“Joop Z was an incredible rider. It was sheer bad luck that his career overlapped with two other cyclists: Eddy Merckx and Bernard Hinault. His fellow riders sure knew how good he was.”

Couldn’t agree more – and yes; I’m pretty sure his peers all knew what he was capable of. As the French would put it: “Il etait un vrai”. The genuine article.

Have a good weekend, all – and happy Whitsun.

@wiscot

@KogaLover

@Teocalli

@RobSandy

@Teocalli

@Jansen

As for Hendrik Gerardus Jozef “Joop” Zoetemelk, he won the Tour in 1980. He started, and more importantly, finished all 16 Tours he entered, winning 10 stages over those participations. He finished second six times. He won the Vuelta in 1979 and won three stages during his participations. Winning the Vuelta was arguably the greater of the two wins as he rode for a French team and that was never easy against the Spanish, and in 1980 he won the Tour after Hinault dropped out. To be fair, I don’t begrudge Joop his Tour win, but had Hinault been healthy, I doubt he would have been beaten that year.

Both Jan and Joop were Wold RR champs too. The Dutch may not have a grand record in the GTs, but I doubt we’ve seen the last of Tom D on a GT podium. All we need is for ASO to get their shit together and put some more TTs into the Tour so it makes for a better race. Yeah, yeah, I know it doesn’t make for great TV, but the gaps created in a TT are what mandate spicy racing in the mountains.

Couldn’t resist re-posting this little gem. Please take note here, ladies and gentlemen: Joop started in the TdF SIXTEEN times. And he finished SIXTEEN times. And he finished SECOND SIX times. I know a lot has been said and written about Joop being the ‘eternal second’ and that he lacked something in the areas of panache, killer instinct, whatever. Be that as it may, but to me, Joop Zoetemelk is one of the truly great cyclists. (And I happen to know, and have pointed out on this site a few years ago, that Bernard Hinault feels the same way…)

Thanks for the refresher course, @wIscot! Time I started writing an “Awesome Dutch Guys”-piece on Joop, perhaps.

Joop Z was an incredible rider. It was sheer bad luck that his career overlapped with two other cyclists: Eddy Merckx and Bernard Hinault. His fellow riders sure knew how good he was.

@Jansen

@RobSandy

You’re totally right, guys. Sorry for being a little grumpy, I clearly did not have my best day.

Welcome back!

You can be forgiven for being a little grumpy. Just don’t go all dumpy on us.

@RobSandy

You’re totally right, guys. Sorry for being a little grumpy, I clearly did not have my best day.

Welcome back!

You’re totally right, guys. Sorry for being a little grumpy, I clearly did not have my best day.

@KogaLover

@Teocalli

@RobSandy

@Teocalli

@Jansen

 

As for Hendrik Gerardus Jozef “Joop” Zoetemelk, he won the Tour in 1980. He started, and more importantly, finished all 16 Tours he entered, winning 10 stages over those participations. He finished second six times. He won the Vuelta in 1979 and won three stages during his participations. Winning the Vuelta was arguably the greater of the two wins as he rode for a French team and that was never easy against the Spanish, and in 1980 he won the Tour after Hinault dropped out. To be fair, I don’t begrudge Joop his Tour win, but had Hinault been healthy, I doubt he would have been beaten that year.

Both Jan and Joop were Wold RR champs too. The Dutch may not have a grand record in the GTs, but I doubt we’ve seen the last of Tom D on a GT podium. All we need is for ASO to get their shit together and put some more TTs into the Tour so it makes for a better race. Yeah, yeah, I know it doesn’t make for great TV, but the gaps created in a TT are what mandate spicy racing in the mountains.

Couldn’t resist re-posting this little gem. Please take note here, ladies and gentlemen: Joop started in the TdF SIXTEEN times. And he finished SIXTEEN times. And he finished SECOND SIX times. I know a lot has been said and written about Joop being the ‘eternal second’ and that he lacked something in the areas of panache, killer instinct, whatever. Be that as it may, but to me, Joop Zoetemelk is one of the truly great cyclists. (And I happen to know, and have pointed out on this site a few years ago, that Bernard Hinault feels the same way…)

Thanks for the refresher course, @wIscot! Time I started writing an “Awesome Dutch Guys”-piece on Joop, perhaps.

There’s one reason that they WONT do that for the Tour- Froome.

He’s so strong in the TT and the mountains that adding any more stages against the clock would make it impossible for anyone to beat him. What do you think would have been the outcome if Froome had been riding against Dumoulin et al in this year’s Giro? He’d have been close to Tom D in the TT and blown him away in the mountains.

Of course, I’m sure it’d be a different story if Froome was French.

The TTs balanced out the medium and big mountain stages well. The 3rd week was even more brutal than usual, and if anything I think that, had some of those 3rd week stages been shorter than they were, we might have seen more attacking in the mountains.

