#505

Without doubt, the best stage since Fuente De, and maybe the best stage (spectacle) since Landis and his explosion in 2006. Absolutely mental.

1 Like
#507

That was fucking brilliant. Only stage I’ve managed to watch.

#509

this is such a weird Giro.

i’d not be surprised if in 10 years time we’re looking at the race like the 1994 Fleche Wallone and thinking “of course, it was so obvious”.

1 Like
#510

Seriously amazing. Fuck Froome, but that was good

1 Like
#511

These attacks of Froome’s don’t half look suspect

#512

Dug deep on that first climb, descended like a peregrine falcon
Rode like a beast, looked after by Kenny E, top dommy work
Usurped Yates, gutted for the fella
Gonna win it now isn’t he?
Shouldn’t be surprised

#513

Just imagine. You’re riding up a really steep hill. There’s several kms left of it to do and you’ve been riding all fucking day feeling like shit. This morning you were about to win a massive bike race, now you know you’re going to win nothing and it doesn’t even really matter how fast you get up the last few kilometres. And you’ve still got to get up and ride up more mountains tomorrow.

I imagine that would be quite dispiriting.

6 Likes
#514

whilst still looking more like a daddy-long-legs.

#515

Seriously, that is Floyd in 2006-esque, and he’s said he rode within himself today. Fuck

#516

And we all know how that ends

#517

Cut off is 57 mins…

#518

Not been watching but how much was froome looking freakish and how much was froome looking like he’d kept something in the tank for today and everyone else’s arse falling out?

#520

Not yet

@Aggpass I mean he looked good, but that’s an 80km attack, highly suspect

#521

On the final climb and ahead of the grupetto

#522

I guess the only thing you can say about that is that if he was going to make a last stab at winning it then that’s where he needed to do it?

#523

Tomorrow’s stage is arguably harder, so although he’s catapulted up the GC, he now has to defend, and he’ll be fucked. This wasn’t like he pulled a bit of time out, he was pulling time out way into the depths of his attack. Not normal

#524

Well the attack was opportunist when Yates cracked yes? And he made most of that time straight away, and yes as you say eked out some more over the full break. But Dumoulin fell away too didn’t he?

Surely whether he should kill himself today or tomorrow is a Hobson’s choice and one dependent on team tactics and making the move when the opportunity arose?

#525

I’d not say that Dumoulin, or Pinot, fell away. That was purely Froome. The team said that they’d go all out today and see what happens. And it was a classic thing of everyone attacking Yates on the lower slopes, then Froome riding away halfway up the climb. That gap never settled until the foot of the final climb. That was 3 against 1 in the valley to the final climb and he was still dragging out time.

Tomorrow is now interesting. Froome said he rode within himself (jesus Christ) which means he could still be fresh. But there’s a reason we see very few 80km attacks nowadays. It’s because they’re bullshit.

#526

Yates in at 38 mins

1 Like
#527

Surely it was about three minutes from before the previous summit.