Giro d'Italia 2026 spoilers

[Blazing Saddles]

Ciccone looks miffed what did that guy hand him ? A frozen turd ?

He would have been more miffed if it hadn’t been frozen.

 

[mididoctors]

Decathlon

 

[mididoctors]

What you would expect from Swiss masquerading as Italians.

Sometimes I won't mention a thing because I'm drawing attention to it. I'll do that a few days times each GT

 

[No Ta Doctor]

I can't comment on this stage as I didn't watch (it was always going to be a bit of a crock and my daughter's last IPL match was on at the same time). However, for me a stage is either safe for the race (i.e. a finish can accommodate the anticipated group size) or it isn't. Obviously weather can change things on the day but then it should apply to everyone or no-one. Having had to go through the risk assessment process to run a Regional A or B race over here, I'm amazed at some of the courses that get assessed as safe enough for nearly 200 riders to negotiate at full pace on the pro circuit. It's strange that some of they dodgy early stages in Bulgaria were OK but this one wasn't considering weather conditions in this instance were apparently favourable. We're starting to get too many of these partially neutralised stages, if we want to have stages only raced by certain parts of the peloton then just give the rest of the race day off but it feels a bit stupid to be in a stage race where some stages don't count.

I'm not sure it's the race leaders job to be the spokesman for the peloton though. I thought there were actual rider's reps in the peloton who were supposed to do that which is better all round as it takes away the risk of what we got here with the race leader being accused of trying to cancel things they don't like (which I doubt was the case).

I think this one was especially difficult because it's Milan, and there's some beef between the town council and RCS - which is why the Milan Sanremo start is now in Pavia. In trying to get into the town's good books they might have been a touch lax on route decisions. It certainly got extremely political after the stage. And it's that pressure, when there's big money and politics on the line for finishing towns that bears down on anyone doing a risk assessment for a GT finish.

The riders reps are mainly there for meetings between teams pre/post race on various WhatsApp groups I think. Decisions of the peloton on the move always go through the patron, who's usually wearing the leaders jersey, unless it's early race. Everyone generally knows who it is at any rate. If you won an early stage to get the leaders jerseyand Bernard Hinault is the race favourite, it's him.

Anyway, Lund Andresen said they crossed train/tram tracks 8 times per circuit, and some cobbled corners as well, which seems a touch on the dodgy side if you're expecting a bunch sprint.

I think we've pretty much accepted the principle that some stages have an earlier end for GC riders - we've had years of the 3km - and now 5km rule. I don't see it as much more than that. It was unfortunate it had to be decided mid race though.

 

[No Ta Doctor]

Ciccone looks miffed what did that guy hand him ? A frozen turd ?

Campanaerts illegal pee bottle?

 

[mididoctors]

Tail wind causing thr odd split

 

[Pross]

Doh!

 

[mididoctors]

This stage is rattling by

 

[mididoctors]

Narvaez sits up. Active recovery time

 

[mididoctors]

These breaks in transmission are annoying

 

[mididoctors]

Shouldn't.be any issues today

 

[mididoctors]

The peloton is small

 

[Blazing Saddles]

These breaks in transmission are annoying

It’s definitely frustrating.

Ciconne getting really fromaged off at repeatedly ending up leading out Jonas on mountain finishes.

 

[mididoctors]

Pellizzari dropped

 

[mididoctors]

Bad tempered day