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Original poster

Giro D'Italia

168 replies

FelicityLemon · 01/10/2020 09:35

www.giroditalia.it/en/

www.velogames.com/italy/2020/leaguescores.php?league=850904015

League Owner: Felicity Lemon

League Name: Mumsnet Mayhem
League Code: 554095814

OP posts:
MrsAvocet · 22/10/2020 17:37

Great stages on both Grand Tours today - I didn't know where to look! Super exciting to see a graduate from the cycling club I belong to in the breakaway today too.

EndoplasmicReticulum · 23/10/2020 12:04

Yes. I do wish Eurosport would stop spoilering the Vuelta part way through the Giro coverage.

EndoplasmicReticulum · 23/10/2020 12:18

I had to leap to the remote yesterday shouting "shush I don't want to know that yet I'm waiting for ITV4 highlights"

MrsAvocet · 23/10/2020 16:40

Well I'm quite happy with both results today, which is just as well as I am having a shit day otherwise. My long awaited new gravel bike has finally been delivered. There brakes are badly adjusted or maybe have air in the hydraulic fluid, they've sent a European spec plug for the charger and there is a massive buckle in the back wheel. Not what I was expecting from a £5k bike. I am pissed off beyond belief as my half term plans are well and truly ruined now. Somehow don't think I will get it sorted out in time.

MrSlant · 23/10/2020 22:05

Oh no I'm gutted for you, that must be hideously annoying and absolutely gutting for your half term. Do you have a local bike shop who might have a look at it for you? I would LOVE an electric bike, I want to go out cycling but I live in a very hilly part of Wales (Chris Boardman once went past my house during a local sportive and as he went round the corner was heard to say 'not another hill!' Grin) and am sick of all the uphill struggles.

I think I have more points than I have had in my last two grand tour teams combined!

MrsAvocet · 23/10/2020 23:15

Thanks. I'm really angry as the well known online retailer is being spectacularly useless at dealing with the problem. I did call my usual mechanic but he is reluctant to touch it as it would invalidate the warranty unless the vendor authorises him to work on it, so if he couldn't fix ot or something else goes wrong I'm stuffed. I wouldn't normally buy a bike online but at the moment there's not a lot of option as none of the local bike shops could get me what I wanted before next May at the earliest!
I've got 3 ordinary bikes so can still go out but am recovering from quite a serious health problem so can't currently keep up with the rest of the family. I was really looking forward to being able to get out for some proper rides during the holiday. My DH has taken the week off too so everyone is a bit down in the dumps tonight. I know in the great scheme of things its not such a big deal, and it will get sorted one way or another but we've had a really difficult time as a family recently and we've been looking forwards to this week off together very much. Sad
To add insult to injury, we were originally planning to go out to La Vuelta this week. Obviously that got cancelled so we decided to buy me the Ebike and have a staycation instead. I might just spend the week in bed watching the racing on tv!

IDontMindMarmite · 24/10/2020 14:46

Gosh this is an exciting denouement to the Giro! Go TAO!!! (I hope this doesn't totally jinx him...)

EndoplasmicReticulum · 24/10/2020 15:04

Bike Bike Bike

DearHeidiHansen · 24/10/2020 15:12

That was amazing! Turns out that Rohan Dennis was a really good signing! As a side note am loving the Giro with all the autumn colours. Now to swap to the Vuelta - what a day.

IDontMindMarmite · 24/10/2020 15:13

Being a cycling spectator is exhausting Grin

MrSlant · 24/10/2020 15:15

That was awesome. Rohan Dennis is an absolute hero.

IDontMindMarmite · 24/10/2020 15:30

He was really amazing! I might forgive him for his temper tantrum when he pulled out of that race before the TT, was it last year?

DearHeidiHansen · 24/10/2020 15:33

Also the Italian fan with the inflatable shark on his back cheering on the two leaders was the sort of thing that makes cycling so positive to watch.

