# Giro Thread Part Three - The Final Week



## LostViking (Jul 18, 2008)

View attachment 281035​
A rest day is a good time to take stock and reflect. (As well as start a freash thread to avoid clutter!  )

Over the course of the past two weeks, a lot of assumptions about how this race would progress have been put to the test - some held, many didn't.

Let's start out with our pre-race favorites:
*Bradley Wiggins* (Sky) - Many tipped Sir Bradley to take a Giro that seemed tailor-made for his TTing prowess. There was an assumption that once Wiggins and his team dominated the others in the Time Trials, that would be all she wrote and Sky would dominate the peloton and suffocate any attempt to challenge Wiggo's stranglehold on the Maglia Rosa.
*Vincenzo Nibali* (Astana) - "The Shark" had a great Spring and many feared he had peaked too soon and the Giro would find him in the lower end of his performance spectrum - again, Nibali would have to play second fiddle to a GT champion.
*Ryder Hejsedal* (Garmin-Sharp) - Who made history when he became the first Canadian to capture the final Maglia Rosa last year. We looked back on his performances this Spring and it seemed as though he was peaking at just the right time. The idea of a Giro repeat for the Garmin-Sharp captain did not seem that far-fetched.
*Cadel Evans* (BMC) - Not even a favorite really for many of us. His performances this Spring were not inspiring of confidence and he was essentially called-off-the-beach to come and do this year's Giro. A top-ten seemed possible if some form kicked in, but a spot on the podium? Few credited him with that possibility.
*Michele Scarponi* (Lampre-Merida) - He did it before - he could do it again. At the very least, a position on the final podium seemed possible.
*Rigoberto Uran* (Sky) - Olympic Silver Medalist yes, but few mentioned his name as a Giro podium contender - Henao seemed the more likely bet - and even then, only to take a lower step to Bradley Wiggins.
*Robert Gesink* (Blanco) - His condition and performance makes him the proverbial dark horse - sometimes he seems world class, and at others just ho-hum - a long-shot for a Giro win in most people's books.
*Sammy Sanchez* (Euscatel-Euskadi) - Only a contender in his own mind.

Some of these predictions (hopes?) did indeed pan-out - most did not.

Wiggins and Hejsedal preformed badly and it was soon evident that their Giro aspirations were built on sand. In the meantime, Vincenzo Nibali met and exceeded expectations and by the end of the second week has achieved a formidable, but not insurmountable, lead and has worn the Maglia Rosa well even going on the attack to distance his rivals further. 

Right when you begin to lose faith in Cadel Evans, he pulls out an amazing performance as he has in this Giro - I for one did not see this coming and I'm sure I wasn't alone. 
And Rigoberto Uran in third place and looking dangerous to go higher? Now that has been a revelation as has the continuous ability of Sky to dominate the headlines, if not the peloton, at The Giro this year. 

Santambrogio and Scarponi are still in it with a chance, but one or more of the top three will have to falter dramatically for either to hope for a podium place.

Break-aways have done surprisingly well and the harsh wet and cold weather has revealed the ****** in the armor of many big names within the peloton. Young riders like *Carlos Batencur *(AG2R LaMondiale) and *Rafal Majka* (Saxo Tinkoff) have shown some metal and have to be considered as possible favorites in future GTs.

And then there is *Mark Cavendish* (Omega Pharma-Quick Step) - achieving his centennial stage victory and more at this Giro - he is moving ever closer to the stage win total of The Great One, "The Cannibal", Eddy Merckx.

*Danilo DiLuca*,"The Killer" - has been amazingly aggressive and seems to go on an attack at least once during each stage - a recent Vini Fantini signing that along with his teammate *Mauro Santambrogio*, has done his fair share to animate the race.

Any discussion of the last two weeks would be incomplete without mentioning the weather - in short, horrendous weather has left its mark on the race and sunny days have been few and far in between. This has not been the Sunny Italy of the tourist brochures - rather, it has often resembled the rainy Spring classics of Northern Europe instead. One can only hope for improvement in the weather conditions.

All-in-all, a great and unpredictable race thus far that promises to deliver a crescendo in its last week.

*Current Top-Ten on GC*
1) Vincenzo Nibali (Astana) 62:02:34
2) Cadel Evans (BMC) 0:01:26
3) Rigoberto Uran (Sky) 0:02:46
4) Mauro Santambrogio (Vini Fantini-Selle Italia) 0:02:47
5) Michele Scarponi (Lampre-Merida) 0:03:53
6) Przemyslaw Niemiec (Lampre-Merida) 0:04:55
7 Carlos Betancur (AG2R La Mondiale) 0:05:12
8) Rafal Majka (Saxo-Tinkoff) 0:05:32
9) Domenico Pozzovivo (AG2R La Mondiale) 0:05:39
10) Benat Intxausti Elorriaga (Movistar) 0:05:51

*Current Jersey Distribution*:
Pink - Vincenzo Nibali (Astana)
White - Carlos Batencur (AG2R La Mondiale)
Red - Mark Cavendish (Omega Pharma-Quick Step)
Blue - Stefano Pirazzi (Bardini Valvole-CSF Inox)

*The Official Website (English Version)*:
Giro d'Italia 2013 - Official Site - Gazzetta dello Sport

*The Remaining Stages*:
Stage 16 - May 21: Valloire - Ivrea, 238 km
Stage 17 - May 22: Caravaggio - Vicenza, 214 km
Stage 18 - May 23: Mori - Polsa (ITT), 20.6 km
Stage 19 - May 24: Ponte di Legno - Val Martello, 139 km
Stage 20 - May 25: Silandro - Tre Cime di Lavaredo, 203 km
Stage 21 - May 26: Riese Pio X - Brescia, 197 km

*Information and Press*
Giro D'Italia 2013: Stage 15 As It Happened, Route Maps & Results | Cyclingnews.com

Giro D'Italia 2013: Stage 15 Results | Cyclingnews.com

Peloton Visconti Wins Giro Stage 15 on the Galibier

Evans Hopes Worst Is Behind Him After Tough Stage To Bardonecchia | Cyclingnews.com

Cyclisme - Giro - «Pantani m'a peut-être aidé»

Riis-kaptajn tabte ungdomstrøjen i vildt vejr - Cykling

Video: Hansen On The Slog And Triumph Of The Giro D'Italia | Cyclingnews.com

Cyclisme - Giro - Nibali peut-il encore perdre ?

