And Tom, of course! 5 seconds ain't much, but another display of strength and the first day in pink. Well played there, even though Froomey came back to finish in the same time as Tom.
O'Connor's ride so far has been very impressive. I think he had the KoM jersey well and truly in his sights!
5" ain't much, but it is a start. I'm hoping the effort from Froome to pull back Tom will be more damaging that the attack by Tom to make the gap.
It is indeed - let's see if it can continue though
valverde321 wrote:
Great result on the Etna stage to crack Froome, and even better on Stage 9 to move into the Pink jersey. Dumo is looking strong so far, matching whatever anyone else has been able to do, or better.
The cracking on Etna was a nice feeling. Showed that Froome can be beaten. Next big stage is Zoncolan so that could be fun!
Jakstar22 wrote:
Up by 5 seconds on GC! Dumoulin looking strong!!!
Looking strong, but we cannot get too carried away. Next few stages will be reactive rather than pro-active to any moves from the likes of Froome
The Fight For Pink - Team Sunweb Recap of Stages 10-12
Gualdo Tadino, 15 May 2018
Week 2 starts with a stage that could favour the puncheurs, the sprinters and also the riders who want to chance it in the breakaway. A rolling parcours with the flat finish means anyone but an out and out climber could come away with a stage win.
Expect a fast action packed stage to kick things off after the rest day.
10 riders from 9 different teams attacked at the start of the race, as soon as the flag dropped, forming a strong group off the front of the main peleton. Vendrame, Torres (both AND), Martin (TKA), Fernandez (MOV), De Marchi (BMC), Cherel (ALM), Plaza (ICA), Zhupa (WIL), Didier (TFS) and Novak (TBM) made up the group that gained a maximum of 8'45" over the main pack.
Behind, it would be the teams of UAE Emirates and QuickStep who took up the pace making, working for Vivani for a bunch sprint and Ulissi should it be a day for the hilly riders.
In Pink, Dumoulin look confortable for most of the stage, but with 11km to go, and with the break still 3'35" up the road, an attack from Thibault Pinot and Simon Yates prompted a response from Tom. Following the wheels and neutralising all moves, it was a good first defence of the jersey.
Back at the front, it was attack after attack from the break on the run into the finish, as Martin, Zhupa and Torres all looked at an escape route for the victory. But as it all pulled back together for the 10 riders, it would be a sprint from a reduced group and a victory for Andrea Vendrame, ahead of De Marchi and Plaza.
Viviani would take the sprint from the peleton, ahead of Bennett (BOH) and Sacha Modolo (EFD), 2'52 behind the winner. The GC men would be all together, so the gaps remain the same in the battle for Pink!
Stage 11 and a day where a GC contender could very easily lose a number of seconds very easily. The steep climb to the finish through the town of Osimo will test even some of the best puncheurs in the peleton, so only the strongest will take the victory today.
The break would be caught with 17km to go, and it was set for a showdown of the GC men as the peleton slowly diminshed in numbers. Dumoulin only has Ooman
and Haga for company, but to be fair, the other GC contenders only had 1 or 2 domestiques to count on as well.
Approaching the final climb to the finish, Thibault Pinot was the first to make a move, with Yates and Dumoulin following the move, as well as Tim Wellens (LTS), who was clearly looking for the stage win rather than a GC upset. There was no movement by Froome, who instead insisted on using Sergio Henao and Salvatore Puccio to try and pull back the quartet.
Hitting the flamme rouge, Froome was just managing to catch the group but suddenly Pinot made his move for victory. Opening a gap quickly, everyone on his wheel was struggling to bring him back! With every pedal stroke he edged closer to the win and soon there was a thought on if there would be a time gap on the road.
And he would! 9" to Wellens in 2nd place and Estaban Chaves in 3rd. Dumoulin would be in 4th place, losing out on bonus second by half a bike length. Behind, Yates and Henao came across the line in the same time as Tom, but shockingly, Henao had ridden his leader off the wheel and Froome cracked yet again! His time gap was 13 seconds...
Stage 11 Results
1
Thibaut Pinot
Groupama - FDJ
3h56'03
2
Tim Wellens
Lotto Soudal
+ 9
3
Esteban Chaves
Michelton - Scott
s.t.
Imola, 17 May 2018
A rare day for the sprinters, as the peleton gives the GC a day off with a flat day finishing on the race circuit of Imola. The short climb off the race circuit with 8km to go could throw up a surprise for a late attack, but given the rare opportunity for the likes of Viviani and Bennett to take another win before Rome, I expect a bunch sprint at the end.
A bunch sprint was expected, and a bunch sprint is what we got in Imola, as Sam Bennett stole a win from under the clutches of Elia Viviani!
