Giro: Stage 17 Termeno - Plan de Corones - 158 km

[doctorSpoc]

...i understand the decision and everything but.. holy **** is that ever underwhelming.. this was the defining stage of this Giro and it gets regulated to just another finish... really a minor mountain stage... hope friday goes better... if not this giro will be a real disappointment... still lots of good racing but not the epic race it could have been.. have my fingers crossed for friday... [edit] oh, and saturday too

 

[Dead Star]

Bet that's shortened as well. Probably take out Gavia because of the snow (riders don't want to catch a cold).

 

[bobke]

Bet that's shortened as well. Probably take out Gavia because of the snow (riders don't want to catch a cold).

They didnt want to crash descending in fog and snow today thats why the first climb was out and the conditions on Corones were ridiculous. Not racing, more like cyclocross. The Nats in cyclocross in America were ruined by weather and the organizers were severely critiized for not cancelling the race and jeopardizing riders health and safety.
You cant have it both ways, I mean testing riders blood and urine constantly for their health and safety and letting them race down mountain passes on roads that are already sketchy in fog and snow.
I support the decision to change the route, but also think the race was crazy to plan it in the beginning.

 

[lwedge]

Last 5K of the climb has been cancelled.

UhOh! Someone go tell WBT, he's probably standing up there with wine in one hand and camera in the other waiting for the riders. He will run out of wine.

 

[barnstorm]

UhOh! Someone go tell WBT, he's probably standing up there with wine in one hand and camera in the other waiting for the riders. He will run out of wine.

damn.... thinking the same thing this morning. picturing a drunk wbt up there screaming Go Jan in german and waiting for the riders, knee deep in mud and snow.

 

[sonicman]

After drinking an entire bottle of wine don´t care what happened he saw a lot of bikes.

 

[Virenque]

UhOh! Someone go tell WBT, he's probably standing up there with wine in one hand and camera in the other waiting for the riders. He will run out of wine.

What about bluetrain (?) banner? He said he will have it in one hand. So I guess there was no place for camera as long as he has just one pair of hands.

 

[limerickman]

I too am disappointed with the stage being shortened but I can understand the reasoning.

But what a stage we had anyway today!

Piepoli looked like he at least got Basso thinking today with his effort.
Same with Gutierrez - he had a fine ride today.
The Mexican rider did very well too.
And my man Pelizzotti made a very strong come back in the last 3kms.
Cunego who looked in trouble with 5kms to go - also made a great comback.

Simoni was dropped slightly by Piepoli and Basso but he is now in podium position.

The weather conditions today were horrendous : naturally i would have liked to have seen them finish the race to the top.

 

[lwedge]

Same with Gutierrez - he had a fine ride today.

Simoni was dropped slightly by Piepoli and Basso but he is now in podium position.

Well, I don't think the Maglia Rosa will change riders until May of next year but do you think Gurierrez can hold on to 2nd through stage 19 and 20. In other words, do you thank Simoni can catch him ?

lw

 

[limerickman]

Well, I don't think the Maglia Rosa will change riders until May of next year but do you think Gurierrez can hold on to 2nd through stage 19 and 20. In other words, do you thank Simoni can catch him ?

lw

Gutierrez went really well today on the final climb.
Gibo looked a little bit off.

But Saunier Duval appear to be going much better than Phonak (gutierrez team),
so that might mean a swap between 3rd and 2nd place if SD can work well in the last few days as a team.

But I agree with you, Basso should be home and dry at this point.

 

[lwedge]

Gutierrez went really well today on the final climb.
Gibo looked a little bit off.

But Saunier Duval appear to be going much better than Phonak (gutierrez team),
so that might mean a swap between 3rd and 2nd place if SD can work well in the last few days as a team.

But I agree with you, Basso should be home and dry at this point.

Thanks for the filling me in. I can't tell what the hell is going on from CN coverage. It sounded like Cunego was dropped somwhere around 3k before the finish and Gibo was alone chasing the leaders but then as you can read below Cunego finishes +-17 seconds in front of Gibo according to live update. .

Well, if Simoni has to make 4+ minutes on Gutierrez to take 2nd in GC then stage 19 is the place to do it or at least get some back. The riders will have to show a lot of heart on that stage.

Cycling News

snip
17:03 CEST
Cunego has been dropped from Simoni's group now. Up front Perez Cuapio is back in the lead setting the pace. He has won three stages of the Giro in the past. On his wheel is Guttierrez followed by Basso and Piepoli. Caruso has been dropped.

17:04 CEST 119km/2km to go
Less than two kilometers to go now. Its getting steeper and narrower. Simoni is alone chasing now. Pellizotti has just closed the gap to the front group now and seems to be riding straight past them.

17:05 CEST
Basso gets out of the saddle now with 1km to go. Piepoli attacks but Basso has his wheel. Guttierrez looked like he could go with them but is getting dropped. Basso is pushing the pace now with Piepoli on his wheel.

17:06 CEST
The fans are mad running really close to the riders. Piepoli takes the lead again and Basso moves back into second wheel. They have a big lead over the others now.

17:07 CEST
About 500m to go Piepoli leads and is out of the saddle. The fans are drenched but still jumping up and down on the side of the road. Basso stays on Piepoli's wheel.

17:08 CEST
Piepoli sprints and Basso stays in the saddle and doesn't contest the sprint. Piepoli takes the stage and Guttierrez comes in for third 15 seconds down. Pelizotti comes in for fourth place.

