Pro cycling returns......and so do the crashes!

[Tazio]

My legs and lungs are hurting just watching the pace they are setting to lost the pink jersey. 

[Tazio]

Amazing that there could potentially be 4 different riders in pink in 4 days. All unexpected ones. 

[Boof]

Giro.

 

Excellent by 

Spoiler

TGH

 

...hold...hold...hold...BAM!!

 

Love these cagey finishes  

[Tazio]

I’d never had guessed Dennis could pull up mountains like that. Amazing time trialist for his whole career but never the type of rider you’d expect being the perfect mountain wingman. 

[Cade]

A TT as the final stage to a GT is such an anti-climax

 

[Tazio]

2 minutes ago, Cade said:

A TT as the final stage to a GT is such an anti-climax

 

It basically gives us a tense 15 minutes or so at the end of the days coverage and not a lot more. Would have been interesting if it wasn’t as the usual final stage parade wouldn’t have been possible for once. 

[Tazio]

Filippo Ganna is an absolute machine on time trials. It’ll be interesting to see how his career advances as he seems to have potential to become a much more rounded rider. 

[Tazio]

Right. Here we go, we’ll know the winner just after 3.30pm, it’s tense. 

[Cade]

TGH crushing it so far

 

 

[Tazio]

Great win for him. And the incredible phenomenon of 4 race leaders in the last 4 days. I doubt it’s happened before or will happen again. 

[redjambo]

Congratulations to that man, and to the team for helping him get there.

[Tazio]

Meanwhile it looks like the riders are going through absolute hell in the Vuelta finish. Mountain top finish in pouring rain and fog. It annoys me when non cycling fans don’t realise just how hard these guys are. 

[Ak47]

6 hours ago, Tazio said:

Filippo Ganna is an absolute machine on time trials. It’ll be interesting to see how his career advances as he seems to have potential to become a much more rounded rider. 

 

Could see him being a great classics rider. 

[Tazio]

1 hour ago, Ak47 said:

 

Could see him being a great classics rider. 

From the same mould as Cancellara. 

[Tazio]

Meanwhile the Vuelta keeps on trundling it’s way around Spain. Lots of climbers stages where the sprinters have been hiding. Then today they get a flat stage and have a chance to race. So Sam Bennett wins the stage and has it taken off him for barging. Stupid boy, blatant shoulder barges in the lead in to force a Trek rider out the way. 
Sunday is the one to watch though as it’s up the Angliru which is a vicious nasty climb. 

[heartyhub]

Tomorrow is going to be one hell of a day for the GC with some rather large bumps. Then have dinner and FTH.

 

[Tazio]

7 minutes ago, heartyhub said:

Tomorrow is going to be one hell of a day for the GC with some rather large bumps. Then have dinner and FTH.

 

Could be a decisive day, though Sunday has the Angliru which is just cruel as climbs go. Though oddly it’s a hard climb to make breaks on as it’s just so insanely steep in the last few km. 

[heartyhub]

It’s going to be one hell of a weekend buddy. Some sportsman just don’t know how easy they’ve got it.

 

 

[Cade]

Quite an angry rider's protest today.

Good on them.

Commissaires making up the time-gap rules as they go along, seemingly.

[Greedy Jambo]

Need to get a JKB Cycling race on the go. 

Count me out though.

Edited October 31, 2020 by Greedy Jambo

[Cade]

This is absolutely brutal

 

[Tazio]

Horrendous climb. You know it’s mental when riders are struggling to keep their front wheel down if they apply too much power. 

[Tazio]

Massive ride by Carthy. And a proper hard man ride from Carapaz having to do it on his own. Kuss is proving the perfect super domestique for Roglic and keeping him in the race, just like he did at the TdF. 

[Tazio]

Meanwhile in La Vuelta young rider wins his first stage in a grand tour and in the post race interview when asked if was happy replied “ok **** yeah it was amazing” 

[Tazio]

Bloody hell, I thought Roglic was doing a last stage collapse again there. Massive attack on the last climb by Carapaz, sadly only managing to pull back 20 odd seconds instead of the 45 he needed. 

[Cade]

That was some finale.

If Roglic was alone without a team-mate there with him, I don't think he'd have made it.

Lucky boy.

Really thought he'd hibsed it again.

 

[Mad Dog Logan]

Pity Carapaz didn't attack slightly earlier, maybe didn't have the legs.

[Cade]

Groenewegen banned for 9 months due to the Jakobsen crash.

 

Backdated to the date of the crash, so he'll be back at pro races from May 7th next year.

 

So basically all they've done is give him the winter off. Just like everybody else.

Yes, he may miss out on some spring classics or early season tours but it's not much of a punishment.