GreenWightRed

Stage 16: Salo to Aprica

Dolomite Triumph

Triumph Dolomite

WARNING: THIS EPISODE MAY CONTAIN REFERENCES TO MOUNT EVEREST, PINEAPPLES AND INVERTEBRATE HOSIERY

Jan Hirt advertising 3 for 2 at the Intermarche

5250 metres ascent today is why this stage was marked as a “five stars”, most likely to be important for the GC. With more mountains tomorrow, someone has worked out that they climb higher than Sagarmatha (a.k.a. Mt. Everest). It was Czech rider Jan Hirt who hurt the rest to go one better than his previous appearance on these mountains, to win what was a wonderful stage to watch, but for over 6 hours it was no doubt a hellish one for most to ride.

Of our Green Wight Red teams, the highest-placed selection was Jai Hindley, for Callan, Dale and Stephen. Several teams scored big on Stage 16, but look out at the front, because Team Ciclominaccia are coming through! With another 4 riders in the top 10 (Hindley 3rd, Carapaz 4th, Almeida 8th and Carthy 10th), they are now in a 3-way tie on the top 10 tally with 26; Team of the Day for three out of the last four stages; and Stephen’s squad have now climbed from 12th on Stage 8 onto the podium at 3rd on Stage 16, just 70 velopoints behind 2nd spot.

There is a strange anti-symmetry between Ciclominaccia and Porridge

Rest Day Fall Out

I’m not here to put socks on a centipede

Jai Hindley
This reference book is what can happen if you drink too many espressos

But turning to important matters, as Jai Hindley closed 4 of the 7 seconds between himself and the pink jersey, he showed he was true to his word when interviewed yesterday. Fortunately several translations were offered for his answer to whether he was interested in trying to take the lead of the race (duurh … who thinks of these searching questions?!) although “putting shoes on a caterpillar” hardly helped; evidently it means the same as “I’m not here for a haircut”. I’m glad that’s cleared it up.

Fortunately the Sock Thing has detracted from the dangerously divisive comments by Mattieu van der Poel which threaten to polarise opinion and cause real tension in the peloton, even within teams. Evidently, despite the protestations of other Alpecin-Fenix teammates, he admitted that he liked pineapple on pizza. Oh dear. The UCI and race organisers may have to distance themselves from this outburst. We shall have to see how Pineapplegate plays out in the coming days.

lINKS

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