@wiscot, apparently Landa will ride the TDF this year. Froome, Thomas, and Landa – there’s some excess GC power right there. If we see courses more like this Giro over the next few years, and if he continues to focus on grand tours, I’m sure Geraint is capable of competing with anyone for the podium. Time’s not on his side, though. Fingers crossed for such  courses.

@wiscot

@MangoDave

@wiscot

@Rick

@wiscot

I agree 100% on the TTs. I would love to see a July 2018 showdown among, Froome, Porte, and Tom D.

A nice little 25-30 km TT in the first and third weeks, and a 60 kms in the middle week. That would really force the hand of the racers, particularly the climbers, as they’d need to factor in time gained/lost in the TTs and apply that to the mountains. It would make for a better, more even race.This year the Tour has two TTs – a 13km prologue and a 23 km TT the second to last day. Not. Remotely. Enough.

Interesting. I seem to recall, though, that people whined (not here, just in general) that too many TT’s made for a boring race. The strong big riders would dominate the time trials, then just hang on for all of the other stages and nothing much else would happen.

But that’s where a well-balanced route comes in. The TT create gaps that maybe give big lads like Dumoulin an advantage over the climbers, who then have to attack in the mountains to shake off said big lads. Dumoulin struggled mightily the last few days in the Giro but came through. In another scenario he might not have held on. Imagine if there had been one more mountain stage after the last TT in the Giro? What racing we would have seen. Currently, we get mountain stage after mountain stage, many of which get a bit boring as the big names mark each other out of the game – Mt Etna stage this year being a great example. Look at the racing on Saturday’s Giro stage. That was incredible as the parcours had been made so that the perfect scenario emerged – the top 5 basically being up for grabs.

It also puts more emphasis on the rider AND the team.

A certain race in July has deemphasized ITTs for the last several years. The races have been relatively boring for the reason listed above-the climbers simply mark each other. I wish we would see a return of the penultimate day ITT in Le Tour. Or at least one in the last week before a mountain finish on the Saturday before Paris.

The Saturday mountain stage prior to the finale on Sunday was riveting. That is the kind of excitement I like in Grand Tours.

Yup, hopefully Proudhomme is watching what the RCS and the Giro are doing. I mean, I know the Tour is THE Tour, but dammit, the Giro is just more exciting! Ooohhh . . . lots of mountains! That’ll be great . . . yeah, when all the faves watch each other like hawks waiting for someone to attack. That why I like Dumoulin – many would have said “he’s too big to win a GT.” Well, he did. And I think Geraint Thomas should stop wasting his prime years in the service of Froome. You can’t tell me there isn’t a team that would built itself around GT for whatever grand tour he wanted to go for. Once Bertie retires, Trek should sign Geraint.

@MangoDave

@wiscot

@Rick

@wiscot

I agree 100% on the TTs. I would love to see a July 2018 showdown among, Froome, Porte, and Tom D.

A nice little 25-30 km TT in the first and third weeks, and a 60 kms in the middle week. That would really force the hand of the racers, particularly the climbers, as they’d need to factor in time gained/lost in the TTs and apply that to the mountains. It would make for a better, more even race.This year the Tour has two TTs – a 13km prologue and a 23 km TT the second to last day. Not. Remotely. Enough.

Interesting. I seem to recall, though, that people whined (not here, just in general) that too many TT’s made for a boring race. The strong big riders would dominate the time trials, then just hang on for all of the other stages and nothing much else would happen.

But that’s where a well-balanced route comes in. The TT create gaps that maybe give big lads like Dumoulin an advantage over the climbers, who then have to attack in the mountains to shake off said big lads. Dumoulin struggled mightily the last few days in the Giro but came through. In another scenario he might not have held on. Imagine if there had been one more mountain stage after the last TT in the Giro? What racing we would have seen. Currently, we get mountain stage after mountain stage, many of which get a bit boring as the big names mark each other out of the game – Mt Etna stage this year being a great example. Look at the racing on Saturday’s Giro stage. That was incredible as the parcours had been made so that the perfect scenario emerged – the top 5 basically being up for grabs.

It also puts more emphasis on the rider AND the team.

A certain race in July has deemphasized ITTs for the last several years. The races have been relatively boring for the reason listed above-the climbers simply mark each other. I wish we would see a return of the penultimate day ITT in Le Tour. Or at least one in the last week before a mountain finish on the Saturday before Paris.

The Saturday mountain stage prior to the finale on Sunday was riveting. That is the kind of excitement I like in Grand Tours.

@wiscot

@Rick

@wiscot

I agree 100% on the TTs. I would love to see a July 2018 showdown among, Froome, Porte, and Tom D.

A nice little 25-30 km TT in the first and third weeks, and a 60 kms in the middle week. That would really force the hand of the racers, particularly the climbers, as they’d need to factor in time gained/lost in the TTs and apply that to the mountains. It would make for a better, more even race.This year the Tour has two TTs – a 13km prologue and a 23 km TT the second to last day. Not. Remotely. Enough.

Interesting. I seem to recall, though, that people whined (not here, just in general) that too many TT’s made for a boring race. The strong big riders would dominate the time trials, then just hang on for all of the other stages and nothing much else would happen.

