodbek Makhamadzhonov (Tukhtahuaev)
04. 00:02:25 Baptiste Firiam (r TAKA)
05. 00:02:28 Crescenzo Poggiolini (Tukhtahuaev)
06. 00:02:44 Alex Dixon (Big Donkey)
07. 00:04:01 Alexis Art (Romoc Riders)
08. 00:04:13 Sten Stenberg (Team FL)
09. 00:04:33 Rodrigo Macedo (Wolfpach Cycling Team)
10. 00:04:33 Yannick Hoebeke (Romoc Riders)
11. 00:04:33 Liu Bei (Dreizehn)
12. 00:05:04 Tom Trost (Narrenparty)
13. 00:05:19 Lucas Papillon (Gipfelstuermer)
14. 00:05:34 Olayuk Arlooktoo (Tukhtahuaev)
15. 00:05:37 Santiago Tabarez (Tornado Team)

Maglia Ciclamino

01. 118 - Fürchtegott Fürst (Team FL)
02. 095 - Alex Alailefaleula (Team FL)
03. 072 - Dietmar Barth (Narrenparty)

Maglia Azzurra

01. 068 - Émile Lachance (Big Donkey)
02. 064 - Paul Wenger (Wolfpack Cycling)
03. 050 - Baptiste Firiam (r TAKA)

Maglia Bianca

01. 00:04:50 Liu Bei (Dreizehn)
02. 00:05:37 Santiago Tabarez (Tornado Team)
03. 00:05:53 Oskar Stoel* (CreditPommes)

* will not be eligible for the final Maglia Bianca

Team classement

01. 00:00:00 Tukhtahuaev
02. 00:03:49 CreditPommes
03. 00:06:48 Big Donkey

Stage wins by riders:

2 - Fürchtegott Fürst (Team FL)
2 - Stefano Tzimas (Narrenparty)
1 - Alex Alailefaleula (Team FL)
1 - Rafael Andrade (Dreizehn)
1 - Baptiste Firiam (r TAKA)
1 - Olayuk Arlooktoo (Tukhtahuaev)
1 - Temptation Coventry (Dreizehn)

Stage wins by teams:

3 - Team FL
2 - Dreizehn
2 - Narrenparty
1 - r TAKA
1 - Tukhtahuaev
1 - Wolfpack Cycling

Days in the Maglia Rosa

6 - Reggy Badenburg (CreditPommes)
2 - Murodbek Makhamadzhonov (Tukhtahuaev)
2 - Temptation Coventry (Dreizehn)

Red Lantern

- Jon Cox (Gipfelstuermer)

[Robyklebt]

Fickle Donkey changes his predictions a lot

***** R. Badenburg, B. Firiam
**** M. Makhamadzhonov
*** C. Poggiolini
** A. Dixon, F. Fürst
* É. Lachance, R.Macedo, T. Trost.

Poggiolini there due to Tukh still having 2 cards.

[team fl]

Stage 11, the day after the ITT, the day before a possible bunch sprint stage. This year in the afternoon, this means action, action, action! After some control in the peloton, a huge group went, but got caught on the climb to the Alpe San Pellegrino. Well, not caught, but obliterated. Big Donkey, r TAKA and Tukhahuaev used the situation when Reggy Badenburg in the Maglia Rosa could not keep up an most other GC contenders were isolated. Before the last climb, CreditPommes managed to bring Reggy Badenburg back, but only to be distanced again. In the end, the strongest climber decided the stage for himself and so Baptiste Firiam is the third rider after the Fürst and Tzimas with two stage wins. All four climbers in the front could win some seconds on Reggy but are still around 2 min away. But week 3 is creeping up slowly!

Here the statistics after stage 11:

Stage 11:

01. 00:00:00 Baptiste Firiam (r TAKA)
02. 00:00:00 Tom Trost (Narrenparty)
03. 00:00:00 Alex Dixon (Big Donkey)
04. 00:00:00 Murodbek Makhamadzhonov (Tukhtahuaev)
05. 00:00:06 Lucas Papillon (Gipfelstuermer)
06. 00:00:07 Alexis Art (Romoc Riders)
07. 00:00:07 Fürchtegott Fürst (Team FL)
08. 00:00:10 Rodrigo Macedo (Wolfpack Cycling Team)
09. 00:00:10 Crescenzo Poggiolini (Tukhtahuaev)
10. 00:00:12 Liu Bei (Dreizehn)