Saxo-Tinkoff pønser på etapesejr - Cykling

Cavendish Survives In The Snow At The Giro D'Italia | Cyclingnews.com

Giro Stage 15: Visconti Hangs On - Podium Cafe

Blanco Looking For Plan B At Giro D'Italia | Cyclingnews.com

Giro d'Italia Maglia Bianca Competition Heats Up - Podium Cafe

Nibali Resists The Call Of History On The Galibier | Cyclingnews.com

Evans Retains High Expectations At Giro D?Italia | Cyclingnews.com

Giro d'Italia: and now for the mountains. Weather permitting - Notizie Giro d'Italia 2013

Visconti Back To His Best A Year After Quitting The Giro | Cyclingnews.com

Giro d'Italia, stage 14: Santambrogio brings home a tough victory in the snow, with Nibali still in pink - Notizie Giro d'Italia 2013

Uran Confident About The Final Week Of The Giro D'Italia | Cyclingnews.com

Giro d'Italia, Nibali: "E' ancora lunga". Santambrogio: "Ancora non ci credo" - Notizie Giro d'Italia 2013

Scarponi Stays In Podium Hunt At Giro D?Italia | Cyclingnews.com

Giro d'Italia, ecco il Galbier accorciato. La tappa nel nome di Pantani - Notizie Giro d'Italia 2013

Parra Calls For Colombian Alliance To Defeat Nibali | Cyclingnews.com

Ciclismo, Giro d'Italia, tappa 15: favoloso Visconti, Nibali resta in rosa - Notizie Giro d'Italia 2013

White Jersey Battle Not A Concern For Majka | Cyclingnews.com

Giro d'Italia, Visconti: "Marco mi ha aiutato da lassù". Nibali: "Difficile fare la differenza" - Notizie Giro d'Italia 2013

Giro D'Italia: 10 Conclusions From The Second Week | Cyclingnews.com

Giro, Evans lancia la sfida a Nibali: "La terza settimana può riaprire tutto" - Notizie Giro d'Italia 2013

Evans Still Ambitious For The Third Week Of The Giro D'Italia | Cyclingnews.com


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## LostViking (Jul 18, 2008)

*Stage Sixteen - Preview*

Valloire - Ivrea, 238 km

Stage 16 flips the script on stage profiles as it starts up in the mountains of France and ends on a plateau in Piedmont, Italy. A break-away has another good chance here - but if reeled in, a group sprint is the probable outcome. I would not expect any major changes in the GC, but the fight for the white jersey could take a turn if Rafal Majka can get away from Carlos Batencur towards the end - only five seconds stand between them. Niether Majka nor Betancur can afford to miss a break that contains the other. If they are swallowed by the pack, I'll be counting down to launch...the Manx Missile will be on his way to victory 102...a nice birthday present for Cav.

*Stage Profile*:
View attachment 281037​
*Where's Ivrea?*:
View attachment 281040​
*Information and Press*:
Giro D'Italia 2013: Preview, Route Maps & Results | Cyclingnews.com

Nibali Edges Closer To Giro D'Italia Victory | Cyclingnews.com

Video: Visconti Discusses Galibier Victory, Pantani | Cyclingnews.com

Video: Klier Debuts As Team Director At Giro D'Italia | Cyclingnews.com

Sky Realistic But Not Resigned To Nibali's Dominance | Cyclingnews.com

Giro D'Italia Gallery: Evans And Nibali Enjoy Rest Day | Cyclingnews.com

Taylor Phinney Abandons Giro D'Italia | Cyclingnews.com


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## love4himies (Jun 12, 2012)

Great summary on the riders, LV. Thanks again for keeping us updated.


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## Cinelli 82220 (Dec 2, 2010)

Bradley Wiggins- I'm sad to see him out. As Robert Millar said, the weather is too bad for real racing.
Vincenzo Nibali- At last he's riding his own race. Seeing him babysit Basso drove me nuts. It must have been way more annoying for him! And he's a lot better than I anticipated.
Ryder Hejsedal-total bummer. But like Wiggo, he arrived in peak condition. And for a stage racer that means skin and bones. No insulating layer of fat. Not good for riding in freezing rain for hours on end, day after day.
Cadel Evans- The ultimate poker face, he just rides along steadily...that's how he won the Tour and he could win the Giro too if Nibali screws up.
Michele Scarponi- No podium. He's good but not a contender.
Rigaberto Uran- I'd love to see him win. He seems like a genuinely nice humble guy, from a really harsh background. Check out his facebook page. If he won it would be a national holiday in Colombia!
Robert Gesink- way too inconsistent. One bad day and you're out, period.
Sammy Sanchez- one of the most over rated racers of all time. Still milking the Olympic win with his gold shoes. Get over it Sam, that was five years ago.
Carlos Batencur- this guy is really good, and consistent with several high placings. He won't be at AG2R for long. 
Mark Cavendish- he says he's lighter than ever, and he does look thinner. He sprints as well as ever but sticks with the peloton instead of getting dropped on every bump.
I'd like to see him get the Red Jersey that he should have got last year. But Evans will likely win it since all the stages have the same point value, and the remaining stages are more suited to Evans than Cav.


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## c_h_i_n_a_m_a_n (Mar 3, 2012)

Cinelli 82220 said:


> ...
> Mark Cavendish- he says he's lighter than ever, and he does look thinner. He sprints as well as ever but sticks with the peloton instead of getting dropped on every bump.
> I'd like to see him get the Red Jersey that he should have got last year. But Evans will likely win it since all the stages have the same point value, and the remaining stages are more suited to Evans than Cav.


The red jersey is called the points jersey, given for stage finishes. For a tour with a higher number of mountain stages, sprinters will be lucky to get hold of the points jersey unfortunately.