But that’s where a well-balanced route comes in. The TT create gaps that maybe give big lads like Dumoulin an advantage over the climbers, who then have to attack in the mountains to shake off said big lads. Dumoulin struggled mightily the last few days in the Giro but came through. In another scenario he might not have held on. Imagine if there had been one more mountain stage after the last TT in the Giro? What racing we would have seen. Currently, we get mountain stage after mountain stage, many of which get a bit boring as the big names mark each other out of the game – Mt Etna stage this year being a great example. Look at the racing on Saturday’s Giro stage. That was incredible as the parcours had been made so that the perfect scenario emerged – the top 5 basically being up for grabs.

It also puts more emphasis on the rider AND the team.

@Rick

@wiscot

I agree 100% on the TTs. I would love to see a July 2018 showdown among, Froome, Porte, and Tom D.

A nice little 25-30 km TT in the first and third weeks, and a 60 kms in the middle week. That would really force the hand of the racers, particularly the climbers, as they’d need to factor in time gained/lost in the TTs and apply that to the mountains. It would make for a better, more even race.This year the Tour has two TTs – a 13km prologue and a 23 km TT the second to last day. Not. Remotely. Enough.

Interesting.  I seem to recall, though, that people whined (not here, just in general) that too many TT’s made for a boring race.  The strong big riders would dominate the time trials, then just hang on for all of the other stages and nothing much else would happen.

Why did I not get my 20 points for getting Tom’s first place right? Probably because of this crappy picks entry that did not work. I’m off.

Well the actual VSP entry was opened after race start if I recall correctly. Just simply listing your picks, which a lot of us did in advance of race start and the entry being open, was for fun. You may have actually been the one and only original TD for the win pick too ! There were more than a few Steve K’s picked but TD’s ?? Not before the 1st rest day I believe.

It’s not the pick system that’a crappy, it was Tom. He clearly came Turd.

@Teocalli

Why not both?

As several riders pointed out in Giro interviews their race had ended on Saturday – 90% of the field was just going through the motions.

Let teams nominate riders for a short neutralised sprint stage in the morning and just have 20-30 riders for a TT to follow and decide the final classification – the top GC riders and any TT specialists.

It wasn’t unusual in years gone by to have split stages on a single day.

Or make the last TT for the top 30 riders plus any riders still in with a shout for a classification. Ok, it’s not the full meal deal, but it would save a few legs for a more dynamic Champs stage.

Why not both?

As several riders pointed out in Giro interviews their race had ended on Saturday – 90% of the field was just going through the motions.

Let teams nominate riders for a short neutralised sprint stage in the morning and just have 20-30 riders for a TT to follow and decide the final classification – the top GC riders and any TT specialists.

It wasn’t unusual in years gone by to have split stages on a single day.

That used to happen quite regularly as I recall. I loved the suspense that it added to the race.

@wiscot

Agreed, not nearly enough. I love the last stage as a TT but the Champs has become so important for the sprinters that most would drop out the last week if it was a final stage TT.

You could have a TT on the last but one.  Still leave the precession to the Champs and the sprint.

Agreed, not nearly enough. I love the last stage as a TT but the Champs has become so important for the sprinters that most would drop out the last week if it was a final stage TT.

@wiscot

I agree 100% on the TTs. I would love to see a July 2018 showdown among, Froome, Porte, and Tom D.

A nice little 25-30 km TT in the first and third weeks, and a 60 kms in the middle week. That would really force the hand of the racers, particularly the climbers, as they’d need to factor in time gained/lost in the TTs and apply that to the mountains. It would make for a better, more even race.This year the Tour has two TTs – a 13km prologue and a 23 km TT the second to last day. Not. Remotely. Enough.

I agree 100% on the TTs. I would love to see a July 2018 showdown among, Froome, Porte, and Tom D.

@Teocalli

@RobSandy

@Teocalli

@Jansen

Why did I not get my 20 points for getting Tom’s first place right? Probably because of this crappy picks entry that did not work. I’m off.

Also you only need to click on the dispute option against your pick and it will get sorted in the fullness of time. There is not an army of IT folk behind all this and so hiccoughs are to be expected. Get a grip man. Rule #5 and #43.

@Frank has also been a bit busy writing a book recently, which probably trumps your VSP outrage.

What have you done for the cycling community lately @ Jansen?

Hopefully it wasn’t THE Jan Jansen……….

Incidentally I have a Eroica Limburg poster that he signed for me.

No worries, that’s Jan Janssen with double “s”. But you have to tell me more about “the One who preceded Tom” and how you got his signature. Btw we need to catch up about Eroica 2017….

The “one who preceded Tom” would be Joop. Jan preceded Joop.

Janssen was the first Dutch rider to win the Tour (1968) and the Vuelta (1967). In the former he won 7 stages in 7 finishes and the points jersey three times. In the Vuelta he won three stages and the points classification twice.

