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Giro D'Italia Stage 6: Sassano-Montecassino

160 miles of rolling terrain before a cat 2 climb to finish. Tough one to call, like yesterday!

No changes from me (I fancy Battaglin & EBH but can't fit them in, and saving the transfers), but what about YOU!?

Bit of historic resonance for me too; my grandad fought at Montecassino in WWII and was also a passionate cyclist & clubman (had his own shop, in fact). If he was still around I'm sure he'd be satisfied to see the battle's 70th anniversary commemorated with a great bike race.

If you're new please join in and if you have questions pop them below and the forum regulars will answer as best we can.

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66 comments

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livestrongnick | 9 years ago
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4 transfers 20 pen points no swift for me  26

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Philip Unwin | 9 years ago
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Whenever you make your transfers it's going to be a bit of a punt. Lots of rumours and lots of battered bodies coming home. I don't think we will know for sure until the start. Pirazzi looked a bit out of sorts at the end, as did a lot of others not yet mentioned.

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Philip Unwin | 9 years ago
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Whenever you make your transfers it's going to be a bit of a punt. Lots of rumours and lots of battered bodies coming home. I don't think we will know for sure until the start. Pirazzi looked a bit out of sorts at the end, as did a lot of others not yet mentioned.

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Ghedebrav | 9 years ago
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True. I've made three (had 5 free) and have saved two that, if I find out early doors Swift is gone, I can make on my phone (no wi-fi at my work, plus can't access .cc domains, which means complicated budget balancing is hard to do - but an in/out swap will be fine).

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Joelsim | 9 years ago
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I've got 4 transfers stored but no idea what to do with them. Tempted to sit tight tomorrow unless there's a withdrawal

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NigelSign | 9 years ago
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Evans is not my favourite rider, however it's a race and being paid professionals the finer etiquette of fair play have gone out the window. If the riders down were all lower placed and not overall contenders would anyone be questioning the tactics?

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NigelSign | 9 years ago
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Would the race wait for Cav and the sprinters if they are involved in a crash in the run to the line? Of course not......

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Gkam84 | 9 years ago
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You obviously don't watch a lot of cycling then....

Sportsmanship plays a big role, Sprints is different to climbing, if your rivals are taken out, you play fair and win it fair. But this is the only way Evans can win because he's passed it, over the hill and just a FUD

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Colin Peyresourde | 9 years ago
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I doubt cuddles can take this all the way. Though this isn't the strongest or deepest field I've seen in the Giro for a while. J Rod and Martin will be missed. One wonders if the Giro can continue to be held in May if they have this sort of weather and carnage. All the best riders will steer clear in favour of the other monuments.

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VVV73 replied to livestrongnick | 9 years ago
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The only people that seem to be unhappy with what happen are in here.
Fall happen at 6.5km to go at base of climb they were all going to attack on and supposedly drop Matthews ( so I am sure he was carrying some pace). What if Cav was in the PINK and he fell at base of big final climb taking about 20 riders down, do the GC riders wait? considering he was no chance of getting over it.

This is from the Official TEAM SKY website.
http://www.teamsky.com/article/0,27290,17553_9312916,00.html
No sooner had the catch occurred, however, when the wet, slippery roads played their part once again and descended the race into chaos. Kanstantsin Siutsou was one of several riders downed on a slick patch of asphalt, and most of the field hit the deck seconds later as they tried to circumnavigate a seemingly innocuous roundabout.

Unaware of what had happened behind, BMC Racing and Orica-GreenEdge continued to push the pace as they hit the final climb, and Matthews and Evans emerged as the day’s big winners as many floundered behind them

For others concerned about Swifty and Co.
After the stage, Sports Director Dario Cioni admitted it had been a tough day for everyone involved but was pleased to report no Team Sky riders had been seriously affected by their falls.

“Tomorrow looks like it could be a sprint stage so we should be riding for Ben [Swift] and Edvald [Boasson Hagen]. We’ll see how they're feeling in the morning and then make a call. It’s going to be a special day for Salvatore because the race finishes near his home town. His local knowledge will help us a lot so we’re hoping for better news tomorrow.”

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chrisdstripes | 9 years ago
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Yeah, I was watching it and I didn't see it like that, they really accelerated as they caught the break, and were riding very hard into the climb when the crash happened. That's how it seemed to me anyway, others obviously thought they weren't riding so hard. Either way, it's amazing how a seemingly innocuous stage can have such an impact.

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Joelsim | 9 years ago
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I think many have wasted transfers. Tough call now.

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Ghedebrav | 9 years ago
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For boring reasons it's difficult for me to make changes in the morning, so am unsure whether to take a punt on Swift or not...

If he's all good and I've swapped him out, it's a wasted transfer. Alternately if he leave him in and he withdraws it's a dead loss that (unlike Kittel's late DNS) puts me at a disadvantage vs other teams!

 39  39  102  24

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johnny2names | 9 years ago
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Just seen ur post gkam. Didn't realise they attacked after. Hum. I dunno. In Tdf, doesn't the maillot jaune dictate? Matthews rode, right?

Unfortunate all round.

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johnny2names | 9 years ago
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What a terrible giro for crashes already  2 we haven't had a dry yet I believe?