MrsAvocet · 24/10/2020 16:59

Has there ever been a Grand Tour that has gone to the wire like this?! Tomorrow is going to be truly nerve racking. Barring something totally bizarre happening the winner won't be decided til the last rider crosses the line on the last day - I can't recall any GT ever being so close before.
Not even sure what I want to happen to be honest. Obviously Tao is British, and he is on my team, so I should support him, but I'm a Sunweb fan and know a couple of people who work for the team so I shoukd support Jai Hindley! I suppose I can be happy whoever wins.Grin

IDontMindMarmite · 24/10/2020 17:21

@MrsAvocet

Has there ever been a Grand Tour that has gone to the wire like this?! Tomorrow is going to be truly nerve racking. Barring something totally bizarre happening the winner won't be decided til the last rider crosses the line on the last day - I can't recall any GT ever being so close before. Not even sure what I want to happen to be honest. Obviously Tao is British, and he is on my team, so I should support him, but I'm a Sunweb fan and know a couple of people who work for the team so I shoukd support Jai Hindley! I suppose I can be happy whoever wins.Grin
Well there was the TDF this year... What a crazy year for Cycling!
DearHeidiHansen · 24/10/2020 17:53

I think the absence of a ceremonial last stage enhances the drama of it all, the two young men going to bed tonight knowing they have to lay it all on the line, and one of them will be standing on top of the podium tomorrow.

After Tao dedicating his stage win to Nicolas Portal I'd love to see him have a grand tour victory to add to it.

lljkk · 24/10/2020 19:38

Hi Everyone -- I am excited about tomorrow too. DH keeps referring to Tao as the huge forehead guy. Very impressed that having lost 1 rider to crash, 2 to covid & 2 to other abandons, and after languishing in last place in the league for nearly 2 full weeks, I still somehow chose the likely winner (TGH) and seems likely I'll end up in middle of the league. It's a crazy Giro year alright.

DH insists on getting his bikes built locally to avoid a lot of problems. I had to send a bike back last year, too, so commiserations.

I think I'm finding it easier to watch the Vuelta being less invested in it. I was rooting for G-Martin to win today (nearly did). Glad Dan Martin seems alright after the crash.

EndoplasmicReticulum · 24/10/2020 20:11

That was a great Giro stage - shouting at the telly again! Tao in my team too....

I remember watching the 1989 tour. That was a close one (understatement).

I like it going to the wire - always thought the Paris ceremonial tdF stage a bit of a waste of time apart from the last 5 minutes.

MrSlant · 24/10/2020 21:08

Did any of the others who have TGH pick him because they thought he was a contender or just because he was British and only 10 points and ginger-. I did think there was a chance he could take a stage or something else good because there's always been something about him but I think some of the things I attribute to him were actually Tom Pidcock Blush Grin. Ah youngsters nowadays, they all look the same.

Can't wait for tomorrow, will brighten up my Welsh lockdown no end.

EndoplasmicReticulum · 24/10/2020 21:53

I thought he was a good bet for a stage win, and he was only 10 points!

MrsAvocet · 24/10/2020 22:11

Oh yeah, I definitely had Tao down for the win all along. Halloween Grin.
Or B)I had 10 points left and thought he might get a stage win, probably from a breakaway.
I certainly didn't really expect him to podium!

lljkk · 25/10/2020 09:05

TGH: I liked the hippy dippy name & wanted to learn more...
(I realise now it's Irish not hippy dippy name, I've been reading up on his very working class family background)

TGH had the right points value & was a name I recognised. So I knew he had some potential to at least get into break aways or be a good potential domestique. I thought Kruiswijk was gonna be my main man; him & Kelderman are such nearly winners, and I reckoned most of you would choose Thomas so I wanted to put my eggs in a different basket. + Yates tends to have uneven form but did well for stage wins in TdF. I never heard of Ganna before, but I won't forget him now. I thought Gaviria would get something this year (won't bet on him again). Don't think my choosing strategy was one to emulate, if Thomas hadn't crashed he would have smashed it I reckon. Very fluke tour.

MrSlant · 25/10/2020 10:03

Can't believe Thomas was taken out by someones casually thrown bottle in the neutral zone Sad

IDontMindMarmite · 25/10/2020 10:34

I know right, and Yates taken out by a positive Covid test.

DearHeidiHansen · 25/10/2020 12:09

Tao was a really good pick for 10 points, congratulations to everyone who spotted him. Just seen him on instagram on recon, riding behind Ganna, which can but help him. I can't believe I overlooked Ganna - DD didn't, but she's 23 and single, and informs me that he's "hot in a way that lots of cyclists aren't". Although he did also deserve a place anyway on the basis of being world TT champion.

I don't know if with hindsight Gaviria was suffering because of having asymptomatic level Covid, but he was annoyingly sitting up in sprints when he realised he wasn't going to win, which shows a disregards for those who had him in their velogames team.