Velominati Super Prestige: Giro d’Italia 2016
Ladies and gentlemen, prepare for the Giro, 2016, starting in Apeldoorn, the Netherlands and finishing in Torino, Italy. Here is a provisional start list. The riders make the race so it should be fantastic racing, a race up the whole of the country, for three weeks, what’s not to love? The Giro usually has a crazy stage and we are unsure what this year’s edition holds in that category, maybe more racing at night, or on dirt, bring it on. The Shark, Landa, Malmerde, Uran Uran, even Red Ryder, and more, each have a decent shot at the over all.
We all know the drill, this race starts on Friday so keep your delgado monkey on a tight leash. Consult your personal oracles; there are bike frames, carbon wheels, V-kit and more for the winners of the season-long overall VSP. Further details can be found on the VSP page. Bon chance.
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Let’s see…it’s 10:30pm on the eve of the deciding mountain stage at the Giro. What’s that I hear in the hallways of the team hotels? Me thinks it’s the pitter patter of little feet belonging to team medical personel. What could they be doing up so late? Super human efforts tomorrow. I love the Giro!
What happened to that ‘unwritten rule’ or ‘gentleman’s agreement’ that the race waits for the leader if they crash? Or was that just an Armstrong bullyboy thing?
PS I think the waiting thing is bullshit, if you’re stupid enough to crash then tough luck… I still think Ullrich and co should’ve attacked when Pharmy fucked up and ruined that kid’s musette.
Kruiswijk apparently has a broken rib. Hardly surprising after that tumble. Such a shame if he has to pull out. Dang but they hurt.
@brett
I can understand it if it’s a mechanical or something outwith a riders control like kids, dogs or tacks on the course. Wiggo’s wait for Bum Chin was pretty classy and a great way to say I can crush you without any help.
Crashing out due to your own mistakes or an inability to corner as fast as the man in front is a different thing though.
There were three possible outcome for Krashwijk on that descent a) keep up with Nibbles, b) don’t keep up with Nibbles c) crash trying to keep up with Nibbles. b and c) basically amount to the same thing, getting dropped.
@chris
So riding too close to spectators is the spectators’ fault?
@brett
That would depend on whether you differentiate between spectators on the course and those those watching from a respectfully safe distance.
@chris
Where did you expect the spectators to stand, down the bank behind them? Is that respectful enough? FFS, there was a good chunk of road to ride on…
@brett
I think we’re talking at cross purposes here, mate. My reference to kids, dogs and tacks was a general one rather than to any particular occasion.
It’s been a long day, I didn’t get out of work until 1 am.
@brett
I think the logic there would have been that Armstrong crashed through spectator intervention so etiquette dictates the competitors don’t profit, whereas Kruijswijk’s crash was entirely his own fault so all bets are off.
@brett
He wouldn’t have been “too” close if that stoopid kid wasn’t flapping around that musette.
So good.
@Oli
Yep, everyone should stand completely still when spectating bike races. Preferably from down a bank or better yet, on television.
134km tomorrow, this is the final 10km, love this bloody race.
@brett
Have you ever even SEEN a bike race? They’re brusing up against fans – or vice versa – constantly.
*brushing
Anyway, I don’t think Nibbles and Chavez did anything wrong, so we’re in agreement. Boofhead.
@piwakawaka
Sweet, huh? And it looks to me like that’s after 50+ km of climbing, in a 134km stage. Kruijswijk not being in racing form puts a dampener on it, but it is still all up for grabs and should be exciting racing.
@stooge
the race is about recovery now, a cracked or broken rib at 2700m? Fuck that shit. Those hurt when you take a deep breath…
@piwakawaka
Yeah, if he rides at all it’ll be about finishing I guess. I didn’t mean it’s up for grabs Kruijswijk, but that the podium is still up for grabs. There’s less than 2 minutes between Chaves, Nibali, and Valverde. I don’t think Valverde. I didn’t think Nibs could pull out a ride like he did before the stage last night, so I’m not writing anyone off, given the profile of this stage.
Wow. Just…wow. #sharkbites.
@Teocalli
Sorry Teo, It was destiny. And shark fin soup.
@xyxax
Well I’ve got 3 out of 5 but only Majka in the correct place. Could be worse.
@Teocalli
That’s a minor NITRO and shit luck. You’ll knock the TdF out.
Fuck the world!!! Nibbles!!!
Gutted to see the little fella lose pink, but chapeau to Nibbles, he took back something like 2.5 minutes in the last 2 stages.
@Mikael Liddy
I was gutted too, but no great surprise. He’s had an amazing race, especially given the lack of support in the mountains. Nibali was awesome and Astana were super organised. I look forward to watching Chaves get better and better over the coming years.