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## LostViking (Jul 18, 2008)

*Stage Sixteen - Results*

Valloire - Ivrea, 238 km

Benet Intxausti (Movistar) took the win today, but it was a close thing with both Przemyslaw Niemiec (Lampre Merida) and Tanal Kangert (Astana) on his heels.

This overcaste and drizzly stage was marked at first by a very large breakaway group of over twenty riders containing many of the usual suspects who have headlined the race up to now - some of the notables included Blue Jersey holder Stefano Pirazzi (Bardini Valvole-CSF Inox), Jackson Rodriguez (Androni Giocattoli), Matteo Rabottini (Vini Fantani - Selle Italia), Rasmunas Navardauskas (Garmin-Sharp), Robinson Chalapud (Columbia) and of course Danilo DiLuca (Vini Fantani - Selle Italia). This group started to implode with about 40 km to go as the peloton decided the fun had extended long enough and it was time to reel them in. By the time they rolled onto the climb of the Andrate, the game was up and most of the breakaway had been reabsorbed into the pack.

On the front, Emanuele Sella (Androni Giocattoli) then teamed up with Danny Pate (Sky) and Wilco Kelderman (Blanco) in an attempt to beat the rest of the peloton to the finish line. But thier time on the front would be short as muliple challengers hit the front and then faded again. Meanwhile, the birthday boy Mark Cavendish was dropped by the blistering sustained speed of the peloton and was soon off the back. The chase group,with all off the big GC contenders (with the exception of Mauro Santambrogio) and led by none other than the Maglia Rosa himself, was catching the front end quickly.

Then Carlos Batencur (AG2R La Mondiale), the white jersey, put in an attack and was first over the mountain Andrate - no sign of Saxo Tinkoff's Rafal Majka (only five seconds behind for the white jersey at the start of today's stage) - so Batencur was looking good to hold that jersey into tomorrow's stage. Sammy Sanchez, a good descender, joined Batencur going downhill. Soon Nibali caught up to them followed by Evans, Scarponi, Uran and others creating a selection of about 12 riders up front. 

In the end, Batencur and Majka crossed together in the Maglia Rosa group and the white jersey remains with Batencur. Mauro Santambrogio (vini Fantani - Selle Italia) was the biggest loser on the day ceeding 2:10 additional minutes to the Maglia Rosa.

*Current Top-Ten on GC*:
1) Vincenzo Nibali (Astana) 67:55:36 
2) Cadel Evans (BMC) 0:01:26 
3) Rigoberto Uran (Sky) 0:02:46 
4) Michele Scarponi (Lampre-Merida) 0:03:53 
5) Przemyslaw Niemiec (Lampre-Merida) 0:04:13 
6) Mauro Santambrogio (Vini Fantini-Selle Italia) 0:04:57 
7) Carlos Betancur (AG2R La Mondiale) 0:05:15 
8) Rafal Majka (Saxo-Tinkoff) 0:05:20 
9) Benat Intxausti (Movistar) 0:05:47 
10) Domenico Pozzovivo (AG2R La Mondiale) 0:07:34

*Current Jersey Distribution*:
Pink - Vincenzo Nabali (Astana)
White - Carlos Batencur (AG2R La Mondiale)
Red - Mark Cavendish (Omega Pharma-Quick Step)
Blue - Stefano Pirazzi (Bardini Valvole - CSF Inox)

*Information and Press*:
Intxausti Remembers Tondo With Classy Giro D'Italia Stage Victory | Cyclingnews.com

Peloton Intxausti Grabs Giro d'Italia Stage 16

Spanier baskede konkurrenterne i Giro'en - Cykling

Riis-hold: Godt kørt, Majka! - Cykling

Giro Stage 16: Intxausti Snatches Sprint; Santambrogio Chunks Climb - Podium Cafe

Cyclisme - Giro - Intxausti s'offre un bouquet

Cyclisme - Giro - Santambrogio agacé

Cyclisme - Giro - Santambrogio agacé

FEATURES: RACY LANGUAGE: GIRO QUANDRIES


*Stage Seventeen*: Caravaggio - Vicenza, 214 km

Long and flat, except for a little bump right before the finish - this one has Sprinter's Stage written all over it.

Look for Mark Cavendish (Omega Pharma-Quick Step) to try to pad his Red Jersey lead before the Giro returns to high-ground and Cadel Evans (BMC) begins taking those points.

*Stage Profile*:
View attachment 281116​
*Stage Map*:
View attachment 281117​
*Information and Press*:
Giro D'Italia 2013: Preview, Route Maps & Results | Cyclingnews.com


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## zosocane (Aug 29, 2004)

Will someone wake me up when the Dauphine starts??


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## JSR (Feb 27, 2006)

fornaca68 said:


> Will someone wake me up when the Dauphine starts??


Not so fast! There is an interesting ITT and two very lumpy stages to come. Evans's skills in the TT are well-known, although the uphill nature of this one gives Nibali some advantage. Evans has shown in the past he will attack on those lumpy stages. It hasn't worked before, but he will try, IMHO - if he has the legs.

JSR


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## SRV (Dec 26, 2006)

JSR said:


> Not so fast! There is an interesting ITT and two very lumpy stages to come. Evans's skills in the TT are well-known, although the uphill nature of this one gives Nibali some advantage. Evans has shown in the past he will attack on those lumpy stages. It hasn't worked before, but he will try, IMHO - if he has the legs.


I find it funny that Evans would have a reputation as an attacker after all those years of being called a wheelsucker. I believe that his World Championship win a few years back changed him for the better. Although he hasn't shown a propensity for attacking yet in this Giro.


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## sdjeff (Sep 4, 2008)

Fines for bad behaviour? 

Last paragraph from this article: Gavazzi Disqualified From The Giro D'Italia For Taking A Tow | Cyclingnews.com says: 



> Giairo Ermeti (Androni Giocattoli), Yaroslav Popovych (RadioShack-Leopard), Gorka Verdugo (Euskaltel-Euskadi) and Radioshack-Leopard directeur sportif Dirk Demol were also fined after stage 16 for 'unseeming behaviour which damages the image of cycling'.