Great quote from him: We had to be good all the time, from the first of February until the end of October. Because it was my duty to make the most of my sponsor’s name, to get publicity. And if you had an off-day, well, you were letting your sponsors down. Now the whole sponsorship of sport has taken off. It has become so interesting to a company, because a company that wants to get its name known, you can buy a good team, with good management, good public relations, and you can get all the big names. I think, too, that the motivation has changed with the professionals as well. You get riders like Steven Rooks and Gert-Jan Theunisse saying that after the Tour they are stopping at home because they can’t be bothered with criteriums, and that’s not attractive for the public.

As for Hendrik Gerardus Jozef “Joop” Zoetemelk, he won the Tour in 1980. He started, and more importantly, finished all 16 Tours he entered, winning 10 stages over those participations. He finished second six times. He won the Vuelta in 1979 and won three stages during his participations. Winning the Vuelta was arguably the greater of the two wins as he rode for a French team and that was never easy against the Spanish, and in 1980 he won the Tour after Hinault dropped out. To be fair, I don’t begrudge Joop his Tour win, but had Hinault been healthy, I doubt he would have been beaten that year.

Both Jan and Joop were Wold RR champs too. The Dutch may not have a grand record in the GTs, but I doubt we’ve seen the last of Tom D on a GT podium. All we need is for ASO to get their shit together and put some more TTs into the Tour so it makes for a better race. Yeah, yeah, I know it doesn’t make for great TV, but the gaps created in a TT are what mandate spicy racing in the mountains.

Yup I’m booked up to Eroica Limburg, staying over from Friday evening back Monday if you are around for longer than last year we must hook up for an ale or two.  He was signing posters down at the event tent after the ride last year.  So I just said yes please.  Wasn’t all that radical really.

@RobSandy

@Teocalli

@Jansen

Why did I not get my 20 points for getting Tom’s first place right? Probably because of this crappy picks entry that did not work. I’m off.

Also you only need to click on the dispute option against your pick and it will get sorted in the fullness of time. There is not an army of IT folk behind all this and so hiccoughs are to be expected. Get a grip man. Rule #5 and #43.

@Frank has also been a bit busy writing a book recently, which probably trumps your VSP outrage.

What have you done for the cycling community lately @ Jansen?

Hopefully it wasn’t THE Jan Jansen……….

Incidentally I have a Eroica Limburg poster that he signed for me.

No worries, that’s Jan Janssen with double “s”. But you have to tell me more about “the One who preceded Tom” and how you got his signature.  Btw we need to catch up about Eroica 2017….

@Jansen

Why did I not get my 20 points for getting Tom’s first place right? Probably because of this crappy picks entry that did not work. I’m off.

My picks for the Giro were a bit messed up because of the setup. My picks for a previous race simply disappeared, as did those of some other tippers on that day. So fucking what?!

Yes indeed @ Stooge, in fact I’m a Giro desaparecido, my entry having been missed. Perhaps I’d be more miffed if I’d got all five in the correct order,,as if that was likely to happen, but with only 3 in the wrong order I think I can afford to be relaxed and enjoy the anonymity.

@Jansen

Why did I not get my 20 points for getting Tom’s first place right? Probably because of this crappy picks entry that did not work. I’m off.

My picks for the Giro were a bit messed up because of the setup. My picks for a previous race simply disappeared, as did those of some other tippers on that day. So fucking what?!

This is a place where you can connect with like-minded folk, read great articles, agree, disagree, praise, condemn, even ridicule, all in the name of fun. Oh, and all of this goodness is brought to you free of charge. The fact that such a place even exists is cause for celebration. Untwist your knickers, pull your socks up, harden the fuck up, and score 5 out of 5 for the remainder of the season, just for bragging rights.

Also, as per Rule #43, if you absolutely must be a jackass, be a funny jackass.

Exactly. I’ve been here for years and my VSP picks are consistently akin to Tom Dumoulin’s fragile stomach. The prizes are awesome, there are actually winners, and we get it all for free. Nuff said.

@Teocalli

@Jansen

Why did I not get my 20 points for getting Tom’s first place right? Probably because of this crappy picks entry that did not work. I’m off.

Also you only need to click on the dispute option against your pick and it will get sorted in the fullness of time. There is not an army of IT folk behind all this and so hiccoughs are to be expected. Get a grip man. Rule #5 and #43.

@Frank has also been a bit busy writing a book recently, which probably trumps your VSP outrage.

What have you done for the cycling community lately @ Jansen?

Hopefully it wasn’t THE Jan Jansen……….

Incidentally I have a Eroica Limburg poster that he signed for me.

Why did I not get my 20 points for getting Tom’s first place right? Probably because of this crappy picks entry that did not work. I’m off.

My picks for the Giro were a bit messed up because of the setup. My picks for a previous race simply disappeared, as did those of some other tippers on that day. So fucking what?!

