2023 Giro D'Italia

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Stage 8 is about to get underway with 167 competitors

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2 non-starters (both tested + covid-19)
Filippo Ganna (Ita) INEOS Grenadiers
Lars van den Berg (Net) Groupama - FDJ

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Did you see the quotes from Geraint T? He said that it was the headwind that put the riders off attacking on the long final climb - just too risky to wear yourself out and risk a counter attack.

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It was an amazing feat of strength for the three break-away riders to stay out ahead in that headwind, considering they are all light-weight climber types. It’s plausible no one in the peloton wanted to give in all in to catch them yesterday due to the unpredictable stage on offer today. It seems like this energy saving pacing of the peloton is something common in tours with too many over 200km long stages. This years TdF the stage lengths are generally shorter which should equate to more action.

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Losing Filippo Ganna is a blow to the Ineos Grenadiers, apparently he was the odds on favourite.

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Yes, I thought the same about Ganna. But he’s also another withdrawal due to COVID and there’s a worry now that it will spread significantly in the peloton.

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STAGE EIGHT RESULTS: TERNI TO FOSSOMBRONE (207KM)

  1. Ben Healy (Ire), EF Education EasyPost, in 4:44:24
  2. Derek Gee (Can), Israel-Premier Teck, at 1:49
  3. Filippo Zana (Ita), Jayco AlUla, at same time
  4. Warren Barguil (Fra), Arkéa Samsic, at same time
  5. Carlos Verona (Esp), Movistar, at 2:12
  6. Mattia Bais (Ita), EOLO-Kometa, at 2:37
  7. Tom Skujins (Lat), Trek-Segafredo, at 3:51
  8. Alessandro Tonelli (Ita), Green Project-Bardiani CSF-Faizanè, at 3:56
  9. Oscar Riesebeek (Ned), Alpecin-Deceuninck, at 4:00
  10. Tao Geoghegan Hart (GBr), Ineos Grenadiers, at 4:34

GENERAL CLASSIFICATION AFTER STAGE EIGHT

  1. Andreas Leknessund (Nor) DSM, in 33:52:10
  2. Remco Evenepoel (Bel) Soudal-Quick Step, at 00:08
  3. Primož Roglič (Slo) Jumbo-Visma, at 00:38
  4. João Almeida (Por) UAE-Team Emirates, at 00:40
  5. Geraint Thomas (GBr) Ineos Grenadiers, at 00:52
  6. Tao Geoghegan Hart (GBr) Ineos Grenadiers, at 00:56
  7. Aurelien Paret-Peintre (Fra) AG2R Citroen, at 00:58
  8. Aleksandr Vlasov (Rus) Bora-hansgrohe, at 1:26
  9. Damiano Caruso (Ita) Bahrain-Victorious, at 1:39
  10. Lennard Kämna (Ger) Bora-Hansgrohe, at 1:54

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At last we get a bike race!
Fantastic solo breakaway win for Ben Healy, sheer quality! :ireland:

Good to see Roglič making a fist of it :fist:

Andreas Leknessund hangs on to the Maglia Rosa by 8 seconds, tomorrow’s time trial may be the last day he wears it.

The results of today only caused one minor jersey wearer change - Santiago Buitrago (Col) Bahrain - Victorious, currently 4th in the Youth classification become the next eligible to wear the Maglia Bianco tomorrow.

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Sunday 14th May 2023

Stage 9 Savignano sul Rubicone - Cesena (35km) Individual Time Trial

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The emergence of Covid amongst the riders is a real surprise to me - probably just ignorance on my part as I had assumed Covid was behind us. Quite concerning.

Peter

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The EF Team helmets look completely absurd but I doubt that will have been any concern whatsoever for Ben Healey - fantastic to see him do so well.

Peter

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Far from it unfortunately. My son and his family in Sussex had a bad bout of it in late Feb/early March and some friends in Milton Keynes both had it a couple of weeks ago. The most recent article I read said that it is now endemic, like flu, with worse outbreaks in the winter and the remaining possibility of significant mutation.

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Do you mean those toddler potties in baby pink? :grin:

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3 non-finishers yesterday so 164 competitors today.

The Stage 9 individual time trial (35km) has begun with the first rider away.

…and it’s raining :slightly_frowning_face: :cloud_with_rain: :open_umbrella:

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STAGE 9 RESULTS: SAVIGNANO SUL RUBICONE > CESENA (ITT)

  1. Remco Evenepoel (Bel) Soudal Quick-Step, at 41-24
  2. Geraint Thomas (GBr) Ineos Grenadiers, at 1s
  3. Tao Geoghegan Hart (GBr) Ineos Grenadiers, at 2s
  4. Stefan Küng (Sui) Groupama-FDJ, at 4s
  5. Bruno Armirail (Fra) Groupama-FDJ, at 8s
  6. Primož Roglič (Slo) Jumbo-Visma, at 17s
  7. Thymen Arensman (Ned) Ineos Grenadiers, at 24s
  8. Aleksandr Vlasov, Bora-Hansgrohe, at 30s
  9. João Almeida (Por) UAE Team Emirates, at 35s
  10. Damiano Caruso (Ita) Bahrain Victorious, at 42s

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:red_square: GENERAL CLASSIFICATION AFTER STAGE 9

