Planet Rugby Forum

Beaver_Shark wrote:Gaviria also looking very rapid in California. I think he will win a handful of Tour stages this year.

Gaviria was looking strong coming into the season, looked very strong yesterday.

Edit: above, sad existence.

nardol wrote:

Mick Mannock wrote:

nardol wrote:Bennett seems to be a a sprinter too small for the big boys but can survive a climb. Similar to Freire... If perhaps not quite as explosive as him either.

Bennett is doing really well in the GC. Excellent cyclist.

Who cares about ozzies

By Christ you're a twat.

happyhooker wrote:

nardol wrote:

Mick Mannock wrote:

nardol wrote:Bennett seems to be a a sprinter too small for the big boys but can survive a climb. Similar to Freire... If perhaps not quite as explosive as him either.

Bennett is doing really well in the GC. Excellent cyclist.

Who cares about ozzies

By Christ you're a twat.

Mick only has himself to blame for that.

happyhooker wrote:

nardol wrote:

Mick Mannock wrote:

nardol wrote:Bennett seems to be a a sprinter too small for the big boys but can survive a climb. Similar to Freire... If perhaps not quite as explosive as him either.

Bennett is doing really well in the GC. Excellent cyclist.

Who cares about ozzies

By Christ you're a twat.

No more than MM.

happyhooker wrote:

nardol wrote:

Mick Mannock wrote:

nardol wrote:Bennett seems to be a a sprinter too small for the big boys but can survive a climb. Similar to Freire... If perhaps not quite as explosive as him either.

Bennett is doing really well in the GC. Excellent cyclist.

Who cares about ozzies

By Christ you're a twat.

wake up to find the boyfriend pumped sand in to your vagina?

guy smiley wrote:This thread has been pretty much spared the petty, shitty trolling.

You guys are ruining it. Take it outside and stick to the cycling.

Just woken up to see that my Bennett mistake...and it was a mistake has been the calalyst for the unpleasantness that often lies just below the surface of many threads.

Sorry.

Mick Mannock wrote:

guy smiley wrote:This thread has been pretty much spared the petty, shitty trolling.

You guys are ruining it. Take it outside and stick to the cycling.

Just woken up to see that my Bennett mistake...and it was a mistake has been the calalyst for the unpleasantness that often lies just below the surface of many threads.

Sorry.

Apologies to anyone except hooker who took offence at my vagina comment.

guy smiley wrote:

Mick Mannock wrote:

guy smiley wrote:This thread has been pretty much spared the petty, shitty trolling.

You guys are ruining it. Take it outside and stick to the cycling.

Just woken up to see that my Bennett mistake...and it was a mistake has been the calalyst for the unpleasantness that often lies just below the surface of many threads.

Sorry.

No worries, I didn't know what was going on to be honest. I'm guessing you were talking about George Bennett, as opposed to the Irish sprinter Bennett? George is a kiwi, I'm enjoying watching his exploits. So Nardol made a goose of himself there anyway.

But this thread has pretty much been a great chat and kept clear of any sort of spite despite the temptation for trolling the doping angle. It's been great

I'm not the one from a nation who recently had a referendum ( or politiking of some kind) on the issue of my flag looking too similar to the Oz one

Should be an epic one today....


I'm shouting for Tom anyway. Long steady climb go at own pace and hope he doesn't lose more than 15 seconds. Keep the gap below 1.20 for the TT and he is in with a serious shout.

I'd like to see Simon Yates win today, but whatever about that, it should be an epic stage indeed.
Probably will be out tackling my own Zoncolan but hope to catch the last few kms.

Bullettyme wrote:

Probably will be out tackling my own Zoncolan but hope to catch the last few kms.

Howth Head?


Sam Bennett doing showy-offy wheelies as he drops off the back.


I’d like this one to go to a Formolo or Carapaz, someone who’s there or thereabouts but not quite leading. Be interesting to see how Pinot and Dennis go.

Big Tom's ability to glide up the mountains is astonishing.

Cracking stage!

Froome escapes in the last 4km.

Poels set this up brilliantly for him.

The others grinding back up though.

Yates is all chill. He knows he has a cushion on Froome and he really needs time on Dumoulin.

Aru is all over the shop.

Pozzovivo having a great Giro.

The mechanics with the bikes on their backs!

Yates flying now. Dumoulin will need to pick up the pace soon.

Great ride by Froome. And now if Dumoulin is going to win this Giro he’ll have to do it off more than just the TT. Which is as it should be.

DOB wrote:Great ride by Froome. And now if Dumoulin is going to win this Giro he’ll have to do it off more than just the TT. Which is as it should be.