It was a break of 5 that attacked shortly after the flag drop, with Giovanni Visconti (TBM), Jos van Emden (TLJ), Vegard Stake Laengen (UAE), Ryan Mullen (TFS) and Simone Andreetta (AND) all present. They would gain a total gap of 3'32" on the stage as Bora Hansgrohe and Quickstep kept the break in very close check.
It would all come back together with 22km to go, which looked like a risk given the climb with 8km to go, but as the likes of Alexey Lutsenko (AST) and Jack Haig (MTS) tried to get away on the climb, they were pulled back very quickly on the descent.
Quickstep took control, and as Zdenek Stybar (QST) dropped off Viviani at the front to start his sprint, it looked like a forgone conclusion. Viviani win and everyone is happy... but Bennett was not playing ball! Going through a gap that did not look like it should be there, he came up the inside to take the win by less than a tyre's width.
High drama in Imola, as Jempy Drucker (BMC) held on to tke a respectable 3rd place on the stage.
The GC men came home all together, as they look ahead to Stage 14 and the Zoncolan!
The Fight For Pink - Team Sunweb Recap of Stages 13-15
Nervesa della Battaglia, 18 May 2018
There are 9 stages left of the Giro d'Italia and only 3 of them are classified as flat... that really does say a lot about what lays ahead for the peleton.
Given this, expect the sprinters to take a stage win wherever they can and will go all out to make sure that is the case today. Viviani, Bennett and Modolo should all be in contention come the end.
Possible one of the fastest days on the Giro so far, as the Sprinters were keen to make sure it would all end as one large group. A break of 6 went off early in the race, but would only be allowed a maximum of 3'42" all day. Ladagnous (GFC), Vandrame (AND) Zhupa, Turrin (both AND), Hansen (LTS) and Andreetta (BRD) were present in the group up the road, and for them it was all about the TV time really.
Just Hansen and Ladagnous were left off the front over the one and only climb with 20km to go, but just 3km later they were also back in the main group as we headed towards the finish line.
Quickstep, Bora and EF Education First looked to compete with 3 different trains leading the peleton into the finish in Nervesa della Battaglia. However, whilst they were looking at setting up Viviani for the win, Quickstep were also riding Schachmann out of the U25 jersey, as he lost contact with the main group with 5km to go...
It would be a shock winner on the line, as Jens Debusschere (LTS) picked the right line to take the win. Sam Bennett would add to his Points Classification lead with 2nd place and Andrea Guardini (BRD) would round out the podium. Viviani and Modolo would fade in the final 50 metres, and slip backwards.
The Top 4 on the GC would all finish within 10 places of each other in the peleton, so the time gaps remain the same.
Stage 13 Results
1
Jens Debusschere
Lotto Soudal
4h09'56
2
Sam Bennett
BORA - hansgrohe
s.t.
3
Andrea Guardini
Bardiani CSF
s.t.
Monte Zoncolan, 19 May 2018
The Zoncolan is here and what a stage it is set to be! If there is a stage on this 2nd week that is going to define the General Classification on a whole then this is it. Less than 1'30" separate the Top 4 riders, and on slopes as steep as this, Simon Yates in 4th could easily see himself in Pink at the end of the day after he is on top form.
Further down the GC, Max Schachmann's time loss yesterday has opened the door for Miguel Angel Lopez (AST) and Sam Oomen (SUN) to take the White U25 jersey, should he have another bad day in the saddle.
Is this the stage that will stand out in the mind of Giro d'Italia fans for years to come? Oh I think so! A General Classification left in tatters, a new man in the Maglia Bianca and a victory for the Maglia Rosa.
The stage started with a break of 15 riders heading up the road, including Maglia Azzura leader Ben O'Connor, who was looking to add to his KoM points haul. Also present was Tanel Kangert, Pello Bilbao (both AST), Darwin Atapuma (UAE), Rohan Dennis (BMC) and Gianluca Brambilla (TFS) just to name the bigger riders looking to conquer on the Zoncolan.
Patrolled all stage by Sunweb, Sky and Mitchelton Scott, the break was kept on a very tight leash, gaining a maximum of 3'55" all day. Over each climb, the escapees would fracture into small groups, and as they reached the base of the Zoncolan, only Atapuma, Kangert and Alexandre Geniez (ALM) remained off the front. The gap was just 53".
As soon as the 15%+ ramps started, so did the attacks! Yates (MTS) and Lopez were the first to show their hands. Initially, Dumoulin looked unmoved, but when Froome decided to respond, so did Tom.
Lopez was quickly dropped, and as Pinot joined the party to make it the Top 4 on GC heading up the climb together, it would only be a matter of time before the fireworks would be let off!
Atapuma was the last of the break to be caught, and with 7km to go, it was clear that the 4 GC men were the strongest in the field. With Froome's next kick, timed for the 22% section, Yates was unable to respond and with it, his Giro hopes disappeared up the road.