17:09 CEST
Cunego came in at 33 seconds and Simoni at around 50 seconds. He'll move into third place on GC now.

17:10 CEST
Savoldelli is coming in with a group of six riders. They are 1'33" down. Danielson leads him over the line.

17:11 CEST
It's still snowing at the top. It would have been disastrous trying to go over the new road at the top.

 

[patch70]

Bet that's shortened as well. Probably take out Gavia because of the snow (riders don't want to catch a cold).

Getting cold in temperature doesn't cause one to be infected with a virus with the commonly used name of a "cold virus"!

 

[musette]

17:10 CEST
Savoldelli is coming in with a group of six riders. They are 1'33" down. Danielson leads him over the line

I haven't watched the stage, but it sounds from the final results like Chechu was the one leading Falco over the line today (again), and that CN's reporting that it was Danielson is wrong.

Graham Watson is for once being quite critical, in this year's Giro, of a USPS/DC team leader.

 

[musette]

TD's website:

"Tom hit with illness and slips to 17th"

Err, he was hit with the illness of not being able to follow better cyclists?

 

[Virenque]

Get used to it. There`s always an excuse if rider`s performance isn`t as good as expected. It`s very unlikely to hear that one is just too bad at the moment, not in a good shape, tired, and similar. I believe, for example, that Basso was ill last year and that T-Mobiles were ill in penultimate (?) Vuelta. But I don`t believe Savoldelli`s allergy because it would probably be over now. BTW, why LA was never ill? It`s hard to imagine how can you be so healthy 7 consecutive years!

 

[limerickman]

I haven't watched the stage, but it sounds from the final results like Chechu was the one leading Falco over the line today (again), and that CN's reporting that it was Danielson is wrong.

Graham Watson is for once being quite critical, in this year's Giro, of a USPS/DC team leader.

You're correct, it was Rubiera that led Savodelli across the line and not Danielson.

Again, Savodelli looked to be struggling in the early part of the climb but - as always - as the climb progressed he appeared to be going better toward the end.

That's Savoldelli's "weakness" he needs to a kilometre or so to adjust to the gradient.

 

[limerickman]

Thanks for the filling me in. I can't tell what the hell is going on from CN coverage. It sounded like Cunego was dropped somwhere around 3k before the finish and Gibo was alone chasing the leaders but then as you can read below Cunego finishes +-17 seconds in front of Gibo according to live update. .

Well, if Simoni has to make 4+ minutes on Gutierrez to take 2nd in GC then stage 19 is the place to do it or at least get some back. The riders will have to show a lot of heart on that stage.

Cycling News

snip
17:03 CEST
Cunego has been dropped from Simoni's group now. Up front Perez Cuapio is back in the lead setting the pace. He has won three stages of the Giro in the past. On his wheel is Guttierrez followed by Basso and Piepoli. Caruso has been dropped.

17:04 CEST 119km/2km to go
Less than two kilometers to go now. Its getting steeper and narrower. Simoni is alone chasing now. Pellizotti has just closed the gap to the front group now and seems to be riding straight past them.

17:05 CEST
Basso gets out of the saddle now with 1km to go. Piepoli attacks but Basso has his wheel. Guttierrez looked like he could go with them but is getting dropped. Basso is pushing the pace now with Piepoli on his wheel.

17:06 CEST
The fans are mad running really close to the riders. Piepoli takes the lead again and Basso moves back into second wheel. They have a big lead over the others now.

17:07 CEST
About 500m to go Piepoli leads and is out of the saddle. The fans are drenched but still jumping up and down on the side of the road. Basso stays on Piepoli's wheel.

17:08 CEST
Piepoli sprints and Basso stays in the saddle and doesn't contest the sprint. Piepoli takes the stage and Guttierrez comes in for third 15 seconds down. Pelizotti comes in for fourth place.

17:09 CEST
Cunego came in at 33 seconds and Simoni at around 50 seconds. He'll move into third place on GC now.

17:10 CEST
Savoldelli is coming in with a group of six riders. They are 1'33" down. Danielson leads him over the line.

17:11 CEST
It's still snowing at the top. It would have been disastrous trying to go over the new road at the top.

Cunego did a superb last 5kms : he looked dead on his feet but somehow managed to pass Simoni.

Savoldelli too started to get his tempo and he managed to limit his losses and he had Rubiera with him at the finish.
Danielson was nowhere to be seen in the final climb.

But Stage 17 was horrible weatherwise - Eurosport were showing a bell tolling where the race was supposed to end. It looked apocolyptic.


Stage 19 is very tough : the climbs on that stage are referred to as "the graveyard of the champions".
The Marmolada and the climbs around it are a desperately tough stage coming after nearly three weeks of cycling.
Riders will be very very tired.

I think you're correct - I think Simoni will do some real damage here and Gutierrez will have to fight tooth and nail to save his 2nd place, I think.

 

[doctorSpoc]

you know maybe i change my mind.. i was thinking about this last night and then this morning i saw someone sent a letter to velonews of the same opinion.. maybe the riders of today are just too soft...

you can read Hamsten's account of the day here

Andy’s Epic Day On The Gavia, 1988 Giro

 

[JRMDC]

you can read Hamsten's account of the day here

thanks for the link, great stuff

 

[mitosis]

you know maybe i change my mind.. i was thinking about this last night and then this morning i saw someone sent a letter to velonews of the same opinion.. maybe the riders of today are just too soft...

you can read Hamsten's account of the day here

Andy’s Epic Day On The Gavia, 1988 Giro

Great reading. It does make today's cyclist look a little soft.