Pro-cycling thread

Nibs closing with his arms on the bars.

Nibali is time trialling up the hill

Would think front three would be best riding together and distancing Dumoulin. Limiting his losses nicely.

Sticking!

They said earlier Nibali had 38-30 as his smallest gear. Probably why he's not even got out of the saddle yet, and it's probably helping him pull steadily back to NQ when he attacks.

Thomas is riding this climb faster than Quintana? Was at 2.46 before - closed to 2.12. Or is that that gap to Jungels?

I wonder if he would have been if he'd started it with Quintana?

https://www.lfgss.com/comments/13633996/

Dumoulin looking like the giro favourite right now

Big pink balloon nearly pipped Quintana to the line then.

Looks like a straight fight between Quintana and Doumoulin (for sure)

Why? He might have a stint in pink after the tt but have you seen the stage profiles of the 3rd week?

Have you seen the last week? Quintana's to lose.

Well I think he can take 2-3 minutes out of Quintana over the two time trials. He limited losses exceptionally well today on a climb that doesn't suit him at all, and is reputed to be the most difficult in the race. Stelvio stage looks tough but isn't a summit finish. Depends if he can hold this form into the 3rd week I guess.

We don't yet know if his improved climbing has come at the expense of his tt'ing.

Good point - was just thinking that.

Will be interesting to see how strong Nibali is in the third week as well - I look forward to what ambushes he can spring.

here's to hoping you're right, much impressed with his performance today. Kruijswijk might improve as well in the 3rd week, but he'll be on his own again seeing how his planned mountain stages domestique Jurgen Van Den Broeck had to let go before Bram Tankink (old warrior and certainly not the climbing type) had to...

Not the fireworks I wanted.
Shame the cheif commissaire didn't have the balls to neutralise the race until those affected were back and ready to go.
Racing is racing, but crashed caused by motorbikes are beyond that. It's a joke.

Shame the cheif commissaire didn't have the balls to neutralise the race until those affected were back and ready to go.

when did this last happen in a stage race? honest question, no sarcasm

How is this different to Froome & co. mishap at the Tour last year where they neutralised the results?

Paging oracle @andyp for the answer!

ah, not that long ago. maybe this would have happened if it was Quintana who crashed

haha, or just see 1 post above ;-)

but there they neutralised the results, not the race at the time just after the crash happened. so the question remains.

I remember a classic being neutralized last year after a big crash. Racing kept going, but it was neutralized because they didn't have enough ambulances in case another crash happened. That's a good reason to neutralize. Because something unfair happened? Less convinced.

edit

It was the 2015 tour - stage 3. http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/prudhomme-defends-decision-to-neutralise-stage-3-of-the-tour-de-france/

Good save.

https://twitter.com/tourdegila/status/863775584492670976