Maglia Rosa

01. 00:00:00 Reggy Badenburg (CreditPommes)
02. 00:01:42 Fürchtegott Fürst (Team FL)
03. 00:02:00 Murodbek Makhamadzhonov (Tukhtahuaev)
04. 00:02:03 Baptiste Firiam (r TAKA)
05. 00:02:26 Crescenzo Poggiolini (Tukhtahuaev)
06. 00:02:28 Alex Dixon (Big Donkey)
07. 00:03:56 Alexis Art (Romoc Riders)
08. 00:04:31 Rodrigo Macedo (Wolfpach Cycling Team)
09. 00:04:46 Tom Trost (Narrenparty)
10. 00:04:50 Liu Bei (Dreizehn)
11. 00:05:13 Lucas Papillon (Gipfelstuermer)
12. 00:05:37 Santiago Tabarez (Tornado Team)
13. 00:06:11 Olayuk Arlooktoo (Tukhtahuaev)
14. 00:07:38 Émile Lachance (Big Donkey)
15. 00:07:54 Oskar Stoel (CreditPommes)

Maglia Ciclamino

01. 118 - Fürchtegott Fürst (Team FL)
02. 095 - Alex Alailefaleula (Team FL)
03. 072 - Dietmar Barth (Narrenparty)

Maglia Azzurra

01. 126 - Émile Lachance (Big Donkey)
02. 074 - Baptiste Firiam (r TAKA)
03. 064 - Paul Wenger (Wolfpack Cycling)


Maglia Bianca

01. 00:04:50 Liu Bei (Dreizehn)
02. 00:05:37 Santiago Tabarez (Tornado Team)
03. 00:07:54 Oskar Stoel* (CreditPommes)

* will not be eligible for the final Maglia Bianca

Team classement

01. 00:00:00 Tukhtahuaev
02. 00:08:53 r TAKA
03. 00:10:44 Big Donkey

Stage wins by riders:

2 - Baptiste Firiam (r TAKA)
2 - Fürchtegott Fürst (Team FL)
2 - Stefano Tzimas (Narrenparty)
1 - Alex Alailefaleula (Team FL)
1 - Rafael Andrade (Dreizehn)
1 - Baptiste Firiam (r TAKA)
1 - Olayuk Arlooktoo (Tukhtahuaev)
1 - Temptation Coventry (Dreizehn)

Stage wins by teams:

3 - Team FL
2 - Dreizehn
2 - Narrenparty
2 - r TAKA
1 - Tukhtahuaev
1 - Wolfpack Cycling

Days in the Maglia Rosa

7 - Reggy Badenburg (CreditPommes)
2 - Murodbek Makhamadzhonov (Tukhtahuaev)
2 - Temptation Coventry (Dreizehn)

Red Lantern/Maglia Nera

- Jon Cox (Gipfelstuermer)

[Robyklebt]

Donks plan of course was to attack with Lachance. Ideally alone, if necessary with the group from a few days ago. If possible not with everybody, meaning including Firiam. Firiam prevented the attack by siebing and then riding with Mori. A bit too early, a bit later sieb better, attack wasn't coming for a few km yet either, thought we're too close. But made sense for Taka, no energy wasted by following the attack, more riders in front that potentially help than with the attack. Was well done. I was already a bit afraid the Taka didn't know the "sieb" thing, was relying on attacks, which of course is bad for me. Sieb, ok, good, like it, made sense too. Was rather well done as I said.

Donkey then rode anyway in front. Which actually might even have helped Credit Pommes. And myself I thought, but not really sure, both options had advantages and disadvantages: I stop, very likely the group behind then comes back fast, the group with Uchiha and 2 Tukh classics, one probably used. If they join the peloton, there's a big "risk" of an attack before the next hill, then Firiam goes again, and this time has stronger pullers ahead. I follow with Dixon, good for me. But can I follow? Just a lot of 6%, sieb probably not working? Or might, since Badenburg is weak in flat... but an attack possible this time, and then Dixon just can't follow, then I'm stuck behind with Badenburg, while in front Uchiha, Arlooktoo ride away from the already weakened Eef. Not good, so went for the safety for Dixon option and rode. And think that benefitted CP more than Taka actually, since it closed the race, waiting would have opened it up, unless CP keeps riding, which in some way he probably would have had too, since he had nobody coming from behind. But then saving energy for my heroes a good idea too:) But anyway, safety first.