Anybody hear what happened?


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## HanSol000 (May 18, 2013)

I'm curious as well.... more butt pinching??


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## c_h_i_n_a_m_a_n (Mar 3, 2012)

Is it just me? One of the commentators, on Eurosport 2, the one with the European accent, sounds like Boris Becker!!! _Maybe all English speaking Germans sounds like Boris, but not all of them though. _


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## thechriswebb (Nov 21, 2008)

SRV said:


> I find it funny that Evans would have a reputation as an attacker after all those years of being called a wheelsucker. I believe that his World Championship win a few years back changed him for the better. Although he hasn't shown a propensity for attacking yet in this Giro.


Evans is doing what he needs to do. He is in very good form and things look very good for him finishing 2nd overall and taking home the points jersey. Nibali is also in very good form and came into this race with a much stronger team than Evans, since BMC sent their strongest riders to California. Evans shadowboxed a little bit with Nibali on Galibier, launching a brief attack to see if Nibali could respond. When he did, Evans backed off and didn't waste any more energy trying to drop him. Scarponi has been doing this, which is admirable, but isn't doing him any good. The Astana stronger team started out Nibali with an advantage with a good TTT as well. Evans will go for it if the right opportunity arises but it is smartest for him to stick to Nibali and look for a moment of weakness in him to take advantage of. If this doesn't happen, I think closing in on Nibali will be close to impossible. Do consider that Nibali built his entire season around winning the Giro whereas Evans is focusing on the TDF and participated in this race as an afterthought to gain racing miles. Evans will attack if the right opportunity arises for certain but he isn't going to risk his already very good result and burning too much energy before the TDF.

After the TTT, Evans' best chance of winning the Giro was from time bonuses gained by winning bunch sprints with the favorites. He has done this consistently and stands a good chance at winning the points jersey for it but breakaways have done very well in this Giro, mopping up the time bonuses, and Evans doesn't have the kind of team to real them in (and Astana certainly isn't going to do so, with Evans being a pretty good sprinter and Nibali already having a time advantage).


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## LostViking (Jul 18, 2008)

*Stage Seventeen - Results*

Caravaggio - Vicenza, 214 km

That little hill before the finish proved too much for Mark Cavendish (Omega Pharma-Quick Step) and Giovanni Visconti (Movistar) ably broke away from the pack and took yet another stage victory for the Spanish Movistar team - thier third stage win in a row! Ramunas Navadauskas (Garmin-Sharp) took second on the stage and Luka Mezgec (Argos-Shimano) swept up third.

Mark Cavendish's grip on the Red Jersey has all but slipped away and it is looking increasingly probable that the final wearer of that jersey will be one Cadel Evans (BMC).

The Blue Jersey is pretty much sewn up, but the White Jersey gap remains at a meager 5 seconds - so that jersey is still very much up for grabs.

Vincenzo Nabali (Astana) remains comfortably ensconced in the Maglia Rosa but must prepare himself for tomorrow's potentially fatefull mountain ITT - Cadel Evans will try and take that jersey from him and Nabali will have to use the Forza to retain it!

*Current Top-Ten on GC*
1) Vincenzo Nibali (Astana) 73:11:29
2) Cadel Evans (BMC) 0:01:26
3) Rigoberto Uran (Sky) 0:02:46
4) Michele Scarponi (Lampre-Merida) 0:03:53
5) Przemyslaw Niemiec (Lampre-Merida) 0:04:13
6) Mauro Santambrogio (Vini Fantini-Selle Italia) 0:04:57
7) Carlos Betancur (Ag2R La Mondiale) 0:05:15
8) Rafal Majka (Saxo-Tinkoff) 0:05:20
9) Benat Intxausti (Movistar) 0:05:47
10) Domenico Pozzovivo (Ag2R La Mondiale) 0:07:24

*Information and Press*:
Urán Linked To Omega Pharma-QuickStep | Cyclingnews.com

Video: Dirk Demol On RadioShack Leopard's Giro D'Italia Campaign | Cyclingnews.com

Scarponi Moves Up To 4th At Giro D'Italia | Cyclingnews.com

Dekker Says Giro D'Italia Difficult For Many Reasons | Cyclingnews.com

Nibali Hoping To Gain Time On Evans In The Giro D'Italia Time Trial | Cyclingnews.com

Visconti Looks To Turn The Page At Giro D'Italia | Cyclingnews.com

Navardauskas Mistakenly Celebrates Victory In Giro D'Italia Stage 17 | Cyclingnews.com

Cipollini Turns Up At The Giro D'Italia | Cyclingnews.com

Uran And Evans Primed For Mountain Time Trial | Cyclingnews.com

Video: Stetina In Search Of His Climbing Legs At Giro D'Italia | Cyclingnews.com

Durbridge On The Attack In Final Week At Giro | Cyclingnews.com

Video: Tjallingii On His Vegetarian Diet At The Giro D'Italia | Cyclingnews.com

Video: Pate Weighs In On His Third Giro D'Italia | Cyclingnews.com

Kessiakoff On Giro D'Italia Mountain Time Trial | Cyclingnews.com

Kangert Taps Out The Tempo For Nibali | Cyclingnews.com


*Stage Eighteen*: Mori - Polsa (ITT), 20.6 km

Cadel Evans will empty the tank here - it is it seems his only realistic chance at taking the Maglia Rosa from Vincenzo Nibali. Likewise, Nabali, who starts after Evans will have Evans' times to measure his performance against - a great advantage when trying to figure out how much energy to use and when to use it.

My bet: Stage Win to Evans - but Nabali does not lose anywhere near the amount of time Evans needs him to lose.

With the mountain stages now in question due to increased snowfall (good thing that global warming thing was just a hippie-hoax ), this ITT may very well be the last realistic chance to take time out of Nabali.


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## Cinelli 82220 (Dec 2, 2010)

*Itt*

Excllent rides by Nibali and Scarponi...big disappointment by Evans. Evans was out the saddle a lot, Nibali was much more composed. This was Evans' one chance to get ahead of Nibali and it didn't happen.
Uran looked really good too, he's taking cues from Wiggo, holding his position very well. Not a great first half but he sure had a good second half! He just might get past Evans and move into second overall be Sunday.