This is a place where you can connect with like-minded folk, read great articles, agree, disagree, praise, condemn, even ridicule, all in the name of fun. Oh, and all of this goodness is brought to you free of charge. The fact that such a place even exists is cause for celebration. Untwist your knickers, pull your socks up, harden the fuck up, and score 5 out of 5 for the remainder of the season, just for bragging rights.

Also, as per rule 43, if you absolutely must be a jackass, be a funny jackass. 

@Jansen

Why did I not get my 20 points for getting Tom’s first place right? Probably because of this crappy picks entry that did not work. I’m off.

Also you only need to click on the dispute option against your pick and it will get sorted in the fullness of time. There is not an army of IT folk behind all this and so hiccoughs are to be expected. Get a grip man. Rule 5 and 43.

@Frank has also been a bit busy writing a book recently, which probably trumps your VSP outrage.

What have you done for  the cycling community lately @ Jansen?

Why did I not get my 20 points for getting Tom’s first place right? Probably because of this crappy picks entry that did not work. I’m off.

Also you only need to click on the dispute option against your pick and it will get sorted in the fullness of time. There is not an army of IT folk behind all this and so hiccoughs are to be expected.  Get a grip man.  Rule 5 and 43.

Why did I not get my 20 points for getting Tom’s first place right? Probably because of this crappy picks entry that did not work. I’m off.

I fear you are taking this way, way, way too seriously.  It’s a bit of fun.

Why did I not get my 20 points for getting Tom’s first place right? Probably because of this crappy picks entry that did not work. I’m off.

But we’ll miss you so much!

Chapeau to Tommy D aka Dumpy. Got one placing right (Quintana) and the rest NITRO. But enough to move me up to 3rd place in VSP standings. This despite Delgado-ing Gent and les femmes Rhonde. I guess I now actually have to pay attention and take this seriously, eh?

Astonishingly, I’ve retained the top spot. Probably more a consequence of most people going with the bookies and picking Quintana for the win. But gosh, I like him even less than I did.

 

Does Tom Dumoulin sh*t in the woods?

He didn’t get that far off the road ! I was gonna say, poor guy, he didn’t get that far… but dang man, he won anyways ! So no one is thinking, poor guy, that’s for sure. What a stud.

@wiscot

@Teocalli

Never been so happy to have my poultry VSP trashed. Bravo TD. Great post race interview too.

I know Tommy D took a dump, but I had no idea he laid an egg! The Dutch chickens finally came home to roost!

Dang – can’t even blame that on auto correct. Though he did come up with a Golden Egg, sort of.

Not to worry. I had four of the top 5 right, but NITRO.

@Teocalli

Never been so happy to have my poultry VSP trashed. Bravo TD. Great post race interview too.

I know Tommy D took a dump, but I had no idea he laid an egg! The Dutch chickens finally came home to roost!

Dang – can’t even blame that on auto correct.  Though he did come up with a Golden Egg, sort of.

Never been so happy to have my poultry VSP trashed. Bravo TD. Great post race interview too.

I know Tommy D took a dump, but I had no idea he laid an egg! The Dutch chickens finally came home to roost!

And if there’s no-one there to hear it..,

Is the Pope Catholic?

Does Tom Dumoulin sh*t in the woods?

And well done to the Giro too for making the final day competitive not just a ceremonial.

I appreciate a sprint finish as much as anyone but mixing it up every few years with a TT would be nice and not without precedent.

At one point the Eurosport guy said “Who would have thought a TT could be so interesting?”… err anyone who’s ever heard of Laurent Fignon and Greg Lemond for starters.

I have to agree, having picked Quintana to win, that his performance was an uninspiring disappointment. And ultimately glad he didn’t win, despite the toilet flush propulses by my annual rite of picking NQ to win in the wrong GT.

I liked seeing Pinot getting his Voekler faces on in gritting out his late efforts in the last week. He should have more podiums in his future.

@stooge

Of course I have no idea if they had an alliance or not. I did think the cooperation was interesting after I saw reports of these rumors this morning. Also, Yates and Jungels racing for the Maglia bianca would not exclude them helping Dumoulin.

Yep, that was my point. Had the Yates v Jungles race not aligned with Dumoulin’s needs, I’m pretty sure they wouldn’t have pulled with him.

@ChrisO

It makes more sense that they weren’t far from re-joining the front group so they would try to do so and have the possibility of a stage win.

As for the Yates v Jungels situation goes there’s no reason for them to do anything other than sit on Dumpulin’s wheel and make sure they other one didn’t escape. Yates in particular – he’s not as strong a tester as Jungels so by rights should have saved energy where possible.

Dunno about Yates having no reason to do anything other than sitting on Dumoulin’s wheel and making sure Jungles didn’t go. Surely keeping the pace up and testing where Jungles was at, and the possibility of gapping him, was a better plan for Yates, given Jungles superiority in TT. Anyway, all very interesting.

The TT may not go down as predictably as one would normally expect, given how knackered everyone must be after this brutal week. Pinot has been getting stronger as the race has gone on. Zakarin could get up there. Lot of pressure on the three leaders. A facinating finish.