Plan of course was to attack, but the sieb wasn't mine, was earlier than I could attack, attacking when Mori was in tempo not an option either since we caught the group before the GPM. So Lachance got the points, Dixon in the end followed the heroes and got 3rd place on the stage, 4" gained on Murodbek. Tukh going down!

[team fl]

Stage 12, flat stage with some hills in the beginning. But theoretically a flat stage for a bunch sprint. long story short, the early escape managed to save 1 sec to the peloton with the sprinters and Zafarmurod Rakhmonaliev (Tukhtahuaev) was the winner out of that group. In the back, Alex showed what he would have been capable of, but to the delight of the Fürst, there was no change of the Maglia Ciclamino!


Stage 12:

01. 00:00:00 Zafarmurod Rakhmonaliev (Tukhtahuaev)
02. 00:00:00 Gareth Cole (Gipfelstuermer)
03. 00:00:00 Camille Roy (Big Donkey)
04. 00:00:00 Yerkin Toktybay (Tukhtahuaev)
05. 00:00:00 Jon Cox (Gipfelstuermer)
06. 00:00:01 Alex Alailefaleula (Team FL)
07. 00:00:01 Thijs Toornstra (Romoc Riders)
08. 00:00:01 Arend Jongh (CreditPommes)
09. 00:00:01 Dietmar Barth (Narrenparty)
10. 00:00:01 Hubert Sapielak (Tukhtahuaev)

Maglia Rosa

01. 00:00:00 Reggy Badenburg (CreditPommes)
02. 00:01:42 Fürchtegott Fürst (Team FL)
03. 00:02:00 Murodbek Makhamadzhonov (Tukhtahuaev)
04. 00:02:03 Baptiste Firiam (r TAKA)
05. 00:02:26 Crescenzo Poggiolini (Tukhtahuaev)
06. 00:02:28 Alex Dixon (Big Donkey)
07. 00:03:56 Alexis Art (Romoc Riders)
08. 00:04:31 Rodrigo Macedo (Wolfpach Cycling Team)
09. 00:04:46 Tom Trost (Narrenparty)
10. 00:04:50 Liu Bei (Dreizehn)
11. 00:05:13 Lucas Papillon (Gipfelstuermer)
12. 00:05:37 Santiago Tabarez (Tornado Team)
13. 00:06:11 Olayuk Arlooktoo (Tukhtahuaev)
14. 00:07:38 Émile Lachance (Big Donkey)
15. 00:07:54 Oskar Stoel (CreditPommes)

Maglia Ciclamino

01. 118 - Fürchtegott Fürst (Team FL)
02. 107 - Alex Alailefaleula (Team FL)
03. 087 - Camille Roy (Big Donkey)

Maglia Azzurra

01. 126 - Émile Lachance (Big Donkey)
02. 074 - Baptiste Firiam (r TAKA)
03. 064 - Paul Wenger (Wolfpack Cycling)


Maglia Bianca

01. 00:04:50 Liu Bei (Dreizehn)
02. 00:05:37 Santiago Tabarez (Tornado Team)
03. 00:07:54 Oskar Stoel* (CreditPommes)

* will not be eligible for the final Maglia Bianca

Team classement

01. 00:00:00 Tukhtahuaev
02. 00:08:55 r TAKA
03. 00:10:45 Big Donkey

Stage wins by riders:

2 - Baptiste Firiam (r TAKA)
2 - Fürchtegott Fürst (Team FL)
2 - Stefano Tzimas (Narrenparty)
1 - Alex Alailefaleula (Team FL)
1 - Rafael Andrade (Dreizehn)
1 - Baptiste Firiam (r TAKA)
1 - Olayuk Arlooktoo (Tukhtahuaev)
1 - Temptation Coventry (Dreizehn)
1 - Zafarmurod Rakhmonaliev (Tukhtahuaev)

Stage wins by teams:

3 - Team FL
2 - Dreizehn
2 - Narrenparty
2 - r TAKA
2 - Tukhtahuaev
1 - Wolfpack Cycling

Days in the Maglia Rosa

8 - Reggy Badenburg (CreditPommes)
2 - Murodbek Makhamadzhonov (Tukhtahuaev)
2 - Temptation Coventry (Dreizehn)

Red Lantern/Maglia Nera

- Jon Cox (Gipfelstuermer)

[Robyklebt]

Maglia nera added, and soon he's out.