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## LostViking (Jul 18, 2008)

*Stage Eighteen - Results*

Mori - Polsa (ITT), 20.6 km

"Excellent rides by Nibali and Scarponi...big disappointment by Evans. Evans was out the saddle a lot, Nibali was much more composed. This was Evans' one chance to get ahead of Nibali and it didn't happen.
Uran looked really good too, he's taking cues from Wiggo, holding his position very well. Not a great first half but he sure had a good second half! He just might get past Evans and move into second overall be Sunday." Cinelli 82220

Agreed. Disappointing showing from Evans in a disipline that is usually one of his fortes. His previously secure second step on the podium is now highly in doubt. However, I suspect he might still be able to hold off Uran - Cadel is a canny rider and knows what he needs to do right now.
The battle for the white jersey between Majka and Betancur remains tooth-and-nail and might only be decided on the final day. 
Sammy Sanchez saved some face today by pushing himself into the top-ten - but can he hold on?
The Forza was with Vincenzo today. Nibali has responded to the Maglia Rosa like a true champion and stamped his authority on this race. He will now be able to watch Evans and Uran attempt to destroy eachother in an effort to fight for the scraps on the table.

*Current Top-Ten on GC*:
1) Vincenzo Nibali (Astana) 73:55:58 
2) Cadel Evans (BMC) 0:04:02 
3) Rigoberto Uran (Sky) 0:04:12 
4) Michele Scarponi (Lampre-Merida) 0:05:14 
5) Przemyslaw Niemiec (Lampre-Merida) 0:06:09 
6) Rafal Majka (Saxo-Tinkoff) 0:06:45 
7) Carlos Betancur (Ag2R La Mondiale) 0:06:47 
8) Mauro Santambrogio (Vini Fantini-Selle Italia) 0:07:30 
9) Benat Intxausti (Movistar) 0:08:36 
10) Samuel Sanchez (Euskaltel-Euskadi) 0:09:34

*Information and Press*:
Giro D'Italia 2013: Stage 18 Results | Cyclingnews.com

Evans Admits He Had A Bad Time Trial At The Giro D'Italia | Cyclingnews.com

Nibali In A Race Of His Own At Giro D'Italia | Cyclingnews.com

Time Trial Of Two Halves For Uran | Cyclingnews.com

Video: Reactions After The Giro Mountain Time Trial | Cyclingnews.com

Sanchez Satisfied With Second In Giro D'Italia Time Trial | Cyclingnews.com

Video: Bäckstedt On The Giro D'Italia Weather | Cyclingnews.com

Giro D'Italia: Weather Sees Stage 19 Cancelled | Cyclingnews.com

Danilo Di Luca Positive For EPO | Cyclingnews.com

Giro D'Italia: Reactions To The Cancellation Of Stage 19 | Cyclingnews.com

Di Luca Sacked By Vini Fantini After EPO Positive | Cyclingnews.com

Giro D'Italia: New Route For Stage 20 Announced | Cyclingnews.com

Video: Vincenzo Nibali's Specialized Tarmac For Mountain Time Trial | Cyclingnews.com

Nibali: The News About Di Luca Is Very Bad | Cyclingnews.com

Di Luca "surprised" By Positive Test For EPO | Cyclingnews.com

Acquarone On Di Luca: How Can A Person Of His Age Be So Stupid? | Cyclingnews.com

*Stage Nineteen*: Ponte di Legno - Val Martello, 139 km

Seen by many as the Queen Stage of this year's Giro - origionally envisioned as a grueling high mountain stage of historic proportions, the weather will very likely result in a tamer stage than the one seen below.

Gavia And Stelvio Cut From Stage 19 Of The Giro D'Italia | Cyclingnews.com

Whatever happens to the race route, the internal battles Evans/Uran and Majka/Batencur will make this an interesting stage to watch - and may indeed result in the final sorting out of the Giro podium as well as the White Jersey.
Astana just needs to keep Nibali safe and near the front and they will be able to rack up an impressive victory in what has been a very difficult and surprizing race.

*Stage Cancelled!*

Giro D'Italia: Weather Sees Stage 19 Cancelled | Cyclingnews.com

*Stage Profile*:
View attachment 281255​


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## c_h_i_n_a_m_a_n (Mar 3, 2012)

Kudos to Nibali ... :thumbsup:
He will be a good bet for the TdF?


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## LostViking (Jul 18, 2008)

c_h_i_n_a_m_a_n said:


> Kudos to Nibali ... :thumbsup:
> He will be a good bet for the TdF?


Depends on what you're betting on: Winner, Podium Place or Top-Ten?
IMHO:
Winner: Possible but Doubtful.
Podium: Possible and perhaps likely
Top-Ten: Possible and very likely

In short: Maybe. 

Currently, as far as I know, Astana has only committed four riders thus far to the Tour de France, they are:
Janez Brajkovic, 
Jakob Fuglsang, 
Enrico Gasparotto, and 
Francesco Gavazzi.
Asking "The Shark" to ride, and win (?) back-to-back GTs is a really big ask.


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## Cinelli 82220 (Dec 2, 2010)

Nibali will be pretty tired compared to guys who have been building their entire season around the Tour. 
Last Giro/Tour double was Pantani, back in 1998. Very few riders have done it.


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## LostViking (Jul 18, 2008)

And he will be up against the likes of Contador and Froome and would have to beat both of them - ouch!


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## LostViking (Jul 18, 2008)

*It's Official - The Gavia and The Stelvio have been cut from The Giro*

Although not unexpected, sad news indeed as many of us were looking forward to these history making mountains being included in the race.

Gavia And Stelvio Cut From Stage 19 Of The Giro D'Italia | Cyclingnews.com

Is this Game Over for the GC contenders? Does this change favour Nibali's chances or essentially have no effect as his four minute lead is already close to insurmountable?

