GIRO D'ITALIA 2022.

[blahblah]

For those of a certain age think Dolly Mixtures

[murf]

Flag just dropped.

First few km predicted to be "brutal". Turn it on now.

[unc.si.]

Cheers. Good reminder

[murf]

Cav and co won't enjoy today.

Ghirmay struggling!

[unc.si.]

Cav and co won't enjoy today.

Ghirmay struggling!

I guess Girmay had a tough day yesterday.

Time cut management for the sprinters today. Not going to be easy to get within it, and yes, definitely not enjoyable for Cav et al

[forestfan]

Not seen a stage start like this before in a Grand Tour, as far as I can remember.

The big stages in France tend to be quite formulaic - flat start, a few warm-up foothills, then tire everyone out up the Tourmalet/Galibier, before everyone that matters comes back together on the descent to see who has something left to grab a few seconds on the steep summit finish.

[blahblah]

Going straight on at a left bend into what looks like Stinging Nettles

[unc.si.]

He actually did quite well to realise that he wasn't going to make it and went for the gap in the barriers. Wasn't pleasant but could easily have been a Remco or even worse.

[blahblah]

Yep

[blahblah]

Yates went pop....

[unc.si.]

Great rise by Juanpe Lopez to keep Pink after being taken out by (Bala?). Nice by Hindley to get the win and chapeau to Pozzovivo

Yates still on the road

[unc.si.]

Yates in at 11'15"

Giro over for him

[blahblah]

Blimey, I didn't think he was that far out when he bonked.

[murf]

No comments on Orla's boots and socks?

[theo29]

I guess not after all the praise for the Breakaway team they too have a day off after arriving at the Blockhaus on Sunday evening
tbf's BORA man Jai Hindley took stage 9 from RB & RC and JPL just hung on to Maglia Rosa but trampie's BIKE EXCHANGE challenge faded to more than a 10 minute deficit which will be hard to recover.
Up to date top GC's & finish points later today while nursing a Peroni or Moretti and a Bruscetta plate, perhaps a gelato misto overlooking the Adriatic !

[forestfan]

Yates in at 11'15"

Giro over for him

Can he get his brother to do the rest?

[blahblah]

No comments on Orla's boots and socks?

As above re Dolly Mixtures

So a kinda homage to (post?) punk?

[theo29]

Here are the top 10 Maglia Rosa contenders after week 1 ( after stage 9) How will it look at the next rest day ?
1. sportsmeister's SEGAFREDO.
2. morganb's UAE emirates.
3. bluelionman's TEAM DSM
4. forestfan's INEOS GRENADIERS.
5. tbf, BORA-HANSGROHE.
6. wahine, COFIDIS.
7. Geoffv BAHRAIN VICTORIOUS.
8. unc.si INTERMARCHE-WANTY.
9. BORA again.
10 BAHRAIN VIC again.

Team finish points follows.

[theo29]

Total points scored by all teams for first 9 stages. Each stage is 25.20.16.14.12.10.9 down to 1.
122. LOTTO SOUDAL.
101. INTERMARCHE-WANTY
99. BORA-HANSGROHE.
88. UAE EMIRATES.
84. SEGAFREDO & QUICK-STEP AV
81. JUMBO VISMA.
80. BAHRAIN VICTORIOUS.
76. TEAM DSM.
67. ALPECIN-FENIX
60. INEOS GRENADIERS.
51. GROUPAMA.
49. COFIDIS.
43. BIKEEXCHANGE.
39. MOVISTAR.
37. ISRAEL PREMIER TECH.
32. BARDIANI CSF.
28. EOLO KOMETA.
26. AG2R CITROEN.
17. EF EDUCATION.
14 . ASTANA Q
13.DRONE HOPPER.

[unc.si.]

Bit of a strange parcours today with the flat start making it quite difficult for a good break to escape so not quite sure what to make of the first half. The second half screams big break, but the first half is going to make getting a good break off the front quite difficult. Maybe vdP just tries to go solo from the gun
MvdP will think he can win this, which should make it an entertaining race at least. Girmay should be stuck to his wheel all day. Bike Exchange probably trying to get someone in the break now that Yates is fckd, but they don’t really have any obvious candidates for today.
If vdP races a bit smarter he can probably win. If not then maybe someone like Ulissi can sneak in and take it?

[theo29]

the Giro resumes in Pescara with an initial flat start by the side of the Adriatic before turning inland to end at Jesi.
trampie's BIKEEXCHANGE has lost Simon Exchange & unc.si is fairly confident Zombie's Anon will be in the frame but I favour a good day for the man from Eritrea, Girmay.
What of the commentariat ? A whole new wardrobe for week 2?
Will forestfan have a good day before this evenings match ?

[unc.si.]

Just turned on. 12km to go and just about to get interesting

[unc.si.]

What a fantastic last 10k

Chapeau Girmay, especially after making an error with 5kish to go

[unc.si.]

Classy by MvdP at the end as well

[blahblah]

Yep, great stuff

[blahblah]

And another great attempt to get a Prosecco cork in the eye

[forestfan]

First black African Grand Tour stage winner. I remember Tekla-Polkadot at the TdF some years ago, but he mustn’t have actually won a stage.

[unc.si.]

First black African Grand Tour stage winner. I remember Tekla-Polkadot at the TdF some years ago, but he mustn’t have actually won a stage.

Think I heard Robbie say that he was from Eritrea as well

hope Girmay didn't damage his eye with that cork. apparently he's gone to hospital to get it checked out.

I guess we'll find out tomorrow whether the people that set the Worldle map game are cycling fans

[forestfan]

First black African Grand Tour stage winner. I remember Tekla-Polkadot at the TdF some years ago, but he mustn’t have actually won a stage.

Think I heard Robbie say that he was from Eritrea as well

hope Girmay didn't damage his eye with that cork. apparently he's gone to hospital to get it checked out.

I guess we'll find out tomorrow whether the people that set the Worldle map game are cycling fans

Have we had Eritrea before? Think we might have done. It’s West Africa that always stumps me, just so many countries and a wide variety of shapes.

Yeah, I remember there were a few Eritreans a number of years back, riding for the South African team in Newcastle stripes. Seems to be the pre-eminent cycling nation in that region, guess it beats trying to compete with Ethiopia and Kenya on foot!

[blahblah]

First black African Grand Tour stage winner. I remember Tekla-Polkadot at the TdF some years ago, but he mustn’t have actually won a stage.

Think I heard Robbie say that he was from Eritrea as well

hope Girmay didn't damage his eye with that cork. apparently he's gone to hospital to get it checked out.

I guess we'll find out tomorrow whether the people that set the Worldle map game are cycling fans

Apparently he is on his way to hospital