Vincenzo Nibali won the Giro going downhill.
I spy with my little eye a certain Michele Scarponi, who sadly lost his life while out training near his home two weeks ago, in there amongst his teammates after his captain, Nibbles, won the race. I’m torn about a death like Michele’s – we subject ourselves to similar risks every time we climb aboard our bikes and we accept it as part and parcel of our craft. Yet, while every day members of our tribe lose their lives to their trade, it takes a high profile rider to remind us how real that risk is.
But onto lighter topics, Nibali won the Giro last year going downhill, and it happened on the one stage I managed to sleep through which is another way of saying I missed it. But I love waking up to a that WTF feeling only a reshuffled GS can give you.
The race starts Friday morning, which is sooner than I expected, so I’ll stop typing so you can start picking. Get them in by the time the clock goes to zero, and remember that our Grand Tour scoring rules are a little different than the smaller events. So jump on that start list and get prognosticating!
Good luck!
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View Comments
@stooge
Of course I have no idea if they had an alliance or not. I did think the cooperation was interesting after I saw reports of these rumors this morning. Also, Yates and Jungels racing for the Maglia bianca would not exclude them helping Dumoulin.
It makes more sense that they weren't far from re-joining the front group so they would try to do so and have the possibility of a stage win.
As for the Yates v Jungels situation goes there's no reason for them to do anything other than sit on Dumpulin's wheel and make sure they other one didn't escape. Yates in particular - he's not as strong a tester as Jungels so by rights should have saved energy where possible.
@Rick
Yep, that was my point. Had the Yates v Jungles race not aligned with Dumoulin's needs, I'm pretty sure they wouldn't have pulled with him.
@ChrisO
Dunno about Yates having no reason to do anything other than sitting on Dumoulin's wheel and making sure Jungles didn't go. Surely keeping the pace up and testing where Jungles was at, and the possibility of gapping him, was a better plan for Yates, given Jungles superiority in TT. Anyway, all very interesting.
The TT may not go down as predictably as one would normally expect, given how knackered everyone must be after this brutal week. Pinot has been getting stronger as the race has gone on. Zakarin could get up there. Lot of pressure on the three leaders. A facinating finish.
Urgh. NQ decked in pink from head to toe. He doesn't have any choice about the skinsuit (that's provided by the organisers). But pink helmet, socks, shoes and even gloves!
@ChrisO
I have to agree, having picked Quintana to win, that his performance was an uninspiring disappointment. And ultimately glad he didn't win, despite the toilet flush propulses by my annual rite of picking NQ to win in the wrong GT.
I liked seeing Pinot getting his Voekler faces on in gritting out his late efforts in the last week. He should have more podiums in his future.
Never been so happy to have my poultry VSP trashed. Bravo TD. Great post race interview too.
Yep, great to see Dumoulin take it for what is a relatively small team.
And well done to the Giro too for making the final day competitive not just a ceremonial.
I appreciate a sprint finish as much as anyone but mixing it up every few years with a TT would be nice and not without precedent.
At one point the Eurosport guy said "Who would have thought a TT could be so interesting?"... err anyone who's ever heard of Laurent Fignon and Greg Lemond for starters.
Brace yourself. I know how he felt half way through Stage 16. The jokes are coming, and as much as we may try to hold them back, at some point we'll just need to pull over and let it all out.
Chapeau to Tommy D aka Dumpy. Got one placing right (Quintana) and the rest NITRO. But enough to move me up to 3rd place in VSP standings. This despite Delgado-ing Gent and les femmes Rhonde. I guess I now actually have to pay attention and take this seriously, eh?
Chapeau to Tom D, despite blowing up my VSP picks. Post race believe two questions need to be answered:
Is the Pope Catholic?
Does Tom Dumoulin sh*t in the woods?