Some of the sadder forum-based armchair critics like to dismiss every winner – and even some 2nd placed riders – as “cheats” based on a vague feeling about what is “possible”, or their look or style on the bike. They dismiss them as ‘ugly’ riders with dysfunctional personalities, or as a rider who should simply give up. But unless you are the athletes themselves – or perhaps incredibly close to them – it’s just not possible to know “the truth” about them. But this Giro has certainly underlined for us  that no matter how prepared you are, how fit, skilled and motivated you may be, it’s often the team that makes the difference between winner and non-finisher. Plus a little ‘right place, right time’ luck, of course.   

Richie Porte makes a comment along just those lines, and we can all see how Basso has been protected and aided by his strong team. It doesn’t win you the race but it surely helps keep you in the hunt. 

Porte Secures White Jersey And Likely Top-eight Finish | Cyclingnews.com

When he showed up to Città Sant’Angelo at the start of stage 12, he hadn’t slept at all that night. “I had diarrhea and a bit of everything,” said the man who was up sick all night. “My health was pretty bad, and I didn’t really enjoy being in pink because I was suffering badly during those days, but my team decided to keep it quiet so as not to let our adversaries know about my sickness and weakness.”

Porte had a hard time again as the race went up to Livigno during stage 20 on Saturday. “I was dead,” he said. “I was finished. It was hard to fight up that hill, but my whole team dragged me back, and I was ok later.”

Some of the sadder forum-based armchair critics like to dismiss every winner – and even some 2nd placed riders – as “cheats” based on a vague feeling about what is “possible”, or their look or style on the bike. They dismiss them as ‘ugly’ riders with dysfunctional personalities, or as a rider who should simply give up. But unless you are the athletes themselves – or perhaps incredibly close to them – it’s just not possible to know “the truth” about them. But this Giro has certainly underlined for us  that no matter how prepared you are, how fit, skilled and motivated you may be, it’s often the team that makes the difference between winner and non-finisher. Plus a little ‘right place, right time’ luck, of course.   

Richie Porte makes a comment along just those lines, and we can all see how Basso has been protected and aided by his strong team. It doesn’t win you the race but it surely helps keep you in the hunt. 

Porte Secures White Jersey And Likely Top-eight Finish | Cyclingnews.com

When he showed up to Città Sant’Angelo at the start of stage 12, he hadn’t slept at all that night. “I had diarrhea and a bit of everything,” said the man who was up sick all night. “My health was pretty bad, and I didn’t really enjoy being in pink because I was suffering badly during those days, but my team decided to keep it quiet so as not to let our adversaries know about my sickness and weakness.”

Porte had a hard time again as the race went up to Livigno during stage 20 on Saturday. “I was dead,” he said. “I was finished. It was hard to fight up that hill, but my whole team dragged me back, and I was ok later.”

It’s been a great Giro, full of drama – and it’s not over yet. But I can’t help feeling that it could have been better if the teams had been on a more equal footing. To me Liquigas looks strongest and has acted tactically and strategically as though they want to win. Whilst Evans, Vino and Sastre have had to rely on individual brilliance to stay in – or out of – contention. Now I can’t blame Liquigas for bringing the strongest team, working with other Italians or choosing a strong combo like Basso and Nibali, but it does weaken the competition overall. To me the simultaneous running of the Tour of California overly distracted the other teams and caused a split of resources – not just riders but of all resources – that has dented the Giro and made it both wonderfully diverse and pathetically predictable at the same time. Diverse in the individuals who have made it happen, predictable in that the “super team” will win. I hope I’m wrong (much as I’d like to see Basso win) but I just feel it’s become  a race for the minor places. Still better than Le Tour but way less exciting than it could have been. Oh well, who knows – tomorrow’s horror stage may indeed be the bloodbath when the weaker teams get away.

Giro D’Italia: Stage 19, Route Maps & Results | Cyclingnews.com

Ivan Basso blasted open the 19th stage and the Giro d’Italia itself, shedding his rivals on the Motirolo with the help of his Liquigas-Doimo teammate Vincenzo Nibali, and donning the maglia rosa for the first time since 2006. The third man in the group, Michele Scarponi (Androni Giocattoli – Diquigiovanni), took the stage win..

The attack from the Liquigas pair took place on the day’s biggest climb, the Mortirolo, with over 40km and another unclassified hill-top finish still to go. One by one, the morning’s leader David Arroyo (Caisse d’Epargne), Cadel Evans (BMC), Carlos Sastre (Cervelo) and Alexander Vinokourov (Astana) were ridden off the train, while only Scarponi could hold the pace of Basso and Nibali.

It’s been a great Giro, full of drama – and it’s not over yet. But I can’t help feeling that it could have been better if the teams had been on a more equal footing. To me Liquigas looks strongest and has acted tactically and strategically as though they want to win. Whilst Evans, Vino and Sastre have had to rely on individual brilliance to stay in – or out of – contention. Now I can’t blame Liquigas for bringing the strongest team, working with other Italians or choosing a strong combo like Basso and Nibali, but it does weaken the competition overall. To me the simultaneous running of the Tour of California overly distracted the other teams and caused a split of resources – not just riders but of all resources – that has dented the Giro and made it both wonderfully diverse and pathetically predictable at the same time. Diverse in the individuals who have made it happen, predictable in that the “super team” will win. I hope I’m wrong (much as I’d like to see Basso win) but I just feel it’s become  a race for the minor places. Still better than Le Tour but way less exciting than it could have been. Oh well, who knows – tomorrow’s horror stage may indeed be the bloodbath when the weaker teams get away.