As for the Yates v Jungels situation goes there’s no reason for them to do anything other than sit on Dumpulin’s wheel and make sure they other one didn’t escape. Yates in particular – he’s not as strong a tester as Jungels so by rights should have saved energy where possible.

Of course I have no idea if they had an alliance or not. I did think the cooperation was interesting after I saw reports of these rumors this morning. Also, Yates and Jungels racing for the Maglia bianca would not exclude them helping Dumoulin.

@stooge

The Giro delivers again. What a week. The vertical meters covered is staggering. I agree, @ChrisO, those three on the podium with little between them. I reckon Dumoulin will do enough to take it.

Dumoulin made a point of thanking Yates, Jungles, and Mellema for pulling with him today, in at least two interviews. Just as odd as having a go at Nibali and Quintana the other day for not doing so. He said their GC placings were pretty much fixed, and so they had no reason to pull other than helping him. Maybe. Yates and Jungles were still fighting it out for the White Jersey, just as Nibali and Quintana were not interested in lower step podium places. Blame and praise where they don’t belong. Hard to know if it’s nativity or something more calculated.

In some ways he’s been fortunate to have such a big and hotly contested GC field around him – even when without team mates during this brutal week, he’s had plenty of wheels to follow; wheels that just happen to have a mutual objective at a given time.

Drama aside, this race will change him as a rider for years to come, and I look forward to seeing the result. Long live the Giro!

There were prestage rumors in the French media that other Velon teams would help Dumoulon. Yates, Jungels, and Mollema all ride for Velon teams, as does Tom D.

Interesting. Still, I find it hard to believe that Yates and Jungles wouldn’t have liked to put time into the other, given how close they are in the white jersey running. Neither wanting to give anything to the other happened to be exactly what was good for Tom. But, maybe they did have an arrangement.

The Giro delivers again. What a week. The vertical meters covered is staggering. I agree, @ChrisO, those three on the podium with little between them. I reckon Dumoulin will do enough to take it.

Dumoulin made a point of thanking Yates, Jungles, and Mellema for pulling with him today, in at least two interviews. Just as odd as having a go at Nibali and Quintana the other day for not doing so. He said their GC placings were pretty much fixed, and so they had no reason to pull other than helping him. Maybe. Yates and Jungles were still fighting it out for the White Jersey, just as Nibali and Quintana were not interested in lower step podium places. Blame and praise where they don’t belong. Hard to know if it’s nativity or something more calculated.

In some ways he’s been fortunate to have such a big and hotly contested GC field around him – even when without team mates during this brutal week, he’s had plenty of wheels to follow; wheels that just happen to have a mutual objective at a given time.

Drama aside, this race will change him as a rider for years to come, and I look forward to seeing the result. Long live the Giro!

There were prestage rumors in the French media that other Velon teams would help Dumoulon. Yates, Jungels, and Mollema all ride for Velon teams, as does Tom D.

Dumoulin  made a point of thanking Yates, Jungles, and Mellema for pulling with him today, in at least two interviews. Just as odd as having a go at Nibali and Quintana the other day for not doing so. He said their GC placings were pretty much fixed, and so they had no reason to pull other than helping him. Maybe. Yates and Jungles were still fighting it out for the White Jersey, just as Nibali and Quintana were not interested in lower step podium places. Blame and praise where they don’t belong. Hard to know if it’s nativity or something more calculated.

In some ways he’s been fortunate to have such a big and hotly contested GC field around him – even when without team mates during this brutal week, he’s had plenty of wheels to follow; wheels that just happen to have a mutual objective at a given time.

Drama aside, this race will change him as a rider for years to come, and I look forward to seeing the result. Long live the Giro!

If Nibali had a few more seconds I wouldn’t rule him out but I think it could be Dumoulin, Nibali, Quntana on the podium with very few seconds between them. Zakarin might push close for third.

Winning is winning I guess but I can’t help but note that barely a single second of Quintana and Nibali’s recovered time today came from them as individuals.

It was all as a result of their combined team attack early and then sitting behind domestiques on the way up. Nibali made a micro attack about a mile from the finish which can’t have lasted long because he crossed a few seconds down in a group. At least Nibali did something to take the stage the other day – Quntana has just been attached to other wheels the whole time.

If Dumoulin doesn’t take it then this will have to be one of the most anti-V grand tour wins in recent history… and I’m inluding A Schleck and every Sky victory in there.

In fact both N and Q seemed to get dropped by their domestiques when they tried to up the pace.

It was all as a result of their combined team attack early and then sitting behind domestiques on the way up. Nibali made a micro attack about a mile from the finish which can’t have lasted long because he crossed a few seconds down in a group. At least Nibali did something to take the stage the other day – Quntana has just been attached to other wheels the whole time.

If Dumoulin doesn’t take it then this will have to be one of the most anti-V grand tour wins in recent history… and I’m inluding A Schleck and every Sky victory in there.

And even though I’m not a big Sky fan, chapeau today to Landa for a well deserved win … especially after getting pipped twice in previous stages. Plus appropriate for him to win a climbing stage wearing KoM jersey.

