[MinardiM189]

Dr Winston wrote:

Very hard to pick a breakaway rider…better off not bothering. 

Demare would be happy to see 20 riders way out up front ….as would the GC boys…that only really leaves Bora to chase. ..unless of course Demare wants to try for a stage win but he’d risk his pts jersey. So basically the stage depends on Bora’s willingness to chase a break on a very long stage. 

If FDJ aren’t chasing they will try and put someone decent in the break. If they do that Bora will do the same.

Benedetti v Madouas for the stage?

Personally I think Groupama will want another stage win and the blue jersey. You might even get Bora let Demare take some int. sprint points in return for help controlling the break.

Groupama could help until the int sprint and then depending on the outcome refuse to help, there are still 62km after the 1st int. sprint.

 A team that has come to the Giro to win sprints is not going to turn down the opportunity of another win.

 

[MinardiM189]

Sniffer]

Sniffer wrote:

[quote=MinardiM189]

INEOS are looking for a top 10 finish for Sivakov.  Gap to Formolo may have been the concern.

Can’t help thinking that giving up the GC and looking for a stage win might have given them a more succesful Giro.  I suppose Dunbar might have delivered that earlier and they could have had both.

Yes, I finally figured it.

I suppose pushing all the way to keep his top10 might help Sivakov in the future.

 

[MinardiM189]

Dr Winston wrote:

Well it looks like it’s gonna be that way today. A free gift to the breakaway and back to back easier days for the GC boys coming up.

At one stage it looked like Bahrain were going to chase but I think they realised the gap was too big, since then Sky have been chasing and I have absolutley no idea why.

[MinardiM189]

Dr Winston wrote:

Dunno what to think about today. Blew two transfers on nothingness but kinda called a part of it right. Got sit of Zakarin because I thought he’s crack and that downhill wouldn’t be his cup of tea….and also that it might have been too much for Sivakov. Both kinda worked….however….I brought Majka in….doh…

I’ve been blowing transfers and making my team worse at the same time too.

After the first 2 weeks I expected the break to score more points and GC to take a back seat.

When I did get a good pick inthe break they called him back to help Yates.

No changes for today then 4 sprinters in for stage 18.

Not sure whether to save many transfers for the last ITT because there aren’t many sure ITT picks left.

[MinardiM189]

Dr Winston wrote:

You got your wish Steve….sheesh….I don’t suppose we were the only ones to ditch him.

Hugh Carthy from my home town riding up a storm….good stuff. I’m trying to organise a ticker tape parade for him but I can’t seem to get many folk interested….too busy worshiping Tom Finney.

I never had Yates to ditch him but did drop Hugh.

I have a thread on Hugh Carthy on a PNE forum which doesn’t attract a great deal of interest.

The LEP doesn’t want to know he exists either, amazing.

[MinardiM189]

A few surprises in that stage

A few surprises in that stage, glad I have some transfers left.

One transfer down the drain with Vervake pulling out.

[MinardiM189]

Crazy crazy break –

Crazy crazy break –

2 Andrey Amador (MOV) 4 Hector Carretero (MOV) 7 JJ Rojas (MOV)
11 Tony Gallopin (ALM) 18 Alexis Vuillermoz (ALM)
23 Mattia Cattaneo (ANS) 26 Fausto Masnada (ANS)
34 Dario Cataldo (AST) 36 Ion Izagirre (AST) 38 Andrey Zeits (AST)
47 Antonio Nibali (TMB) 48 Domenico Pozzovivo (TBM)
64 Davide Fromolo (BOH)
73 Victor De La Parte (CCC)
97 Joe Dombrowski (EF1)
115 Krists Neilands (ICA) 116 Ruben Plaza (ICA)
124 Thoms de Gendt (LTS)
137 Chris Juul Jensen (MTS) 138 Mikel Nieve (MTS)
162 Eddie Dunbar (INS) 163 Tao Geoghegan Hart (INS)
177 Antwan Tolhoek (TJV)
181 Ilnur Zakarin (TKA)
201 Bauke Mollema (TFS) 202 Gianluca Brambilla (TFS) 203 Giulio Ciccone (TFS) 205 Nicola Conci (TFS)

[MinardiM189]

Dr Winston wrote:

Lopez and Landa working together, and thanking each other at the end, bodes well for some great racing. Nibali moaning about Roglic’s tactics adding fuel to the fire as well. Gonna be a good few days.