Giro D’Italia: Stage 19, Route Maps & Results | Cyclingnews.com

Ivan Basso blasted open the 19th stage and the Giro d’Italia itself, shedding his rivals on the Motirolo with the help of his Liquigas-Doimo teammate Vincenzo Nibali, and donning the maglia rosa for the first time since 2006. The third man in the group, Michele Scarponi (Androni Giocattoli – Diquigiovanni), took the stage win..

The attack from the Liquigas pair took place on the day’s biggest climb, the Mortirolo, with over 40km and another unclassified hill-top finish still to go. One by one, the morning’s leader David Arroyo (Caisse d’Epargne), Cadel Evans (BMC), Carlos Sastre (Cervelo) and Alexander Vinokourov (Astana) were ridden off the train, while only Scarponi could hold the pace of Basso and Nibali.

There’s a lot of luck involved in all sports, as well as dedication, professionalism, hard work and the backing of a good team. Now we can all apply ourselves to a sport like cycling and do the big miles, watch our diet, learn tactics and skills as we go and still get little back other than some great memories, lasting friendships and a feeling of “what if”. As in ‘what if I’d given up my day job?’ or ‘what if I’d started racing when I was 16, or even 12?’. Maybe even ‘what if I’d gone to Europe?’. Now if you are young enough you can still attend to some of these choices – as that’s what they are. Life choices. Not guarantees, mind, but an opportunity that probably only comes along at that exact moment in your life. Choose it or loose it. Of course you may choose to pursue something else and make a success of it, but that “other” option is gone.

On a personal note I can still remember (it rings in my ears) a coach suggesting to me that I needed to decide what was more important – to be as race-fit as I could be or to maintain a full-time job. Well at the time everything else in my life had confirmed to me that a stable, full-time job was essential, so the choice was automatic. For me cycling remained a hobby, a great big one that has almost consumed my life at times, but a hobby nonetheless. 25 years later my perspective is different and I can assess these life-choices more clearly, but I can’t go back.

With that preamble in mind, what if you lived in Tasmania, far from the Euro-pro cycling world but were lucky enough to be influenced by a small group of current and ex-pro bike racers who lived nearby? You got into the sport, did well, and had the connections to get you to Europe on a good squad. You did well – very well – but came back injured and a little disillusioned. What if you got a pep talk at just the right time and went back to Europe and got yourself into one of the top pro teams? What if you found that your “engine” was as good as anyone’s and on your day could spring a big surprise? What if you found yourself in the right break that propelled you into the lead of a Grand Tour and led to you holding onto a top-3 position on GC into the 3rd week? Well there’s a mix of fortune, circumstance, opportunity and ability to marvel at.

And you’d be Richie Porte, wouldn’t you? 

Porte’s Dream Continues At The Giro | Cyclingnews.com

At his first attempt in a Grand Tour, Richie Porte remains near the top of the Giro d’Italia standings during the third week after producing a solid ride up the Plan de Corones.

There’s a lot of luck involved in all sports, as well as dedication, professionalism, hard work and the backing of a good team. Now we can all apply ourselves to a sport like cycling and do the big miles, watch our diet, learn tactics and skills as we go and still get little back other than some great memories, lasting friendships and a feeling of “what if”. As in ‘what if I’d given up my day job?’ or ‘what if I’d started racing when I was 16, or even 12?’. Maybe even ‘what if I’d gone to Europe?’. Now if you are young enough you can still attend to some of these choices – as that’s what they are. Life choices. Not guarantees, mind, but an opportunity that probably only comes along at that exact moment in your life. Choose it or loose it. Of course you may choose to pursue something else and make a success of it, but that “other” option is gone.

On a personal note I can still remember (it rings in my ears) a coach suggesting to me that I needed to decide what was more important – to be as race-fit as I could be or to maintain a full-time job. Well at the time everything else in my life had confirmed to me that a stable, full-time job was essential, so the choice was automatic. For me cycling remained a hobby, a great big one that has almost consumed my life at times, but a hobby nonetheless. 25 years later my perspective is different and I can assess these life-choices more clearly, but I can’t go back.

With that preamble in mind, what if you lived in Tasmania, far from the Euro-pro cycling world but were lucky enough to be influenced by a small group of current and ex-pro bike racers who lived nearby? You got into the sport, did well, and had the connections to get you to Europe on a good squad. You did well – very well – but came back injured and a little disillusioned. What if you got a pep talk at just the right time and went back to Europe and got yourself into one of the top pro teams? What if you found that your “engine” was as good as anyone’s and on your day could spring a big surprise? What if you found yourself in the right break that propelled you into the lead of a Grand Tour and led to you holding onto a top-3 position on GC into the 3rd week? Well there’s a mix of fortune, circumstance, opportunity and ability to marvel at.

And you’d be Richie Porte, wouldn’t you? 

Porte’s Dream Continues At The Giro | Cyclingnews.com

At his first attempt in a Grand Tour, Richie Porte remains near the top of the Giro d’Italia standings during the third week after producing a solid ride up the Plan de Corones.

PezCycling News – What’s Cool In Pro Cycling

PEZ: Are there any other guys who you chat to regularly as you roll along?
RP: Yeah, different guys all the time, I guess, but there is one guy who has been making a point of seeking me out, and that is Cadel Evans. I really want to say what a great guy Cadel is. Even with all of the stress he is under, he still goes out of his way to find me and have a chat to me and offer me tips and advice. I really appreciate that coming from him and I really have to say that he is a credit to Australian cycling.

PezCycling News – What’s Cool In Pro Cycling

PEZ: Are there any other guys who you chat to regularly as you roll along?
RP: Yeah, different guys all the time, I guess, but there is one guy who has been making a point of seeking me out, and that is Cadel Evans. I really want to say what a great guy Cadel is. Even with all of the stress he is under, he still goes out of his way to find me and have a chat to me and offer me tips and advice. I really appreciate that coming from him and I really have to say that he is a credit to Australian cycling.