Really disappointed Chaves couldn’t hold on. If he could have latched onto Uran and Valverde he might have saved it.
Nothing against Nibali winning per se but seeing that c**t Vinokourov makes me feel sick.
Imagine Chaves with a Yates or 2 Yates’ helping him in the mountains!
Nibali was amazing and saved his best at the last.
That stage was utterly compelling. Chaves’ day will come but that was a masterful display from Nibali, and loathe as I am to say it tactically brilliant by Astana. We’ll be talking about this on these pages in 30 years time!
Well that was quite a Giro, innit! Can’t say that was a boring race, in fact it’s been riveting from start to the final climb – what will today hold?
Fantastic, compelling drama, fascinating tactics, and brilliant bike riding. have to say the best TEAM won, Astana being far superior to Orica or Lotto Jumbo, chapeau to Chaves, Kruijswijk and Jungels, the future looks great, well done Nibali, it’s all very well to have a team ride for you (mostly-Fulsang), but you still have to make the moves that count and he did, not a fan of him or his organisation and agree that Vino just taints the whole thing.
Overall super three weeks of racing, Tour de where?
Agreed. Some (elsewhere) have taken Nibali’s sudden resurrection as just another sign of organized doping, forgetting that had Cheejwhiz not crashed, then we might be having another conversation. Where were Orica’s Scarponi-shepherding or Kangert to drop back and provide that crucial wheel on the final climb? Scarponi’s Il Duce face as he crossed the line to the crowd’s applause in Risoul the day before was hilarious.
All praise to Chaves who found himself fighting a good team that money can buy. All admit, I can be willfully blind here.
@fignons barber
Chapeau, Mr. Nibali. Well played……..
A lesson in VSP math. I would have 25 points without my swap. I have 23 instead. I regret it.
I’m still in the hunt for the overall VSP thanks to Valverde and a guy who rides for Astana. How should I feel about that?
“If only you understood the power of the dark side…”
Denti takes the final win, and Nibali takes some extra points for not wearing the pink unitard!
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@frank
Thanks @Frank. A processional, predictable race that played out exactly as I expected……….
It was an exciting race but anything that involves Vino smiling makes my skin crawl.
@Bianchi Denti
How did you get so many points with a rest day swap? I was going to swap Chaves in but it would’ve cost me ten and gained me three… I don’t understand this bloody thing!
@brett
Because math.
I feel vindicated for swapping our Duran Duran for Majka. Dirty too, but vindicated.
I also managed a petit NITRO, with Valverde making the podium…
Good Giro this year – even if only one of my top three made it to the end.
@frank
Fuckin math(s). NITRO’d that shit.
@brett
@frank
Ah but Frahnk, you are forgetting about the soul points lost with swaps as well.
Don’t worry Brett, you are ahead in the VSP of life!
@Buck Rogers
+1 Anybody that would put in rest day swaps is likely to be as morally corrupt as a Festina soigneur.
@chris
I take way more drugs than Denti, and he still beat me.
@brett
That last comment was directed at the wider community, I thought it was accepted fact that your moral corruption was complete and without equal.
Honestly folks I more enjoyed this year watching the Tour of Cali vs the Giro… Maybe that was because it was easier for me to get ToC on the big screen in high def here in states. And maybe it was also because that is were the world champ was racing. But the Giro this year for me just was meh… the race leader rode his bike head over heals in to a snowbank and that was that? And Astana? Ughhh. I swear, if that is where Sagan ends up…
@Randy C
This. Peter, I know you look at this site when you’re not training or developing a new hair style (or performing a Grease skit or whatever crazy shit you do). Signing with Astana will cost you money and marketing cred in the long run. Go anywhere but Astana.
@Randy C
Sorry, but I completely disagree. I watched both (in HD) and the ToC was a pale shadow of the Giro. The latter had absorbing racing for three weeks, with multiple leader changes in most of the categories, amazing stages over incredible parcours through some of the most beautiful and varied scenery anywhere, and a final two days that couldn’t have been more unpredictable if you’d written it.
I’m no Astana fan either, but the fact that Nibali won in an Astana jersey didn’t detract from the amazing way in which he won, and even if we’d rather Chaves or Kruijswijk had triumphed in Turin, the battle for the podium was absorbing, and almost every stage winner won what could have been an awesome one day classic in its own right.
The ToC did have some okay racing through some nice countryside also, but nothing memorable like the GC or stage battles of the Giro, and no offence but I’ll take Italy over Cali for scenery every day of the week.
@Oli
Completely agree, Oli! The Giro was fucking riveting from start to finish and one of the best Grand Tours in a quite a while.
The ToC, for me at least, was a Cat 4 warm up.
When will Sagan finally ride the Giro anyways???