Pinot was next to go out the back, but this time as Dumoulin came to set his pace. A TT specialist, for Tom, this was all about setting a pace he could live with and see who else could. Clearly, Thibault couldn't. Like Yates, his Giro hopes were fading fast!
Froome and Dumoulin continued together until the flamme rouge and Tom made his final move. Coming around the Sky man, he kicked hard for the line, distancing the Briton and storming to the stage win and putting 23" into Froome, who crossed the line in 2nd place.
Yates would be 3rd, but + 1'55" down on the Maglia Rosa, and Pinot a further 56" after him. The race for the Maglia Rosa had just become a two-horse race!
Stage 14 Results
1
Tom Dumoulin
Team Sunweb
5h31'13
2
Chris Froome
Team Sky
+ 23
3
Simon Yates
Michelton - Scott
+ 1'55
Sappada, 20 May 2018
Stage 15, and yet another day in the mountains for the peleton. After yesterday's efforts on Monte Zoncolan it will be interesting to see if it will be a day for the break or a day where fireworks are let off again ahead of the final rest day of the Giro d'Italia.
Sunweb were happy to let them go, and as a steady pace was set over the stage, it was clear that we would have a breakaway victory today. Like on Stage 14, the escape group would fall apart on each of the KoM climbs, and approaching the climb to Sappada, Kangert, Dennis, Plaza, Sepulveda, Brambilla, Polanc and Atapuma remained in the lead group on the road.
In a sprint to the line, UAE Emirates had the upper hand, Atapuma leading out Polanc for the win. Rohan Dennis did his best to upset the odds, but he would have to settle for 2nd on the stage. Atapuma would join his teammate on the podium in 3rd place.
The Maglia Rosa would come across the line in a group with Froome and Pinot more than 7 minutes after the Slovenian winner. Simon Yates would feel the effects of the Zoncolan, losing another 8" to his rivals at the finish. Former U25 leader Max Schachmann though would lose 21 minutes on the stage, and after such a great showing from him so far, it was a shame to see him struggle this way...
valverde321 wrote:
Wow, great ride on the Zoncolan for Dumoulin. I think Dumoulin can do it now! Froome hasn't shown that he can beat you, atleast not yet.
Zoncolan has quickly become one of my favourite stages to play on PCM. The ramps caused so much destruction! Froome yet to show any sign of beating Dumoulin but there is still a week left!
sutty68 wrote:
Stage 14 was great for Tom and nice to see the pink jersey winning atop of the Zoncolan
It was a great stage for Tom and the team! Winning in pink as something we had to do
Before I post the next 3 stages later tonight, I just want to let you all know that the difficulty has been increased to Hard from Normal. Whilst the mountain stages have been close, the ITT coming next (spoilers!) was a little easy for Dumoulin.
Hopefully, the increased difficulty will mean some fight back from Froome...
The Fight For Pink - Team Sunweb Recap of Stages 16-18
Rovereto, 22 May 2018
The final week of the 218 Giro d'Italia kicks off with a 34.2km Individual Time Trial from Trento to Rovereto. The first part of the route runs on the flat, while the race takes in a number of sloping sections in the last 10 kilometres, which should unsettle some of the pure time trialists left in the race.
Expect Dennis, Martin and Campenaerts to be amongst the favourites for the stage, whilst Froome and Dumoulin could also take a win and strengthen their GC position.
If the climb up the Monte Zoncolan defined this race, then the ITT to Rovereto has pretty much finalised it really. No one could get close to Tom Dumoulin, and the World TT Champion, changing Rainbows for the Maglia Rosa for the stage, showed exactly why he is a specialist in the discipline.
It would be Ryan Mullen (TFS) who was the early pace setter on the route, posting a time of 43'55, and a good 1 minute faster than anyone else. His time stood until Victor Campenaerts (LTS) took really 30 seconds off the time, posting a 43'28" time on the line.
Almost an hour had passed with Campenaerts in the hot seat before Tony Martin decided to knock the Belgian off top spot. 34 minutes dead would be his time and another 30 seconds taken off the best time of the day. It was clear that as the day was going on, the quicker the time were getting.
It would be no victory for the Katusha rider, as Rohan Dennis would be the next to set the best time. Just 9" the difference, but his time of 42'51" would enough to go top of the pile ahead of the GC men started down the ramp.
With no disrespect to Pinot or Yates, this stage was always going to be about Dumoulin vs Froome. At the first checkpoint, both were down on Dennis' time.
Dumoulin
<
+ 5
>
Froome
Second check and Dumoulin was up on Dennis and had put more time into Froome. He was getting quicker than the Sky man's only hope was that Tom had gone off too hard...
Dumoulin
<
+ 14
>
Froome
Froome crossed the line 4" slower than Dennis, but he was not bothered about missing out on the top spot. He was more bothered about where Dumoulin was. As Tom hit the flamme rouge, it was clear he was up on Froome, but the question was by how much...
