Pro-cycling thread

Yeah, I remember his last epic Giro performance well... oh..

"3.3. Rider taking off the mandatory helmet during the race - disqualified and 100"

He didn't take it off [his bike], he removed it temporary from his head #devilsadvocat

It says 'take it off'. The rule has nothing to do with its proximity to the bike.

Basically, the Giro and the UCI are a bunch of Euro-loving, doper-loving fucking racists and they can go fuck themselves. Viva le Tour!

A (Belgian, Euro-loving, doper-loving fucking racist) UCI commissaire answered the Contador helmet question; "he just took it off to adjust his sweatband and then put it back on. We would have penalized him if he would have taken it off and left it off for minutes."

That's not the rule though is it? Cheating UCI scum.

And that's the crux of the issue isn't it; the inconsistency between sensible interpretation of the rules (Contador's helmet), and rigid unthinking application (Porte's wheel). One or the other please UCI.

Nm.

Just walked the finish. It's brilliant. Going to be an epic battle.

Thunder and rain here too.

Betancur today. Maybe. Hopefully.

Is it not too steep for Matthews? It doesn't look like it flattens out before the line.

It doesn't look like it flattens out, and that's why I figured Matthews has a shot (over other sprinter-types). Betancur as well, but hoping he's too tired after yesterday (because he's not on my fantasy team). Gerrans is also in with a shout.

Think he'll take it easy today following his recent efforts then go full gas later on in the week.

Who's the guy who does the Giro Extra show with Flecha? He has the charisma of a cucumber sandwich.

Christ, the roads have been smeared with lard today on the Giro.

I'm sure inrng did a post on this last year, but can't find it, but most Italian road surfaces are laid to cope with heat rather than rain, so are always slippy when wet.

Check out YouTube for the stage in the 98 Giro which Bartali won after all the GC favourites crashed on a wet descent. That was a cracking last half hour of a stage, very similar to today's.

That's Betancur's sweat

#fattist

Yeah I vaguely remember reading something like that. Weird, because when it rains it fucking tips it down in Italy. Maybe the roads need to allow more run-off or something. Or maybe since it's warmer, the roads aren't as aggregate-y as ours - they don't need to deal with ice so much. Except up those tall hills. Oh I don't know. Bunga bunga.

I thought it was due to the infrequency of the rain meaning all the dust build up in the interim make it ride like on oil once wet.

heh.
Aru's got a Gareth Bale sort of face. Just something so unlovable about both of them.

It might be. But I'm sure I read something last year after the crash fest which led to the stage being cancelled about the difference in surfaces between southern and Northern European countries.

My google-fu is weak though, can't find it anywhere.

He's a bit Ed Miliband eating a sandwich there.

A slightly cubist sort of face

To be fair, I'm sure I've made worse faces riding home from the pub.