Giro d'Italia 2017 **spoilers**

[Pro Tour Punditry]

And we're off!

 

[roadrash]

This giro has been so much better due to the absence of carlton Kirby

 

[Adam4868]

Worth noting also that his team had done a lot of the groundwork earlier in the stage by setting a ferocious pace on Monte Grappa. Clearly they had a plan for the stage and he, as team leader, failed to do his bit by winning it.

Not sure if a couple of bis teamates had mechanicals,punctures yesterday ? Anyway i know maybe hes not done as his told,followed orders,worked with whoever.But he certainly lit the race up a few times.He went for it yesterday,exept for Pinot being so strong who knows,i think he would have took the stage.I wouldnt really write him off a podium finish yet.I like those pesky Russians !

 

[Pro Tour Punditry]

This giro has been so much better due to the absence of carlton Kirby

You ain't wrong there! I watched a "round up" programme on the 2nd rest day and the commentary was Kirby; bell-end.

 

[smutchin]

I had high expectations for Pinot and think he has delivered.

Me too, and he has been consistently superb, except for two stages: the first being the stage 10 TT, where he did almost as badly as Quintana.

The other one was stage 16, on the Stelvio, where he was caught out at the back of the group when Nibali started the attacks while Dumoulin was indisposed - perhaps Pinot was expecting them to wait for Dumoulin but he should have been near the front of the group precisely for such an eventuality. Then on the descent, I don't know if it was just lack of confidence/ability, but he seemed to be stuck at the back of the Mollema group, with no opportunity to get past.

On the other hand, it was a superb performance by him on stage 18 to take a minute out of his main rivals on the final climb, and another brilliantly aggressive ride yesterday. If he can keep working on his TT, he'll mature into a great all-rounder and the genuine GC contender he has always threatened to be.

 

[smutchin]

Also: unsung hero of this Giro has to be Sebastien Reichenbach, who has been an outstanding domestique for Pinot.

 

[Pro Tour Punditry]

Why are the still showing adverts for the Tour of Azerbaijan, which took place 3 weeks ago?

 

[Pro Tour Punditry]

I missed the start of the coverage, who is doing the "pundit pro" words?

 

[rich p]

Steve CUmmings

 

[SWSteve]

Can't wait for he big guns to step out today it's going to be very exciting to see where exactly they fall.

 

[SWSteve]

I'm not sure who put Rosa's number on- but it looks quite bad - you'd think they'd have a no-pins style suit with all the 'marginal gains'

 

[RWright]

This is exciting to me. Time to let the big dogs eat!

 

[roadrash]

what a fekin time for adverts

 

[roadrash]

looks like yates is about to lose the white jersey

 

[Supersuperleeds]

"As it stands, unless things change" - stupid bar steward