*Stage Nineteen: Revised Route*

View attachment 281268​
Apparently, sections of Stage Twenty are also snow-covered and experiancing temps well below freezing - so we might as well resign ourselves to the idea of further re-routeing as we move forward.


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## Ridin'Sorra (Sep 7, 2004)

LostViking said:


> Is this Game Over for the GC contenders? Does this change favour Nibali's chances or essentially have no effect as his four minute lead is already close to insurmountable?


I don't know... if suddenly Sky and BMC work together (very unlikely) on a well placed attack, 4min is not a huge lead.

Or... if Nibali has a bad day (unlikely also). Or if NIbali makes an Andy (most unlikely ) and drops his chain and loses time.

Still a few stages to go and things are not really sewn up.

The changes in the stages may play differently making the teams to work different strategies, riding on routes they may not have considered during training, etc.

Come Sunday and we'll have the last stage of the Giro and the F1 Monaco GP!


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## Bill2 (Oct 14, 2007)

LostViking said:


> Although not unexpected, sad news indeed as many of us were looking forward to these history making mountains being included in the race.
> 
> Gavia And Stelvio Cut From Stage 19 Of The Giro D'Italia | Cyclingnews.com
> 
> ...


The days of Andy Hampsten on Gavia in the snow are gone forever. Even if it rains we get protests about the cruelty riders are being subjected to. It's turning into a fair weather sport, like golf, or badminton.


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## den bakker (Nov 13, 2004)

Bill2 said:


> The days of Andy Hampsten on Gavia in the snow are gone forever. Even if it rains we get protests about the cruelty riders are being subjected to. It's turning into a fair weather sport, like golf, or badminton.


maybe you should ride the original stage for them in protest?


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## Bill2 (Oct 14, 2007)

Alright, let me see if I can get over there


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## Bill2 (Oct 14, 2007)

Di Luca is out. Permanently.


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## c_h_i_n_a_m_a_n (Mar 3, 2012)

Giro d'Italia: Weather sees stage 19 cancelled

Snow and cold weather to blame

Stage 19 of this year’s Giro d’Italia has been cancelled due to snow.

On Thursday night organisers RCS Sport announced that the peloton would race a modified route in order to avoid the riders racing in the snow and the risk of ice on the descents.

"Due to adverse weather conditions and, in particular, snow on the stage route in its entirety, stage 19 of the Giro d’Italia, from Ponte di Legno to Val Martello/Martelltal, has been cancelled," race officials confirmed in a press release.

The original race route included the Passo Gavia (2618m high), where Andy Hampsten attacked in the snow to set up victory in the 1988 Giro d'Italia, the Passo dello Stelvio (2758m) with the 139km stage finishing at Val Martello.

The modified route of160km was set to start in Ponte di Legno but was then set to race the descends east to Ponte Mostizzolo in order to tackle the Passo Castrin (1706m) and then climb to the original finish at Val Martello (2059m). However even the conditions on the modified route proved too dangerous.

There has not been any word as to whether stage 20, which was also at risk, will go ahead.

_~ from Cycling News_


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## coldash (May 7, 2012)

Ridin'Sorra said:


> .....
> 
> Or if NIbali makes an Andy (most unlikely ) and drops his chain and loses time.....


Nibali did drop his chain (IIRC) on the stage where Uran made his break but the difference was that Nibali calmly reached down, put the chain back on and then sprinted past those who had "left" him (and afterward he made a comment along the lines of "these things happen especially if using a compact with a very big range between the chainwheels).


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## coldash (May 7, 2012)

Bill2 said:


> Di Luca is out. Permanently.


Hopefully. It's not exactly the first time he's been caught.


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## Ridin'Sorra (Sep 7, 2004)

coldash said:


> Nibali did drop his chain (IIRC) on the stage where Uran made his break but the difference was that Nibali calmly reached down, put the chain back on and then sprinted past those who had "left" him (and afterward he made a comment along the lines of "these things happen especially if using a compact with a very big range between the chainwheels).


I watched that one.... that's why I said "most unlikely" and used an emoticon to indicate a joke that I see it did not passs through. Sorry, English is not my mother language.

Too bad about the stage being cancelled, but being for the rider's safety, that's ok.
It's just the disappointment of not having another day of racing.

Cycling becoming a fair weather sport? In light of this very same Giro, I don't think so. They had pouring rain and miserably cold conditions in some stages.


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## Bill2 (Oct 14, 2007)

coldash said:


> Nibali did drop his chain (IIRC) on the stage where Uran made his break but the difference was that Nibali calmly reached down, put the chain back on and then sprinted past those who had "left" him (and afterward he made a comment along the lines of "these things happen especially if using a compact with a very big range between the chainwheels).


He should have thrown the bike in a tantrum, then paced around cursing till the team car brought him one with a proper chain.


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## coldash (May 7, 2012)

Ridin'Sorra said:


> I watched that one.... that's why I said "most unlikely" and used an emoticon to indicate a joke that I see it did not passs through. Sorry, English is not my mother language.


Sorry, my fault. I read your post too quickly :blush2:


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## JSR (Feb 27, 2006)

JSR said:


> Not so fast! There is an interesting ITT and two very lumpy stages to come. Evans's skills in the TT are well-known, although the uphill nature of this one gives Nibali some advantage. Evans has shown in the past he will attack on those lumpy stages. It hasn't worked before, but he will try, IMHO - if he has the legs.


Nevermind! :blush2:


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## LostViking (Jul 18, 2008)

*Stage 20 - Route Change*

"Stage 20 will now be held over a 210km route from Silandro to Tre Cime di Lavaredo. The Passo Costalunga, Passo di San Pellegrino, Passo Giau have all been cut from the new route. The climb of the Passo Tre Croci remains, along with the final climb to the finish." - Cyclingnews.com

Giro D'Italia: New Route For Stage 20 Announced | Cyclingnews.com

Giro D'Italia Will Reach Tre Cime Di Lavaredo In Spite Of Snow, Says Vegni | Cyclingnews.com

*New Stage Profile*:
View attachment 281323​

*New Stage Map*:
View attachment 281324​


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## Bill2 (Oct 14, 2007)

LostViking said:


> "Stage 20 will now be held over a 210km route from Silandro to Tre Cime di Lavaredo. The Passo Costalunga, Passo di San Pellegrino, Passo Giau have all been cut from the new route. The climb of the Passo Tre Croci remains, along with the final climb to the finish." - Cyclingnews.com
> 
> Giro D'Italia: New Route For Stage 20 Announced | Cyclingnews.com
> 
> ...