After yesterday I have added Lopez & Landa to my team for today. Dropping Degendt, who I felt doesn’t have the legs just now and Demare who hasn’t got the team support to challenge over the next few days.

Personally I dodn’t see why Roglic should help chase down Lopez and landa who he doesn’t see as a threat.

My team –

ROGLIC
NIBALI
LANDA
MASNADA
LOPEZ
CICCONE
CARTHY
VERVAEKE

Bloody annoying Eurosport aren’t showing the start of the stage today.

[MinardiM189]

Phall010 wrote:

I noticed this too. Is there any way apart from the forum to highlight this? 

The people scoring the competitions normally read the forum.

Carthy has now been awarded the 5 points.

[MinardiM189]

Dr Winston wrote:

MinardiM189 wrote:

So what is the plan for UAE tomorrow ? Send Conti in the break ?

Don’t see why not. Every chance they’ll give him 5 minutes again…

How do you rate Majka’s current chances Minardi?…looked good today but i’ve been here before.

I wouldn’t base too much on today, tomorrow is a much sterner test.

I can’t see Hugh Carthy hanging on to white for long, I think Lopez will get it tomorrow.

[MinardiM189]

So what is the plan for UAE

So what is the plan for UAE tomorrow ? Send Conti in the break ?

[MinardiM189]

Dr Winston wrote:

Aye. We have to remember the numbers being quoted for Polanc is the lead he will have over Roglic….a lot of the others are a big chunk behind that. As I said last night there really isn’t much wiggle room left for the like of Yates and Lopez. After today they’re faced with maybe getting back 10 mins on Polanc and 3 mins on Roglic. I have no idea who’s making the decisions for some of these teams but they might want to revise their strategies.

Astana will have Cataldo back into contention after today, which gives them 3 options on GC. SO I understand their strategy.

I don’t think Mitchelton now have a strategy, apart from not to do any work chasing.

 

[MinardiM189]

Dr Winston wrote:

MinardiM189 wrote:

Dr Winston wrote:

Don’t understand this Giro at all. What on earth is going on? No problem with a big break today…almost expected…but 14 mins?

GC riders….what on earth are they doing?

This is exactly what I expected today although I didn’t anticipate Polanc being in the break.

It was always going to be a came of call my bluff with the GC teams. At some stage I hope Mitchelton Scott have to chase and nobody does anything to help them.

 

Polanc is a very big surprise….as is the time thay’ve given him. What I don’t understand is why the peleton din’t just close the door at about 6 minutes. They seem he’ll bent on making things difficult for themselves like when they let Bilbao and Formolo go.

None of the GC teams want to work.

If it wasn’t for Trek helping out UAE Formolo & Bilbao would have gained even more time.

I think Mitcehelton cause the problem by completely refusing to work.

At some stage I can see someone gaining a hell of a lot of time and no-one doing anything about it.

[MinardiM189]

Dr Winston wrote:

Don’t understand this Giro at all. What on earth is going on? No problem with a big break today…almost expected…but 14 mins?

GC riders….what on earth are they doing?

This is exactly what I expected today although I didn’t anticipate Polanc being in the break.

It was always going to be a came of call my bluff with the GC teams. At some stage I hope Mitchelton Scott have to chase and nobody does anything to help them.

[MinardiM189]

So who is going to stop the

So who is going to stop the break winning by 20 minutes today.

 

[Author]

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