What a nasty stage!! As spectators we always look forward to when the big races (the Tour de France, the Vuelta a Espana, the Giro Donne) hit the mountains. That’s where we get to see pain and suffering. Where dreams are made and shattered. We can indulge our (slightly) sadistic natures. The first time the Tour de France went over an alpine pass one rider called the race director an assassin. This is remembered not as an insult to the director (as it was meant to be) but as a badge of honour for the guy who came up with the idea of hurting people for our entertainment. (OK, the Romans were there long before us with the gladiatorial games but who ever listened in history lessons at school anyway?)
Some how I don’t think many riders look forward to the mountains in quite the same manner as we do. Some revel in them, the rest just try to survive. I’ve put the stage’s profile below… as I said, nasty.
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Vicki found the going tough today. She said that she “felt pretty cooked” as they started the first 13km climb of the day. That said, she did pretty well, finishing 44th in a group that contained the likes of Oenone Wood and Mirjam Melchers Van Poppel. Once again Vicki has moved to the low thirties (32nd) on GC. Seems she kind of likes that position.
Tomorrow the Giro leaves the hills behind with a 118km stage that starts with a small climb and then does a loop around Desio seven times. It is likely to be a day for the sprinters as long as their teams have survived the mountains well enough to be able to control the breaks.
God bless,
Dave