Giro d'Italia 2026 spoilers

[phreak]

As with when Pog won two years ago, having one of the top dogs turn up at the Giro simply highlights how relatively poor the Giro field is. It would be nice if next year Pog and Jonas could turn up and race at the Giro and the Tour (it might have the benefit of keeping more in contention for longer at the Tour too).

Who would make it any different? I'm not sure Roglic is competitive anymore. Remco has shown himself to be a level below in the mountains. Seixas might be something, but hasn't ridden a Grand Tour, so who knows. Then you're into the various UAE domestiques, and we saw in the Vuelta that they're not really a match for Vingegaard either.

The reality for cycling is that there are a small number of riders who win pretty much every race in their special areas. No one has bad days. No one's level dips throughout the season. Not even crashing seems to matter, as unless they break something, they get back up and win anyway.

 

[mididoctors]

Its the same riders more or less everyday in the breaks . That a very post 2005 thing

 

[Milzy]

Its the same riders more or less everyday in the breaks . That a very post 2005 thing

It’s been quite annoying. Maybe Julian Ciccone will be allowed to win from the break tomorrow.

 

[mididoctors]

Stage 17 Cassano d'Adda - Andalo 202 km

Thuggish sort of stage possibly even violent . No one wants to have to control this . The stage harper should be trying to slip away on.

More seriously have Rubio Narvaez and Ciccone got anything left in the tank . One of them should win if still strong . 202km is a f**k of a long way.

The finale of this stage is going to select the strongest rider ...slipping away with guile or a ruse is going to be impressive to the point of impossible. But who knows .

Legs. A stage for the tough men with experience

 

[mididoctors]

It’s been quite annoying. Maybe Julian Ciccone will be allowed to win from the break tomorrow.

Feeding strategies have come a long way .

 

[Pross]

Who would make it any different? I'm not sure Roglic is competitive anymore. Remco has shown himself to be a level below in the mountains. Seixas might be something, but hasn't ridden a Grand Tour, so who knows. Then you're into the various UAE domestiques, and we saw in the Vuelta that they're not really a match for Vingegaard either.

The reality for cycling is that there are a small number of riders who win pretty much every race in their special areas. No one has bad days. No one's level dips throughout the season. Not even crashing seems to matter, as unless they break something, they get back up and win anyway.

Having both there would make it a race. It would also potentially make things tighter when they go up against the best of the rest in July. Failing that, with neither of them there it opens up the potential of a good battle of the second string GT riders like last year. Having one or the other makes it a forgone conclusion failing mishaps or illness.

 

[mididoctors]

The size of the bunch after one hilly lap on stage 16 cut the peloton in half

 

[Shadow]

Maglia Nera update:
After Frank VDB's valiant/foolhardy efforts today in the break, he gained over 5 minutes over Malucelli, jumping one place in the ranking. Malucelli is now in prime position to take the jersey. But still many km to ride.

 

[mididoctors]

M

Having both there would make it a race. It would also potentially make things tighter when they go up against the best of the rest in July. Failing that, with neither of them there it opens up the potential of a good battle of the second string GT riders like last year. Having one or the other makes it a forgone conclusion failing mishaps or illness.

Yates Toro carapaz was a great giro