I don't blame cuddles today- was always gonna be a stage for him to try and take time today, with chances of bonus secs. If purito had been ahead and cuddles caught up behind, would he have stopped? It's tough, but it's racing. Blame the giro for the terrible road surfaces if anything! What a farce yesterday.

Meanwhile, wasted 3 transfers  1

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Joelsim | 9 years ago
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Talk on Polish TV that Majka is out, and rumours about Swift too.

No transfers for me for the time being.

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dave atkinson replied to Joelsim | 9 years ago
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Joelsim wrote:

Talk on Polish TV that Majka is out, and rumours about Swift too.

No transfers for me for the time being.

certainly swifty rolling in dead last doesn't look great for his fitness. no official word yet

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enrique replied to Joelsim | 9 years ago
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Joelsim wrote:

Talk on Polish TV...

You watch Polish TV?.... Wow!...

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chrisdstripes | 9 years ago
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J-Rod out.

I understand why people are criticising BMC but, playing devil's advocate, riders ride at the front to make sure they stay out of trouble, but then there's trouble and they're expected to wait for everyone to catch up? Racing was on, they obviously knew something had happened but I don't blame them for continuing to ride hard - they were already doing that anyway.

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VVV73 replied to chrisdstripes | 9 years ago
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chrisdstripes wrote:

J-Rod out.

I understand why people are criticising BMC but, playing devil's advocate, riders ride at the front to make sure they stay out of trouble, but then there's trouble and they're expected to wait for everyone to catch up? Racing was on, they obviously knew something had happened but I don't blame them for continuing to ride hard - they were already doing that anyway.

Couldn't agree more.
Back in the day before race radio's, they didn't wait for no one.

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Gkam84 replied to chrisdstripes | 9 years ago
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chrisdstripes wrote:

J-Rod out.

I understand why people are criticising BMC but, playing devil's advocate, riders ride at the front to make sure they stay out of trouble, but then there's trouble and they're expected to wait for everyone to catch up? Racing was on, they obviously knew something had happened but I don't blame them for continuing to ride hard - they were already doing that anyway.

The problem is...they attacked AFTER the crash, they had only just reeled in the break. They were not on the attack until after the crash had happened, that is my problem with the two teams going off the front.

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dp24 replied to Gkam84 | 9 years ago
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Gkam84 wrote:

The problem is...they attacked AFTER the crash, they had only just reeled in the break. They were not on the attack until after the crash had happened, that is my problem with the two teams going off the front.

That's how I saw it too - when the camera cut back to them, they seemed to be really hammering it.

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Theinvisiblecyclist replied to dp24 | 9 years ago
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dp24 wrote:
Gkam84 wrote:

The problem is...they attacked AFTER the crash, they had only just reeled in the break. They were not on the attack until after the crash had happened, that is my problem with the two teams going off the front.

That's how I saw it too - when the camera cut back to them, they seemed to be really hammering it.

Well just caught up on it all ......i'n my eyes the break was being caught and BMC orica and OPQS were on the front driving hard , the first crash happened mid pack and looked like the bike just filed under the europcar rider , camber on the road + new tarmac+ standing water ....don't think he had a chance tbh ....the main crash happened ahead if that out of shot but I think it was due to braking for the roundabout on the same conditions and at that point it looked like skittles  13

Cuddles and Matthews were at the front pushing on as it happened behind them ....it's a tough one but i'n my eyes racing incident ...... The team DS could have made the call over race radio but neither obviously did ....as a rider in that situation you ride on and don't look round when u hear a crash ....

My 2p on that

As for transfers.....swifty not tweeted he's out just that the only thing he put in the wash was his vest

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VVV73 replied to Theinvisiblecyclist | 9 years ago
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On watching the replay again. It looks like the power was already on , they were strung out like browns cows, those blokes at the back could have been playing catch up, which meant they hit that tricky roundabout faster then the leaders  26

I am just glad no one was seriously injured, tho I haven't heard about Caruso report yet and Purito got 2 broken ribs , thumb and toe I think. I hate seeing riders get hurt.

Even watching Peter Serry last year on Greater Palm Springs stage at Cali, passing out hallway up the hill wasn't pleasant to watch. He did not look good, I reckon that sort of exhaustion would take you months to get over IF EVER. I know it's happen to a few racehorse that had Gut Buster.

I sill haven't heard any complaints from any teams or riders yet ?

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Gkam84 | 9 years ago
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Just listen to Evans BMC interview.

He knew something major had happened when there was such a small group....yet he still powered on, the communication wasn't there....he and Matthews are from the same country, speak the same language....

http://www.bmcracingteam.com/fileadmin/files/2014/audioline/Giro_St6-Eva...

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Joelsim | 9 years ago
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What a nightmare. Let's hope Mr Personality Bypass gets his comeuppance.

A few big names out today and all my plans in tatters. Now for an hour or so of deliberation.

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Ghedebrav | 9 years ago
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Swifty last? A-hoy-hoy, two new badges!  4

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Gkam84 | 9 years ago
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Dave is on the scores, just making sure he doesn't cut off any deadlines  3  3

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enrique | 9 years ago
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Who's on scoring duty today?

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simon F | 9 years ago
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Not good news for Katusha. Purito, Vicioso and Caruso all out with fractures of various bits  2

http://www.biciciclismo.com/cas/site/noticias-ficha.asp?id=71708

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