  1. Remco Evenepoel (Bel) Soudal Quick-Step, in 34-33-42
  2. Geraint Thomas (GBr) Ineos Grenadiers, at 45s
  3. Primož Roglič (Slo) Jumbo-Visma, at 47s
  4. Tao Geoghegan Hart (GBr) Ineos Grenadiers, at 50s
  5. João Almeida (Por) UAE Team Emirates
  6. Andreas Leknessund (Nor) Team DSM, both at 1-07
  7. Aleksandr Vlasov, Bora-Hansgrohe, at 1-48
  8. Damiano Caruso (Ita) Bahrain Victorious, at 2-13
  9. Lennard Kämna (Ger) Bora-Hansgrohe, at 2-37
  10. Pavel Sivakov (Fra) Ineos Grenadiers, at 3-00

:purple_square: POINTS CLASSIFICATION AFTER STAGE 9

  1. Jonathan Milan (Ita) Bahrain-Victorious, 113pts
  2. Kaden Groves (Aus) Alpecin-Deceuninck, 100pts
  3. Mads Pedersen (Den) Trek-Segafredo, 89pts
  4. Michael Matthews (Aus) Jayco AlUla, 57pts
  5. Remco Evenepoel (Bel) Soudal Quick-Step, 37pts

:blue_square: MOUNTAINS CLASSIFICATION AFTER STAGE 9

  1. Davide Bais (Ita) Eolo-Kometa, 86pts
  2. Thibaut Pinot (Fra) Groupama-FDJ, 50pts
  3. Karel Vacek (Cze) Corratec Selle Italia, 36pts
  4. Simone Petilli (Ita) Intermarché-Circus-Wanty, 32pts
  5. Amanuel Ghebreigzabhier (Eri) Trek-Segafredo, 26pts

:white_large_square: YOUNG RIDER CLASSIFICATION AFTER STAGE 9

  1. Remco Evenepoel (Bel) Soudal Quick-Step, in 34-33-42
  2. João Almeida (Por) UAE Team Emirates
  3. Andreas Leknessund (Nor) DSM, both at 1-07

:o: TEAM CLASSIFICATION AFTER STAGE 9

  1. Ineos Grenadiers, in 103-43-30
  2. Bahrain-Victorious, at 6-19
  3. EF Education-EasyPost, at 7-08

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The fastest four with times within 5 seconds of each other, so close!
It also goes to show how important time trials are when a flat 35km race can bring as much change, if not more, as the previous week’s 1000km of road racing in the hills.

The results today are fairly as expected, Evenepoel back in the Maglia Rosa and with a 45 second lead, and a show of strength from the mighty Ineos Grenadiers finishing today’s time trial 2nd, 3rd, and 7th, and perhaps justifying their lead in the Team Classification.

Two Brits finishing in the top three is a result too! :uk:

Today’s stage brought about two changes of jersey; Evenepoel back in Rosa again, and 23 year old Leknessund defaulting with the consolation prize Maglia Bianco (that’s if young João Almeida is preferring to wear his Portugal national jersey instead, which he probably is.)

Geraint Thomas gained the biggest top ten GC rise from 5th to 2nd.
The largest drop from top ten GC, Aurélien Paret-Peintre AG2R Citroën Team who fell from 7th to 12th.

Rest-day tomorrow - (Monday 15th)
Racing resumes on Tuesday with a ride towards the north-west coast of Italy, and that may favour the sprinters who have some hill climbing potential.

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Remco out of the giro with COVID.

Explains why he couldn’t keep up his initial pace in the second part of the stage.

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Terrible news, incredible that he still won the race, although his athletic ability may only be compromised very slightly, he probably doesn’t have the typical symptoms.
But it must be very upsetting for a competitor to be forced to bow out so sudden with no fault of their own. This virus is a frustrating nuisance on the Tours.

It’s also apparent that not many of them wear masks now, i know this requirement has been relaxed socially but i’d think on the pro race scene it would still be mandatory :mask:

Roglič has the right idea

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Loved how G mouthed ‘fxxxxg bxxxxxd’ when Remco pipped him by a second :rofl::rofl:

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  1. Remco Evenepoel (Bel) Soudal Quick-Step, at 41-24
  2. Geraint Thomas (GBr) Ineos Grenadiers, at 1s
  3. Tao Geoghegan Hart (GBr) Ineos Grenadiers, at 2s
  4. Stefan Küng (Sui) Groupama-FDJ, at 4s

It’s close enough to make a saint swear but…
I don’t think G will win this Giro, my £5 monopoly money is on Tao.

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Rigoberto Urán (Col) EF Education EasyPost also tested + Covid-19 (and displaying symptoms) and has withdrawn from the race.

Urán was riding his 25th grand tour, and currently this Giro in 22nd place on GC.
He is a very strong contender in the high mountain stages, and has a record of finishing many tours within the top ten GC, to include:

He won the Giro Youth Classification in 2012
He finished the 2013, and 2014 Giro in 2nd place.
He finished the 2017 TdF in 2nd place.
He has 4 grand tour stage wins: TdF = 1 / Vuelta = 1 / Giro = 2

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I think the best we can hope for G is that he can stay upright on 2 wheels!:crossed_fingers:t2:

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I expect we will see quite a few more Covid cases now.

After Friday’s stage to Gran Sasso all the riders had to come down the mountain by cable car. So they’ve all been close together in a sealed environment.

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What does look like a sure bet way of transmitting covid is when going it up a steepish incline mountain stage densely packed with enthusiastic spectators cheering them on rather loudly at close proximity with gob shouty spit projectiles flying though the air as the competitors pass in red zone bpm with lungs flapping in and out to the extremious

Although there’s probably other ways too :mask:

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