Harsh, he flew up the mountain

Perhaps Yates should be able to do more then have the weight of a feather and thus the ability to climb?

nardol wrote:Perhaps Yates should be able to do more then have the weight of a feather and thus the ability to climb?

Maybe you didn't see his TT result on the opening stage then...

Short course and rolling terrain was it not?

Think he finished about 10th.

nardol wrote:Short course and rolling terrain was it not?

Think he finished about 10th.

An outstanding result for a small guy considering some of the TT talent he bested on the day

True, however the comment I made was in the context that DOB was alluding to TD not being able to climb, or having won (if he does win) de giro based on TT and not on his climbing ability.

Trying to compare their weaker categories; Yates TT and TD climbing. Who is more all-round.

nardol wrote:True, however the comment I made was in the context that DOB was alluding to TD not being able to climb, or having won (if he does win) de giro based on TT and not on his climbing ability.

Trying to compare their weaker categories; Yates TT and TD climbing. Who is more all-round.

The guy who end up winning hopefully.

Margin_Walker wrote:

nardol wrote:True, however the comment I made was in the context that DOB was alluding to TD not being able to climb, or having won (if he does win) de giro based on TT and not on his climbing ability.

Trying to compare their weaker categories; Yates TT and TD climbing. Who is more all-round.

The guy who end up winning hopefully.

The course differs from year to year. Slanted towards one or the other. It makes like for like comparisons very difficult. I just thing TD is the better all round rider.

I might be biased though as I have a lot of admiration for TT style riders. The ability to just generate power - period. Also I lost my cycling virginity in the Netherlands... Not a lot of hills.

nardol wrote:

Margin_Walker wrote:

nardol wrote:True, however the comment I made was in the context that DOB was alluding to TD not being able to climb, or having won (if he does win) de giro based on TT and not on his climbing ability.

Trying to compare their weaker categories; Yates TT and TD climbing. Who is more all-round.

The guy who end up winning hopefully.

The course differs from year to year. Slanted towards one or the other. It makes like for like comparisons very difficult. I just thing TD is the better all round rider.

I might be biased though as I have a lot of admiration for TT style riders. The ability to just generate power - period. Also I lost my cycling virginity in the Netherlands... Not a lot of hills.

Fsir enough, TD can climb on a steady gradient, he isn't so good on the really steep stuff though. For a small guy to do as well as Yates did on the first TT is amazing. TT'ing is all about generating and preserving momentum and that certainly benefits a guy like TD. Its a very under rated skill and people often palm it of about being purely about power numbers when there is far more to it.

Just saw the result, good for Froome, he's had a torrid time of it so far so that win will mean a lot. Still a big ask for the GC.

Bullettyme wrote:Just saw the result, good for Froome, he's had a torrid time of it so far so that win will mean a lot. Still a big ask for the GC.

Did froome come to the giro with the intent to win? Surely the tour is the race he really wants and the giro is a type of super training....

Or was the fall all important.

blindcider wrote:

nardol wrote:

Margin_Walker wrote:

nardol wrote:True, however the comment I made was in the context that DOB was alluding to TD not being able to climb, or having won (if he does win) de giro based on TT and not on his climbing ability.

Trying to compare their weaker categories; Yates TT and TD climbing. Who is more all-round.

The guy who end up winning hopefully.

The course differs from year to year. Slanted towards one or the other. It makes like for like comparisons very difficult. I just thing TD is the better all round rider.

I might be biased though as I have a lot of admiration for TT style riders. The ability to just generate power - period. Also I lost my cycling virginity in the Netherlands... Not a lot of hills.

Fsir enough, TD can climb on a steady gradient, he isn't so good on the really steep stuff though. For a small guy to do as well as Yates did on the first TT is amazing. TT'ing is all about generating and preserving momentum and that certainly benefits a guy like TD. Its a very under rated skill and people often palm it of about being purely about power numbers when there is far more to it.

He lost what... 30 seconds on the toughest climb in Europe!?? I would call that a hell of a climb.

nardol wrote:

Bullettyme wrote:Just saw the result, good for Froome, he's had a torrid time of it so far so that win will mean a lot. Still a big ask for the GC.

Did froome come to the giro with the intent to win? Surely the tour is the race he really wants and the giro is a type of super training....

Or was the fall all important.

He did, I wonder how much the asthma case is playing on his mind. Fall didn't help of course.

Given the warmer than normal conditions he'd picked the correct year as he doesn't historically go well in the cold.