Stopping the clock on the line, Dumoulin had put 1'00" in Froome... WOW!
Stage 16 Results
1
Tom Dumoulin
Team Sunweb
41'54
2
Rohan Dennis
BMC Racing Team
+ 56
3
Chris Froome
Team Sky
+ 1'00
Iseo, 23 May 2018
The final sprint stage before Roma, but ahead of 3 Mountain stages in as many days, will the peleton go easy or hard with so many teams still looking for stage wins so late in the Grand Tour. Should it come down to a bunch sprint, expect the usual suspects of Viviani, Modolo and Bennett to be at the front.
When it is this late to the end of a Grand Tour, it is always a shame to see a rider go home due to a rash. But sadly that would be the case for Sasha Modolo and Elia Viviani, after 32 rider incident ended both riders hopes of any further action in the race.
A group of 5 riders attacked the stage early in the race, with Mohoric (TBM), Martin (TKA), Armee, Hansen (both LTS) and Venter (DDD) heading up the road. The peleton seemed happy with them disappearing off into the distance, and a gap of 8'44" quickly grew.
Strangely, it was when the peleton was the most relaxed when the crash happened. Coming off the descent of the Cat.3 climb of Loorino, a touch of wheels quickly brought down a large number of riders. Many got back to their feet, but Vivani and Modolo, along with Nicolas Roche (BMC), Luis Leon Sanchez (AST) nd Ben Hermans (ICA) just to name a few.
After that, all pace went out of the main group, and with 20km to go, the break still had 13'22" gap over the peleton. With 10km to go, Adam Hansen would attack to see if he could solo to the win, but sadly he would be pulled back with 4km to go, as the quintet shaped up for the victory.
Tony Martin would go for a long one with 400m remaining, but Matej Mohoric sat glued to his wheel, jumping clear with 150m to go and taking the victory. Jaco Venter would finish strongly for 2nd place and Martin would hold on for 3rd.
The main peleton would roll in 9'28" after the break, with Sam Bennett comfortably taking the sprint for the minor places. GC would be unchanged, so 1'45" separates Dumoulin and Froome.
Stage 17 Results
1
Matej Mohoric
Bahrain - Merida
4h16'18
2
Jaco Venter
Team Dimension Data
s.t.
3
Tony Martin
Team Katusha Alpecin
s.t.
Prato Nevoso, 24 May 2018
A stage profile that would normally be a common feature on the Vuelta a Espana rather than the Giro d'Italia, but it is the first of 3 days in the Mountains for the peleton as the final stage in Roma gets closer and closer! As with the other stages, expect the GC men to give it all with only 3 stages left to make an impact. Froome, Yates and Pinot will no doubt be doing everything to crack a very strong Tom Dumoulin.
The GC rivals of Tom Dumoulin must be wondering what the hell they can do to stop the Dutchman, he took his 3rd victory of the Giro d'Italia on the climb up to Prato Nevoso.
An early large break of 17 riders looked set to steal a stage win late into the Grand Tour, as they quickly built a lead of 8'12" on the road. Tanel Kangert (AST), Alexandre Geniez (ALM), Ben O'Connor (DDD) and Darwin Atapuma (UAE) have been common sights in the break this Giro, and they were joined by Alessandro De Marchi (BMC), Joe Dombrowski (EFD), Ruben Plaza (ICA) and Louis Vervaeke (SUN) amongst others.
As the peleton reached the climb to the finish, only 8 riders remained off the front,but as the attacks from Pinot and Froome kicked off the action behind. Dumoulin, using first Haga and then Oomen to nullify the accelerations could only watch again as he became boxed in with Froome looking to kick off the front again.
Manoeuvring to some free road, his only response was to attack himself and bridge the gap. With 2km to go, it was just him and Froome again riding towards the finish, whilst Yates and Pinot scrambled to catch their coat tails. In sight of the line, Dumoulin put in one last acceleration, and suddenly he was staring at another victory.
Froome was unable to respond, Yates and Pinot had left too much on the road trying to catch up and Tanel Kangert was the only survivor from the break and was dead on his feet.
Tom comfortably took the win, ahead of a surprised Yates in 2nd, 11 seconds back and Froome just holding on to 3rd place.
The GC gap is now out to 2'02" to Froome, with Yates in 3rd place at nearly 6 minutes back on Dumoulin. 3 stages to go, but all still to play for!
Some great days for Tom, cementing his dominance in that ITT near Grada, but clearly also the stronger uphill. Only Froomy close…….not that close actually
Tamijo wrote:
Some great days for Tom, cementing his dominance in that ITT near Grada, but clearly also the stronger uphill. Only Froomy close…….not that close actually
It has been a great Giro for Tom. He has gone from strength to strength and not once has he had a bad day on the bike. Worrying when going into the final 3 stages