Today the usual, Donkey escape, there's nothing else I can do here really.... and actually I don't even like attacking on flat/hilly stages all that much, but somehow my best chance for a stage. Today tried for Lüthi, x attempts, a group that didn't have good chance, tight control, but was still worth a try. Never really worked, Henrun with the puller started helping too late, then with the leader Henri Effort too late too, yes, he probably wasn't fit, lots of red and all for him, but still, 20km a lot. So when then Tornado went out too, Donkey said finished and save some energy for Lüthi, better 300 or whatever it is than 100.

Final then Taka with some risks, waited long to put in Uchiha, relying on Eef to stay in basically, too bad he did... but on the other hand like that Dixon won 4" bonificatoins, excellent.

Anyway, tomorrow more of the same I guess, Donkey in attack. Tired of it, but can't stop now, then the group goes through and I'm even unhappier Waiting for the third week...

4 riders out today, Rik from FL the only one that seemed to have an interest, Narren who should have for sprint tomorrow no, Gipfel no, Henrun maybe because of lack of experience neither. So the red number he had today didn't look that deserved anymore either, ok, was for yesterday, today no fighting spirit. Hm, will that help tomorrow for the escape?

Ah, Roy, Trofeo Fuga should be his easily... but unfortunately now he is a bit in that ciclamino region... so FL likes to control him (made sense acctually, especially since after there was the possibility to go for the intermediate), will have to find a way to allow him to escape (for little reward) without sending FL in panic mode. With Fürst he already has the rosa safe already after all, he could ignore ciclamino

[Robyklebt]

Today... attack. Surprise. Had to, this looked like a stage that due to its open end might be one for the escape. Sprinters or can't they come back. FLalcor started, CP joined, Taka rode too, not sure why, but not wrong, if he wants to try for classics, why not. Then maybe others, only one that rode according to my masterplan was Narren. Who then of course won...
Front group looked good for a moment, until it became clear that Gipfel was off the whole day. He came on for a second around km 130? Put his puller on red and wasn't seen again... Too bad, an online Gipfel might have made the guys in the back work, we're faster in front, way faster, 3 pullers, and the leaders can join green much earlier. Ok, maybe he thought he could be online today, but then couldn't, still, hanging your riders on others when you are off the whole day? Not the right thing to do. And seems Gipfel had basically the whole team hanging. Papillon a la limite ok, he's his GC rider, that of course is ok, even necessary. Maybe not for GC riders at that level, but still ok. The rest? Come on, be on!
Anyway, the peloton rode well, sprint, which was ok for me too, as usual I had high hopes for Toulet, 9th place, bah. Couldn't follow Rauch's acceleration at 150. Probably was disturbed in the lane change by Toornstra. Blaah. Nothing working as I hoped today. Not that he would have gotten a much better result, ok, 5th instead of 90 probably. Or 6th. Oh well, next time.

After today's sprint though Ciclamino is wide open again somehow. Alex doesn't manage to take over from Fürst, so Firiam starts looking rather dangerous possibly. Looks like intermediates are for Alex for a while? And Roy probably still with escape ban, he didn't go today because thought he probably wouldn't be allowed to go (correct too IMO, if today the group goes through, with Roy scoring points he could be very close or even in ciclamino, so I rather went for Lanfredini today)

Tomorrow last stage of the pre-Giro, prediction: FL tries to go for the first intermediate, after that a group goes. In the end... ? Hill sprint looks a bit difficult. Wolff, Tornado, has one very good helper, Sherif, 82 flat, but not that much else. And Wolff might be too strong for the others to collaborate. Stenberg, 66, nr 2, he might, but he might prefer going for Fürst. And Lautaro is not the ultimate hero to help. Next Omura, Uchiha, Mori in support, but goal no. 1 is most likely a time gain on Reggy. Eef next, for him it's keep Reggy safe. Next is already Lüthi, excellent man, maybe I'll ride for him with Uru...Ok, Bougault 59 sprint too, but will Gipfel be online? If yes, unlikely he rides for him, more attacking with Kajiwara and Papillon I guess. Ok, maybe I hang Uru there then. Anyway, rest day coming, so everybody has double the energy to spend, don't think it looks too much like an escape. But just in case, Donks plans to be there!