It's a shame about the weather- we even have a dusting of snow here at around 1000 meters. Tre Cima di Lavaredo is a very steep climb though. Maybe Uran can win another stage.


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## Wile_E_Coyote (Jul 15, 2011)

Darn this global warming thing...


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## LostViking (Jul 18, 2008)

Wile_E_Coyote said:


> Darn this global warming thing...


Obviously a myth - all that stuff about droughts, rising water levels, unusual and severe weather - thankfully, there's nothing to it!


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## Ridin'Sorra (Sep 7, 2004)

Bill2 said:


> It's a shame about the weather- we even have a dusting of snow here at around 1000 meters. Tre Cima di Lavaredo is a very steep climb though. Maybe Uran can win another stage.


The new profile of the stage certainly will not be as tough as the original, but it looks like a looong grinding climb with barely any rest for the legs.

It's the last change for the GC guys, so there may be some fireworks.


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## Bill2 (Oct 14, 2007)

Here's some views of Tre Cime di Lavaredo from a summer climb- today it looks more like a winter wonderland:
Cycling Dolomiti Friulane: Tre Cime di Lavaredo

Here's today's Tre Cime webcam:
Webcam Tre Cime di Lavaredo | UmbriaMeteo

Looks like they've plowed the road and they're gonna make it to Tre Cime. Hurray!


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## nate (Jun 20, 2004)

Great ride by Nibali. They couldn't get him matching leg warmers?


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## Cinelli 82220 (Dec 2, 2010)

Interesting comment by Fabian Cancellara, that racing in these conditions is unhealthy and has nothing to do with racing.

Colombians looked impressive coming over the line together. Betancour had a crap day but bounced back.


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## coldash (May 7, 2012)

Cinelli 82220 said:


> Interesting comment by Fabian Cancellara, that racing in these conditions is unhealthy and has nothing to do with racing.
> 
> Colombians looked impressive coming over the line together.* Betancour had a crap day but bounced back*.


He lost about a minute with a bike change just before the final climbs so he did well to get back to the front and get to the top of the white jersey competition.


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## Bill2 (Oct 14, 2007)

Great stage!


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## cda 455 (Aug 9, 2010)

Did anyone's skepticism surface besides mine while watching stage 20?


As Nibali rode off the front of his group, did visions of Pharmstrong and Clentador come to mind as he passed rider after rider on the final climb? The scene of the last 3kms looked all too familiar. Stage 19 of the 2011 Giro really comes to mind.

*That's how doping has ruined pro cycling for me: *
Seeing a great effort in the last 10kms by multiple riders and then watching the Tour leader simply rider off the front of the peleton without much effort. I just can't keep from asking myself, "Is (Fill in your favorite rider) ___________ doping?!" And it only reenforces my skepticism when a rider was reported to have tested positive for EPO just the day before  :lol: !

I really enjoyed the stage, but that question glared like a Klieg light in my eye watching the last 3kms of the stage today.

Had Nibali looked like Evans did the same last 3kms it would have been more believable in my eyes. Evans was really swaying his bike side to side trying to catch or limit his losses to Nibali.


Yes; Ignorance is truly bliss.


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## Cinelli 82220 (Dec 2, 2010)

coldash said:


> He lost about a minute with a bike change just before the final climbs.....


I think he had another change after he caught on as well.
And on the final climb he wasn't even wearing armwarmers.


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## Cinelli 82220 (Dec 2, 2010)

cda 455 said:


> Pharmstrong and Clentador


FFS give it a rest
doping thred plz, k thanxbai


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## cda 455 (Aug 9, 2010)

Cinelli 82220 said:


> FFS give it a rest
> doping thred plz, k thanxbai


Maybe you're not up to speed about what's happening at this years' Giro.


A rider, (Get _this_!), tested positive for EPO :eek6: :eek6: !!1! 

Yep. 

I kid you not! Hard to believe, eh?!

So I was referring to a _very_ current event that directly involves the Giro. With that _very_ current event I expanded on a point.



BTW; Does high blood pressure run in your family?


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## gusmahler (Apr 7, 2012)

Going into the last stage, Cavendish is 11 points behind Nibali for the points jersey. So the scenario is simple. If Cav finishes 5th or better, he wins the points jersey. Otherwise, Nibali wins the points jersey (which he probably doesn't really care about). Of course, there's also an intermediate sprint and Cav will probably get a few points there also, depending on the size of the breakaway.

This assumes that Nibali is highly unlikely to get any sprint points tomorrow.


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## c_h_i_n_a_m_a_n (Mar 3, 2012)

Or if Cavendish were to win the stage, then Nibali needs to come in third to win the points jersey. Fourth and they will end up with the same number of points ... Presume Cavendish will get the points jersey as he will have more stage victories? 

I think Nibali will just want to get himself to within 3km of the finish line.


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## daidaidai (Dec 17, 2008)

cda 455 said:


> Evans was really swaying his bike side to side trying to catch or limit his losses to Nibali.
> 
> 
> Yes; Ignorance is truly bliss.


Evans had a mechanical as it turns out. See cyclingnews; article.


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## regnaD kciN (Mar 2, 2013)

Cinelli 82220 said:


> FFS give it a rest
> doping thred plz, k thanxbai


Spoken like a true journalist...from 1999-2005.


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## LostViking (Jul 18, 2008)

nate said:


> They couldn't get him matching leg warmers?


Indeed, as a matchaholic myself I was very concerned about that!

Nibali has taken this Giro's Maglia Rosa with class and panache - a deserving champion.

Just needs his people to make the correct fashion choices so such fashion feux-pas to not re-occur.


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## LostViking (Jul 18, 2008)

Cinelli 82220 said:


> Betancour had a crap day but bounced back.


