UKH

Cav in Giro so not in Tour ?

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/cycling/61293957

 Fri, 6 May 2022 – Sun, 29 May 2022

That may be a spoiler for his late career aims(?).

Is Simon Yates as leader of his team going to be up "against the wall", or even "touching the void"?

Sorry, I'll leave the room now before anyone throws anything.

Simon Yates summited today.

Wiggins makes him favourite for GC!

My money is still on Carapaz.

Yates is looking on fine form dropping Roglic (albeit when Roglic needed a tow from WVA) earlier in the season however, so it’s anyone’s guess.

Shame Cav isn’t going to the tour.

Blimey, I didn't see that TT coming from Yates ! I knew he had improved but that's spectacular.

Not sure whether that affects the GC betting or not.

Somebody somewhere is presumably thinking they made the right decision...

YESSSSS!!!!!!!!

The fairytale resumes.

That was a long sprint as well, his form seems top notch. If he keeps this up I can see him finishing early and going to the tour. He is a once in a lifetime talent.

 I said "He's had to go too early!" He hadn't  

If they pull him early that will be the sign that he's going to the tour. But no doubt Lefevere will continue with the media smokescreen and try to keep everyone guessing!

People* have pulled out of a grand tour for Olympics so surely it's worth it to beat the Merckx record.

*van der Poel 2022 TdF

Oh it happens all the time but Lefevere will continue to play the riders off against each other and the media off against everyone until the very last minute.

not "the Merckx record"  just "a Merckx record", which only seemed to become a 'record' when Cav got somewhere near it.

Jacobsen was nowhere in todays sprint finish at the Tour of Hungary. Flat stage as well. Feeling the pressure from Cav?

Hope so!

Today really should be a proper sprinters' day for Cav & Caleb Ewan, honest!

https://www.cyclingstage.com/giro-2022-route/stage-6-italy-2022/ <-- with a very geeky slide show for when you need to see the road layout of the finish.

In a general sense it was, but in a very specific sense it decidedly wasn't (but only just!)...

If he was, back to back wins is a pretty good response. 

Great racing today.

The wily veteran prevailed, and he's strong!

And had a team mate there!

Out of interest have you checked out Groupama’s prep for the baby (U-23) Giro?

The Stelvio KOM has just changed hands on Strava, one of the other guys finished in the bunch every stage in the tour of the alps.

I think we’ve found the next generation of climbers who can break Pog.

As Pogacar is only 23 himself I think your concept of generations is a little skewed (am I looking at the wrong Stelvio, strava seems to show the kom as 2020?). 

I was referring to Lenny Martinez and Reuben Thompson, both going uphill pretty quickly. Very quickly.

If Pidcock gets off his backside and starts training threshold instead of ancap efforts needed for MTB then he’d smash Pog every day of the week. 6w/kg FTP at 15 = breaking Pog.

Edit: https://www.strava.com/activities/7151753458

21 and 19, you can call that a different generation to 23 if you want - but it isn't.

If...

Generations pass quickly in pro-cycling. I make it 4 since froome won the TDF. G’s triumph, the Bernal era, Rog v Pog and then the Pog show.

I’m a big fan of any young climber who can hold 6w/kg for any decent amount of time. Someone has got to be able to punch out more watts than Pog eventually - Pidcock is our best bet for now.

Froome 36,  G 35, Bernal 25, Rog 32, Pog 23. So you're saying Pog 23 and Rog 32 are the same generation (but a different generation to Bernal 25), but Pogacar 23 is a different generation to Martinez 21 and Thompson 19? Nah. 

Of course someone will do better, that's progress. 

Triumph to tragedy, superb win from Biniam Girmay yesterday making history, but in the process becoming the second rider this tour to pop a cork in his own face. He's pulled out now - https://www.cyclingnews.com/news/girmay-out-of-giro-ditalia-after-podium-ey...

The best and worst day of his career, all in one day for Girmay.

Hell of a sprint today (Wed).

Fixed that for reference henceforth.

Bit of an unexpected and unwanted twist today with Romain Bardet having to abandon due to illness. 

An impressive finish by Yates yesterday, with a surprising amount of time gained in a remarkablely short distance amid strong company. I'm lukewarm about him, character-wise (based purely on his typically bland interview responses) but it seemed well played - and if nothing else stopped Rob Hatch exercising his apparent hard-on for all things Nibali in commentary

I think the time gap was probably down to the GC riders watching each other rather than Yates.  Nevertheless a great performance and a pretty candid interview, I thought.  Clearly still very dissapointed not to be in GC contention.

Incredibly close in the GC - 3 seconds between Carapaz and Hindley with GC contenders sprinting again for the line.

The time trial could reshuffle everything - I wonder how the podium contenders compare.

Stage 2 TT ...

Almeida 12:18

Carapaz 12:28

Landa    12:33

Hindley  12:34

Stage 21 TT is about twice as long, so double the gaps? So far, none of them is showing any notable 'week 3 weakness'.

Landa is looking the most fragile, but Hindley has been a revelation so far.  Be interesting how tactics play out in the next couple of days.  I doubt Ineos are happy with 3s.

I expect a few sprint teams will be getting the blow dryer treatment from their DS today. Great day for the breakaway, working well together to the last 1.5km.

Hindley puncture within the last 3km, that was almost decisive.

“Revelation” is a bit OTT given he did exactly the same in 2020

Sean Kelly commentated a new team into existence yesterday. Take a bow, Francaise de Juice. 

But been having a lean spell since.

Agreed, not great form in 2021, but we knew he had the ability. Just hoping tomorrow is a little more exciting…

Your wish came true - we got a great stage.

Lennard Kämna justified his salary for all 2022 today.

We got a great last 10km of a stage 😂 (I loved it really, classic tactic working beautifully and backed up perfectly by the leader. Can’t help but feel Hindley deserved a Giro after 2020, and boy he has earnt this. Assuming, of course, tomorrow plays out for him as expected!

Hindley scheduled to set off in 6 minutes at 1548 BST.