I'd like to see Yates hold on tbf.

nardol wrote:

blindcider wrote:

nardol wrote:

Margin_Walker wrote:

nardol wrote:True, however the comment I made was in the context that DOB was alluding to TD not being able to climb, or having won (if he does win) de giro based on TT and not on his climbing ability.

Trying to compare their weaker categories; Yates TT and TD climbing. Who is more all-round.

The guy who end up winning hopefully.

The course differs from year to year. Slanted towards one or the other. It makes like for like comparisons very difficult. I just thing TD is the better all round rider.

I might be biased though as I have a lot of admiration for TT style riders. The ability to just generate power - period. Also I lost my cycling virginity in the Netherlands... Not a lot of hills.

Fsir enough, TD can climb on a steady gradient, he isn't so good on the really steep stuff though. For a small guy to do as well as Yates did on the first TT is amazing. TT'ing is all about generating and preserving momentum and that certainly benefits a guy like TD. Its a very under rated skill and people often palm it of about being purely about power numbers when there is far more to it.

He lost what... 30 seconds on the toughest climb in Europe!?? I would call that a hell of a climb.

It was a hell of an effort. How much will it have taken out of him is the question

He is going to come in for a serious amount of spectator hassle during the tour. He already has been a victim several times and that was before any real evidence (not saying he has done anything wrong in the first place)of wrong doing.
Being treated ok in Italy from spectators from what I can see.

nardol wrote:

Bullettyme wrote:Just saw the result, good for Froome, he's had a torrid time of it so far so that win will mean a lot. Still a big ask for the GC.

Did froome come to the giro with the intent to win? Surely the tour is the race he really wants and the giro is a type of super training....

Or was the fall all important.

I think he did, but in the couple of races before he was of questionable form. From reading interviews he hoped to ride into form during the Giro. I definitely think the case is on his mind, and it can't be easy having it constantly brought up. I'm sure he fielded questions (with a no comment) on it today post-win too. I also don't think he likes it cold either. Anyway, looks like his luck has turned.

nardol wrote:

DOB wrote:Great ride by Froome. And now if Dumoulin is going to win this Giro he’ll have to do it off more than just the TT. Which is as it should be.

Harsh, he flew up the mountain

Not meant to be harsh at all, and I agree it was a great ride. I’m a big fan of Tom, I just want him to have to do more than just survive the climbs and dominate the TT to win the race. After today, it looks like he’ll need to take time out of Yates on a road stage at least once. Which he did a couple of times to Quintana and Nibali last year.

I think today’s result is great for the race. Froome isn’t dead. Dumoulin is strong and has some good stages for him to come. Yates is looking more and more comfortable in the leader’s role. Pinot, Pozzovivo, Carapaz all look like they could cause problems if the other GC guys all look at each other to chase. It’s setting up for a great last week.


Sorry I didn’t reply sooner but I was at the finale of the Tour of California today, and watching my kids enter the Strider Bike race.

guy smiley wrote:It's really cool watching the rider in the leader's jersey making the aggressive breaks in a tour.

Simon Yates is such a fun rider to watch. If he's feeling good he attacks. He's fearless.

Holy moly.

All I know of Sappada is its where Roche took pink from Visentini in 1987, and today was the first time the Giro has a stage finish there since. Maybe they should have more.

I was thinking Dumoulin should go to the front of the group and just roll, but then he cracked.

Some performance by Yates, really hope he goes on to win the whole thing which is looking very likely. Great form.

Can't see Dumoulin take it from him, even with the TT.

Looks like asthma is back in order for Froome...

Great race but the 2 youth in the climb were disapointing.

had they taken turns with Pinot and Pozovivo, Dumoulin would haver been in proper trouble and they most likely would have gone a lot closer to Yates.

Laurent wrote:Looks like asthma is back in order for Froome...

Great race but the 2 youth in the climb were disapointing.

had they taken turns with Pinot and Pozovivo, Dumoulin would haver been in proper trouble and they most likely would have gone a lot closer to Yates.

Apparently the time gap from Yates back to Dumoulin was 10s less at the finish than when Dumoulin was dropped by Carapaz’s attack. Ie, Tom closed the gap a little just riding on his own, ie he would’ve been better off just riding his own pace from the time Yates attacked than worrying about what the guys on his wheel were doing.


Edit: also, between California ending on Saturday and the Giro being on a rest day, I keep having to restrain myself from looking up today’s results and remember that there are no results today.

2nd edit; I see Nico Roche climbed off on the stage to Sappada. His first Grand Tour dnf in his 19th attempt is a pretty good record.

Sounds like there’s a roaring tailwind for the early guys in the TT.