…….and a propper casquette for the presentation.  Really happy for him.  If Q has only a handful of seconds at the TT I do hope he does not turn out in and on a pink monstrosity and get trashed.

@John Irvine

Top six within 90 seconds going into the last two days. I don’t think Dumoulin was being snarky when he told Q and N to watch out: Pinot, Zakarin or even Pozzovivo could sneak onto the podium. This is anyone’s Giro.

For now, I will enjoy my temporarily fabulous VSP: 4 of 5, with 1,2,4 ITRO.

Yes indeed. If Q wants to win overall, he’s going to need more than 38 seconds going into the TT. The whole podium is up for grabs.

What a great race! I am conflicted as my heart says to root for Tom D but a Quintana win would save my VSP picks. Tomorrow is going to be a cracker!

Top six within 90 seconds going into the last two days. I don’t think Dumoulin was being snarky when he told Q and N to watch out: Pinot, Zakarin or even Pozzovivo could sneak onto the podium. This is anyone’s Giro.

For now, I will enjoy my temporarily fabulous VSP: 4 of 5, with 1,2,4 ITRO.

Yes indeed. If Q wants to win overall, he’s going to need more than 38 seconds going into the TT. The whole podium is up for grabs.

For now, I will enjoy my temporarily fabulous VSP: 4 of 5, with 1,2,4 ITRO.

So, I didn’t think Doumolin has it in him 3 weeks ago. But I think it would be phenomenal if he won. Of course, my VSP would be over. But it would still be cool. I’m pulling for him.

Depends what happens tomorrow. If he loses even more time tomorrow and has a minute or more deficit going into the TT in Milan, it will be tough for him to get the time back. He actually now has more than just Quintana to worry about. If either Nibali or Pinot can put enough time on him tomorrow, they may be able to leapfrog Quintana in the TT and Dumoulin might not be able to make up the difference. So unlike TdF, which is a Skybot yawnfest, the Giro is once again a fun and interesting race until the very end.

Well done to Landa for the stage win. Good stuff. Also happy to see Yates back into to top ten and in the white jersey. Both did well to adjust goals and keep their heads in the game.

@wiscot

@chuckp

And you are a pansy car driver!

I am, I admit it. In my defense, you can only push a wee Ford Focus so hard . . .

It must be an old Ford Focus. The new ones are pretty zippy. Even if it’s not an RS model. I actually had a Ford Focus ST for a rental not too long ago and it could definitely haul ass!

It’s a 2011 – before they made it look “sporty.” Does what it needs to do and I can get any bike in the back by popping the seats down and removing the bike’s front wheel.

Also, not much of a temptation for car thieves!

Haha, this is very good: https://mobile.twitter.com/giroditalia/status/867758885066747904

“Why you don’t ride”… stick it on a T-shirt someone !

Gold.

@Cary

he said it last year, referencing Bardet’s descent of thr Col d’Allos in the 2015 Criterium du Dauphine. it WAS pretty crazy. he left everyone, including Nibali, for dead.

I’ve done just over 80kms/h and that was scary enough. But 124 km/h, that’s 77mph. I don’t drive my car that fast!

most of my descending experience is from working as a bike messenger in San Francisco on a fixed gear.  believe it or not, i used a 48×16, or even a 52×16, and no brakes, of course.  not quite the same thing as Alpine descending, but still fun.

Haha, this is very good: https://mobile.twitter.com/giroditalia/status/867758885066747904

“Why you don’t ride”… stick it on a T-shirt someone !

LOLZ. It’ll duck my VSP but I am now a Tom Done-a-poo-lin fan. What a guy. And so handsome.

Quintana isn’t winning any fans. Mohali needs to explain to him what panache is…

“Why you don’t ride”… stick it on a T-shirt someone !

@chuckp

And you are a pansy car driver!

I am, I admit it. In my defense, you can only push a wee Ford Focus so hard . . .

It must be an old Ford Focus. The new ones are pretty zippy. Even if it’s not an RS model. I actually had a Ford Focus ST for a rental not too long ago and it could definitely haul ass!

Pretty poor show from Quintana and it’s hard to see where else he’s going to pull something out of the bag.

That’s twice he’s had the whole team set up for an attack with riders up the road and both times he’s failed to take advantage.

Watching him shake his head refusing to even go on Nibali’s wheel in front of Dumoulin was surely the moment Dumoulin must have realised the Giro is his to lose.

Say what you like about Contador, even Froome, they do their best to make the race.

Bertie would’ve attacked even earlier than Quintana’s first attack on the Passo Gardena. He (Contador) understands that to win you have to risk losing.

P.S. I say this as someone who’s a fan of Nairoman.

That’s twice he’s had the whole team set up for an attack with riders up the road and both times he’s failed to take advantage.

Watching him shake his head refusing to even go on Nibali’s wheel in front of Dumoulin was surely the moment Dumoulin must have realised the Giro is his to lose.

Say what you like about Contador, even Froome, they do their best to make the race.

