Giro d’Italia

[Tricky Trevor]

Kicked off today with a TT.
Remco Evenpoel left them shaking in their boots with 22s win over Ganna, a TT specialist. He also took the points and young rider jerseys.
Brandon McNulty holds the mountains jersey after a short climb on route was designated for individual timings. Tao Geoghan Hart had a good day, 4th overall at 40s and 2nd in the mountains comp.
Road racing kicks off tomorrow with a Northbound course up the Adriatic.

[burnley007]

Looks like it's gonna be a crackin 3 weeks

[karatekid]

Is Geraint Thomas riding any of the big tours this year. What about Froome? Both had quite bad injuries in last few seasons.

[Tricky Trevor]

Is Geraint Thomas riding any of the big tours this year. What about Froome? Both had quite bad injuries in last few seasons.

G. is in 9th. Froome not involved.

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[Tricky Trevor]

Tao Geoghan Hart the big loser after a crash just outside the 3km safety zone holds him up. All the remainder of the top 10 in front of the crash.

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[Cooclaret]

Christ on a bike that was a good stage today!

[Winstonswhite]

Fingers crossed for SImon Yates. I’m hoping he’s leaving something in the tank after what happened in 2018 where he blew up after attacking all the time.

[Cooclaret]

Strange moment today watching Adam ride and burn his matches to keep his brother out of Pink.

Simon looked okay to me, it was a rubber band kind of climb so hard to see what the legs had.

Carapaz was always coming today…

[TheFamilyCat]

It's been a great race so far, some really good stages.

Looking forward to the rest of the week with the GC getting pulled closer together today.

[Woodleyclaret]

Some very creative reporting.I was an ESCA coach and always followed the races particularly the Tour but then all the drug enhanced riding killed it for me.

[Cooclaret]

It's been a great race so far, some really good stages.

Looking forward to the rest of the week with the GC getting pulled closer together today.

Just in time for the brilliant (depends if you’re watching or on a bike) PASSO MORTIROLO!

[Stanbill05]

Race coming to a conclusion now, as good as it gets if anyone is missing it..

[ClaretLoup]

Bury lad Simon Yates wins it!

[Cooclaret]

It was a brilliant stage! Feel for Del Toro, but his team let him down! Outside Pog I don’t feel alls well in that setup!

Love Wout! What a ride!

[Funkydrummer]

We're at Lake Garda from Wednesday, are they calling in there by any chance ?

I know diddly squatt about cycle racing btw.

[Cooclaret]

We're at Lake Garda from Wednesday, are they calling in there by any chance ?

I know diddly squatt about cycle racing btw.

Last day in Rome tomorrow, although they’ll always be cyclists round Lake Garda.

[AfloatinClaret]

It was a brilliant stage! Feel for Del Toro, but his team let him down...

And my take was just the opposite; that del Toro and Carapaz too let their teams down. All I can imagine is that after the preceding two days the two of them had discounted Yates as a threat, so were confident that they could play brinkmanship games between themselves and overhaul him when they wanted/needed to; by the time that they realised their mistake - Yates had saved energy by not going into the red on those two days - he was gone. Had Yates pushed harder and taken some sort of lead on Thursday or Friday, either one of them was probably capable of reversing that time loss with an explosive attack (not Yates' strong point) the following day, by saving it all for today, there isn't a 'tomorrow' for the two of them to do so. I think tactically Visma worked things perfectly.

[karatekid]

Bury lad Simon Yates wins it!

He’s definitely lost his Lancashire accent. Too much time spent with the croissant brigade I expect.

[Cooclaret]

He’s definitely lost his Lancashire accent. Too much time spent with the croissant brigade I expect.

Growing up racing with the talent he has, they both have, you spend a lot of time in Europe. Understandable.

[TheFamilyCat]

He’s definitely lost his Lancashire accent. Too much time spent with the croissant brigade I expect.

Fortunately he's also lost the Australian accent he picked up while riding for Orica.

Have to agree on the above re Carapaz and del Torro. Very strange to watch them let Yates ride away from them.

[Cooclaret]

And my take was just the opposite; that del Toro and Carapaz too let their teams down. All I can imagine is that after the preceding two days the two of them had discounted Yates as a threat, so were confident that they could play brinkmanship games between themselves and overhaul him when they wanted/needed to; by the time that they realised their mistake - Yates had saved energy by not going into the red on those two days - he was gone. Had Yates pushed harder and taken some sort of lead on Thursday or Friday, either one of them was probably capable of reversing that time loss with an explosive attack (not Yates' strong point) the following day, by saving it all for today, there isn't a 'tomorrow' for the two of them to do so. I think tactically Visma worked things perfectly.

Any DS worth his salt, any road captain, is on that radio screaming for him to ride. You see him on the radio when RC refuses to work. They should’ve told him GO GO GO!

He’s in PINK, when the leader is attacked the leader defends. They don’t sandbag for a podium.

Something not right about yesterday, already looking forward to the EOS merry go round. Too many ‘leaders’ in that team.