Agreed, as a Saxo fan I was saddened to see Majka lose the White Jersey, but Betancur has been a much more aggressive rider and deserves to finish with it. That said, I hope Majka continues to improve - he could be a name for the future.


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## harlond (May 30, 2005)

regnaD kciN said:


> Spoken like a true journalist...from 1999-2005.


Cinelli is completely right, though. The sticky on doping explicitly warns people not to hijack someone else's thread with your thoughts on doping.


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## LostViking (Jul 18, 2008)

*Giro d'Italia - The Final Stage*

Yesterdays stage showed us all we needed to know about Vincenzo Nibali - not content to win on time alone - the Maglia Rosa dominated the rest of the peloton by conserving his energy until it counted, and then took matters into his own hands and took his second stage of this year's Giro. Simultaniously, Evans lost his second place to Plan Uran as Rigoberto took over a minute's lead on the Austrailian for second place on GC - and Rafal Majka lost his White Jersey to Carlos Betancur.

*Current Top-Ten on GC *
1) Vincenzo Nibali (Astana) 79: 23: 19 
2) Rigoberto Uran (Sky) 0:04:43 
3) Cadel Evans (BMC) 0:05:52 
4) Michele Scarponi (Lampre-Merida) 0:06:48 
5) Carlos Betancur (Ag2R La Mondiale) 0:07:28 
6) Przemyslaw Niemiec (Lampre-Merida) 0:07:43 
7) Rafal Majka (Saxo-Tinkoff) 0:08:09 
8) Benat Intxausti (Movistar) 0:10 :26 
9) Mauro Santambrogio (Vini Fantini-Selle Italia) 0:10 :32 
10) Domenico Pozzovivo (Ag2R La Mondiale) 0:10 :59

*The Final Stage into Brescia:*

Riese Pio X - Brescia, 197 km

With all the other jerseys sorted out, it looks like only the Red Jersey needs to be resolved. Currently, Nibali has both the Pink and the Red jerseys - but Mark Cavendish (Omega Pharma-Quick Step) wants the Red, probably more than Nibali, so he and his team have to go for it today. Almost simultaniously, his teammate Tony Martin will be winning the Tour of Belgium! 
For Nibali - this stage will be a victory cruise.


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## rufus (Feb 3, 2004)

daidaidai said:


> Evans had a mechanical as it turns out. See cyclingnews; article.


More issues with the electronic shifting?


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## rufus (Feb 3, 2004)

nate said:


> Great ride by Nibali. They couldn't get him matching leg warmers?


I thought the combo looked good. The full on baby blue leg warmers were just too much. 

Then again, I don't like the jersey wearers with matching shorts look either. I prefer the team shorts with just the leader's or mountains jersey, not a full kit.


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## Cinelli 82220 (Dec 2, 2010)

That was a frantic ending.
Can't believe the organisers screwed up on the final intermediate sprint. Cav had to sprint for it what, three times?
But he still won the stage.


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## coldash (May 7, 2012)

Great Giro. Nibali a worthy winner, Cavendish got over all the hills and won 5 stages plus the Red, Betancur deserved the White, Pirazzi did well to get the Blue. Some very good team performances but Cannondale underperformed (although all things are relative!).


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## c_h_i_n_a_m_a_n (Mar 3, 2012)

Is Cavendish strengthening himself to be a more rounded sprinter?

He dragged himself over the high mountains. Could be because he wanted the red jersey as he lost out so closely last year? ... And also getting himself ready for the TdF? When he will come up against Sagan, and knowing what Sagan did at last year's TdF, he knows that he will need more points on the road and no just winning flat finishes, but possibly some slightly inclined once as well?


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## albert owen (Jul 7, 2008)

This Giro was pretty good, but not a great contest. This was down to the weather and Nibali being completely dominant - Mechanistic Sky have been sussed and with or without Wiggins had no chance of winning - Evans did a good race and might surprise a few people at the TdF - Cavendish just keeps improving and looks happy after his miserable year with Sky.


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## Ridin'Sorra (Sep 7, 2004)

albert owen said:


> This Giro was pretty good, but not a great contest. This was down to the weather and Nibali being completely dominant - Mechanistic Sky have been sussed and with or without Wiggins had no chance of winning - Evans did a good race and might surprise a few people at the TdF - Cavendish just keeps improving and looks happy after his miserable year with Sky.


Agreed... I have a lot of expectations for the TdF with all the big names involved. Just the Froome-Contador showdown is something that causes me a lot of expecations.

I hope it does as it's been pretty boring if it wasn't for the soap operas in the teams.


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## gusmahler (Apr 7, 2012)

c_h_i_n_a_m_a_n said:


> Is Cavendish strengthening himself to be a more rounded sprinter?


It was a weak field of sprinters at the Giro, so we'll see how good he and his train is at the TdF. Today's sprint was pretty impressive, as the other guy definitely got the jump on Cav, yet Cav beat him pretty easily.


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## LostViking (Jul 18, 2008)

*Giro D'Italia 2013 - Conclusion*

View attachment 281516​*Forza Nabali!*​
A great Giro all-around with a deserving Champion.
Thanks to everyone for sharing this Giro and their insights here.

P.S. Award for best predictor goes to spade2you - who mentioned both Nabali and Evans as contenters.

Already looking forward to next year's Giro!

View attachment 281515​


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## AdamM (Jul 9, 2008)

Agreed - all credit to Nibali for a fine performance. Let's hope he's able to recover and bring the sort of form we saw to the TDF in July. 

Next drama to come up - who goes to the Dauphine? who does the Suisse?


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## aclinjury (Sep 12, 2011)

Ugh for the few folks saying this Giro was good, but not great? Speak for yerself. It's still 10x the excitement of TdF 2012.

Coming into the Giro, everyone was predicting Wiggins and Team Sky to win ala TdF 2012 style. But Mother Nature had a different plan for Wiggins. Wiggins broke down physically, and his confidence got shattered in the wet. In the NBA, they would use something like "choke artist". 

Nibali stepped up and took over.


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