Pro-cycling thread

Tactics are easy when you can inform them with hindsight.

Kelderman was doing an okay job of holding the gap for all of the descent, he only started losing time on the valley road. If Hindley had dropped back then TGH could’ve gone full gas up the final climb and might have done enough to get the race lead. However, as he had Hindley with him, he had to keep something in reserve in case Hindley attacked him. This meant that Kelderman didn’t lose as much time as he might have on that last climb, meaning he took the jersey.

I think Sunweb were spot on with their tactics yesterday. They are first and second on GC with three stages to go, which however you look at it, is a very strong position.

I think on reflection I'm with andy. sunweb have 1 and 2 on GC and are still in the driving seat.

if jai was to drop back, he would probably have had to do it when kelderman was gapped at the top of the stelvio. there was still 50k to go at that point and (though he eventually put in an amazing ride) you don't know if he'd e.g. missed a feed or whatever and could just have faded fully, jeopardising both riders' chances.

I guess all we know for sure is that the rider behind them is now closer than before the stage.

I don’t think Almeida losing pink should be credited to Sunweb. Ineos did that. Sunweb inherited pink and lost a buffer to closest rival below them in standings.

Hindsight vs probability. At this point they look good but less secure. If Tao wins by less than 60 seconds then yesterday won’t look so good. But that’ll be another dose of 20:20 hindsight for you!

This Kelderman as Anquetil/Indurain villain, Geoghegan-Hart as Pou-Pou.

Kelderman is just too nice to ever be villainous I'm afraid. I just hope he finds the legs he had on stage 3. Exciting weekend ahead.

Why the tension between wiggo and smitho?

Stage shortened to 150 kms because of the weather.

Smitho does drone on a lot on commentary. Might get a little tiring to be around. He almost didn’t let Yatesy speak at all the other night, which was infuriating.

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This from the Giro app...
DIRECTION COMMUNIQUE

Owing to the collapse of the bridge over river Sesia in CANDIA LOMELLINA, the route has been changed, causing the stage to be extended to 258 km.

The meeting and start schedule has been advanced by 15 minutes compared to the one indicated in the Technical Guide (see updated ‘Start Arrangements’).

Amazing photo

Sunweb won the Queen stage and have the top two riders based on yesterdays tactics. Seems pretty sensible.

^^^ I believe that is old news - or rather, fake news. That's about their previous decision to extend the stage.

I think they are doing the first 100km by bus

lazy bastards

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at least get the #trainofshame like the rest of us when it rains on the club ride in october

https://www.cyclingnews.com/news/giro-ditalia-stage-19-shortened-to-150km-after-rider-protest/

So they rolled out of town on their bikes, with the plan to then get back on the buses for 100km. As you'd imagine its now chaos as all the riders stand around in the rain waiting for the buses to come back, as they'd all set off for the finish already.

https://twitter.com/LVCKV/status/1319563013821763584

Surely you turf the mechanics out the cars in favour of the riders!?

Jon Dibben - 5h 36s down on GC currently in the Maglia Nera, does this mean he gets the back seat in the last bus?

Whingeing ninnies, they should all get DQ'd if they don't HTFU!!1!!!!!!! :)

Organisers should throw in a couple of extra ascents tomorrow as punishment for today's show

I don't understand Welsh, but the S4C commentary was just 2min of chuckling and "ooh ooh ohhhh" "oooh oooooh yeaaaah"

Aussies don't tend to wear jackets. Reminds me, I need to wax the zipper on my windvest so I don't have to fight the bastard while definitely not almost crashing off the road...