@wiscot

I’ve done just over 80kms/h and that was scary enough. But 124 km/h, that’s 77mph. I don’t drive my car that fast!

I’ve hit just over 50mph on my bicycle … just once. The result was overshooting the road we were supposed to turn onto.

And you are a pansy car driver!

67 kph on the Hautacam which was pretty bumpy where the ski busses had been braking in to the corners. Fast enough for me on a road like that; I live in a pretty flat place.

@wiscot may just have a car that is worth less than his bike!

@wiscot

I’ve done just over 80kms/h and that was scary enough. But 124 km/h, that’s 77mph. I don’t drive my car that fast!

I’ve hit just over 50mph on my bicycle … just once. The result was overshooting the road we were supposed to turn onto.

And you are a pansy car driver!

I am, I admit it. In my defense, you can only push a wee Ford Focus so hard . . .

TJvG won! I wasn’t sure he was still in the race. Mind you, I’m glad he won. He is still a quality rider, just not a GT contender. Maybe a new focus on stage hunting will see him wind up his career with some more successes. For sure, today will have done his morale a world of good.

I’ve done just over 80kms/h and that was scary enough. But 124 km/h, that’s 77mph. I don’t drive my car that fast!

I’ve hit just over 50mph on my bicycle … just once. The result was overshooting the road we were supposed to turn onto.

And you are a pansy car driver!

he said it last year, referencing Bardet’s descent of thr Col d’Allos in the 2015 Criterium du Dauphine. it WAS pretty crazy. he left everyone, including Nibali, for dead.

I’ve done just over 80kms/h and that was scary enough. But 124 km/h, that’s 77mph. I don’t drive my car that fast!

is Nibali riding the Tour this year? it would be fun to see him go at it with Romain Bardet, who also descends “like an idiot”, according to Sean Kelly.

Would that be the same (sainted) Sean Kelly who once admitted, in a rather offhand manner, that the maximum speed he had descended at was 124 km/h? Takes one to know one I guess!

Something else I’d like to discuss…

Nibali.

Descending.

Goodness me.

I was thinking same thing. That was something else. To just simply ride away from Nairo like that… wow. And somewhere along the way down he reached in to his back jersey pocket for a snack? Bunny hopped the water in front of the turn? He looked like he was having fun is what it looked like. That was cool.

@RobSandy

 

I love you for that. Genius.

Steady there, steady…….

Nibali.

Descending.

Goodness me.

@ChrisO

I’m not a fan of Quintana or Movistar but I think they (and Nibali) were between a rock and a hard place today.

I can understand the point of view that the bunch should have killed it quickly and let Dumoulin back but personally I think this one was just the other side of etiquette.

Had it been on the flat between the Stelvio and Umbrail then yes it would have been the correct thing to do.

But at the very foot of the final climb in the Queen stage of a Grand Tour… sorry, that’s just shit luck.

Kudos to him for toughing it out to hold on to pink – just a pity he couldn’t hold on to brown.

With hindsight given he appeared to have needed it for a while he should have gone earlier.

I love you for that. Genius.

I’m not a fan of Quintana or Movistar but I think they (and Nibali) were between a rock and a hard place today.

I can understand the point of view that the bunch should have killed it quickly and let Dumoulin back but personally I think this one was just the other side of etiquette.

Had it been on the flat between the Stelvio and Umbrail then yes it would have been the correct thing to do.

But at the very foot of the final climb in the Queen stage of a Grand Tour… sorry, that’s just shit luck.

Kudos to him for toughing it out to hold on to pink – just a pity he couldn’t hold on to brown.

With hindsight given he appeared to have needed it for a while he should have gone earlier.

Yeah, it’s a tough call. I’m just hoping that this was TD’s bad day and that he is better tomorrow. I still think (barring other shitty luck) that Quintana would need at least 2 minutes over TD going into the final TT. Nibbles seems to be getting stronger too. Shit luck for Yates – had it not been for the crash, he’s be in podium contention.

Basically, a GT needs three TTs – one each week.

I can understand the point of view that the bunch should have killed it quickly and let Dumoulin back but personally I think this one was just the other side of etiquette.

Had it been on the flat between the Stelvio and Umbrail then yes it would have been the correct thing to do.

But at the very foot of the final climb in the Queen stage of a Grand Tour… sorry, that’s just shit luck.

Kudos to him for toughing it out to hold on to pink – just a pity he couldn’t hold on to brown.

You could say that that was a bit shit of Zakarin, Merida and Movistar.

Indeed. Especially after the class Dumoulin showed the other day. Hopefully this was TD’s “bad day” and he recovers well. As for how TD should ride the rest of the Giro? No gifts. Fuck Movistar.

Awesome win by Nibbles BTW.

Yup, Dumoulin is certainly showing some ass.

He certainly appeared to bend the post which takes one heck of an impact.

VSP PICKS (2nd Rest Day Swaps):

1. Quintana
2. GT
3. A Yates
4. Zakarin
5. Pinot