Chapeau to WVA, he has ridden himself further into legend with Yates there.

[Winstonswhite]

If Del Torro or Carapaz could have followed yesterday- or at least chased- when the Yates attack stuck- then they would have done. But they didn’t have the legs through attacking (RC) and keeping pink (delT). No amount of barracking from the team car would have done anything and didn’t do anything. Just my opinion.

Yates kept all his matches until the final day and it worked like a charm. Experience counts for a lot in every sport. So happy for him.

[Colburn_Claret]

A great win for Yates and well deserved. Seems to have been around the top of the game but playing bridesmaid for a long time now, he's earned this so much.

[Cooclaret]

If Del Torro or Carapaz could have followed yesterday- or at least chased- when the Yates attack stuck- then they would have done. But they didn’t have the legs through attacking (RC) and keeping pink (delT). No amount of barracking from the team car would have done anything and didn’t do anything. Just my opinion.

Yates kept all his matches until the final day and it worked like a charm. Experience counts for a lot in every sport. So happy for him.

He asked and was given duff info. Rafa was too late to the party.

Visma played it well with Wout up the road, but still think UAE and the DS should’ve let him go.

[TheFamilyCat]

If Del Torro or Carapaz could have followed yesterday- or at least chased- when the Yates attack stuck- then they would have done. But they didn’t have the legs through attacking (RC) and keeping pink (delT). No amount of barracking from the team car would have done anything and didn’t do anything. Just my opinion.

Yates kept all his matches until the final day and it worked like a charm. Experience counts for a lot in every sport. So happy for him.

I'm not so sure. Del Torro closed down Carapaz's attacks pretty easily and looked comfortable at the pace they were riding. I reckon he could have kept Yates closer if he'd ridden. Whether he'd have kept him to close enough to retain the lead, especially once Van Aert got involved is another matter.

[AfloatinClaret]

I'm not so sure. Del Torro closed down Carapaz's attacks pretty easily and looked comfortable at the pace they were riding. I reckon he could have kept Yates closer if he'd ridden. Whether he'd have kept him to close enough to retain the lead, especially once Van Aert got involved is another matter.

Like you, I think that he and probablys Carapaz too could've held on to Yates and if they had, they could've tucked in behind him, so Wout would've had to tow all three of them along: del Torro was afraid of trying to race up the mountain and then see Carapaz ride away when he was winded, while Carapaz was afraid of pulling del Torro to the end and losing out in the sprint; they screwed up in the mistaken belief that Yates was a spent force.

[fatboy47]

Like you, I think that he and probablys Carapaz too could've held on to Yates and if they had, they could've tucked in behind him, so Wout would've had to tow all three of them along: del Torro was afraid of trying to race up the mountain and then see Carapaz ride away when he was winded, while Carapaz was afraid of pulling del Torro to the end and losing out in the sprint; they screwed up in the mistaken belief that Yates was a spent force.

Fair assessment....Yates must have scarcely believed his luck when his two rivals started looking at each other. Fair play to Yates but if the other pair had used any brainpower he'd gave finished 3rd.

[TheFamilyCat]

Like you, I think that he and probablys Carapaz too could've held on to Yates and if they had, they could've tucked in behind him, so Wout would've had to tow all three of them along: del Torro was afraid of trying to race up the mountain and then see Carapaz ride away when he was winded, while Carapaz was afraid of pulling del Torro to the end and losing out in the sprint; they screwed up in the mistaken belief that Yates was a spent force.

I wonder if Yates deliberately follow them on the previous stage as a bluff.

[karatekid]

Growing up racing with the talent he has, they both have, you spend a lot of time in Europe. Understandable.

It never affected Sean Kelly

[AfloatinClaret]

I wonder if Yates deliberately follow them on the previous stage as a bluff.

My thoughts too: Had Yates made this move on the previous or any other day, Carapaz and/or del T would have likely recovered the lost time using those high intensity power attacks on the following day, by going on Saturday, there wasn't a 'following day'

[Tricky Trevor]

Chris Froomes break to take pink in Bardonecchia is my favourite days cycling ever. I still have the full race on DVD. On that day Sky went from the off and rode the legs off every other support rider and when it was down to the team/race leaders Froome attacked hard. As he was 6 minutes behind none of them bothered chasing him. When it became obvious he was extending they all realised they would ruin their podium chances by chasing so didn’t. Tactical genius that still needed them to let him go.
Yates was different in that he had Van Aert up the road but he still needed them to let him go. Carapaz thought he could catch him but every time he realised he was riding Del Torro back as well. He was catching back 30seconds but in recovery losing 50secs. After 3 or 4 attempts he gave up.
Del Torro was far too obsessed with Carapaz. He was riding second wheel all day he should have taken Yates wheel even with Carapaz behind him he was protected. All he had to do was keep his nose out of the wind.
Terrible error by the young fella but what a career he has in front of him.
Massive congrats to Yates for a superb win and a second GT.

Sorry being so late posting but been bowt interweb since getting back from me jollies.