Welcome to your midweek live blog, with Jack Sexty, Simon MacMichael and the rest of the team.
22/05/2019, 16:36
Giro d'IItalia Stage 11: Caleb Ewan wins in Fausto Coppi's home town
Caleb Ewan of Lotto-Soudal has won Stage 11 of the Giro d’Italia in Novi Ligure today, the last but one sprint stage of this year’s edition, with the race heading into the Alps tomorrow. It’s the Australian’s second stage win of this year’s race. Valerio Conti of UAE Team Emirates retains the overall lead.
As yesterday the break – today comprising three home riders, each representing one of the Italian UCI Professional Continental teams with wild card invitations to the race – was swept up early, with the catch made with 25 kilometres remaining of the 221-kilometre stage from Carpi.
For the second day running, it was a pan-flat stage, today running from west to east along the Po Valley, with the final 40 or so kilometres taking in roads raced in the early part of Milan-San Remo as the peloton heads towards the Passo del Turchino and, beyond it, the Ligurian Coast.
That race was won three times by Fausto Coppi, whose home town of Novi Ligure provided the stage finish today and il Campionissimo will also be remembered tomorrow by a stage that starts and finishes in the same two towns – Cuneo and Pinerolo – as the stage he won by almost 12 minutes after a solo break on his way to winning the 1949 Giro.
Result and reaction to follow.
22/05/2019, 16:12
Weird flex but ok, Mario...
Sram Red AXS, Campag Bora wheels, in the small ring?? We were initially surprised and puzzled to see Sram's 12 speed groupset on a Campagnolo wheelset, but it appears there is already an XDR freehub for Campag and Fulcrum wheels following a quick interweb search.
22/05/2019, 15:37
Giro latest - sprinters are lining up
.@CalebEwan”You don’t see often so many sprinters winning in one race” | @CalebEwan”Non si vedono spesso così tanti velocisti vincere in un GT". #Giropic.twitter.com/6L6tKYpox9
— Giro d'Italia (@giroditalia) May 22, 2019
There's around 35km to go, and a three man breakaway is about a minute ahead. One of those, Marco Frapporti, has already completed over 800km just in breakaways so far over the opening 11 stages.
22/05/2019, 15:11
The next time someone tells you cycle lanes are a waste of money...
Just how empty is this cycle lane? #London#Cycling#CycleSuperhighway#CS6pic.twitter.com/l1R2ciRWMM
— Streetcam London (@streetcamlondon) May 22, 2019
Show them this.
22/05/2019, 13:23
If cyclists were tortoises and drivers were hares...
'One day a Hare was boasting about how fast he could run. He was laughing at the Tortoise for being so slow. Much to the Hare's surprise, the Tortoise challenged him to a race.'
~Fable of Aesop (on ingenuity) pic.twitter.com/v9W8jukbd3— Cycling Professor (@fietsprofessor) May 21, 2019
22/05/2019, 11:17
Everybody loves a sequel…
The most useless profile sticker. Episode 2 pic.twitter.com/uIS5wwmtKl
— Thomas De Gendt (@DeGendtThomas) May 22, 2019
… Especially Thomas de Gendt at the Giro. Belt 'n' braces though with that and his SRM PC8
22/05/2019, 11:05
It's not quite RIP for rim brake bikes...
...but their days might be numbered. We've had a look at the market to see what your choices are if you don't want disc brake and prefer rim brakes, and well there are still lots of options but fewer than you might imagine.
22/05/2019, 09:14
Luke Rowe leaves Twitter after being called a white supremacist...
Thanks twitter been a laugh, I’m outta here
— Luke Rowe (@LukeRowe1990) May 22, 2019
Ever since Team Sky began winning bike races, their riders have come in for a lot of abuse on Twitter. It seems enough is enough for Welshman Luke Rowe who has waved goodbye to the trolls after being accused of being a white supremacist.
Rowe was pictured with on the Team Ineos camper van with his teammates. The gesture that he's making with his left hand is a classic schoolboy prank where anyone caught looking at it got a punch on the arm. This prank, known as the circle game, has been around since the 80s and featured on Malcolm in the Middle.
The 'OK' gesture as it's commonly known hit headlines after users of forum 4chan started using it on social media. "The Boston Globe reported that users on 4chan's /pol/ (Politically Incorrect) board were instructed in February 2017 to 'flood Twitter and other social media websites...claiming that the OK hand sign is a symbol of white supremacy,' as part of a campaign dubbed 'Operation O-KKK'".
So, is Luke Rowe a white supremacist? No.
22/05/2019, 08:58
Deery me... Olympian Stuart Hayes hit by deer in Richmond Park
O Deer!! Been cycling in Richmond park for 25 years and only heard stories of the wild life taking out cyclists/runners but today I was a victim, thank you @NHSuk for looking after me pic.twitter.com/oZtNr4wwPA
— MAGIC STU (@StuHayes13) May 21, 2019
Being taken out by a deer while cycling is the stuff of nightmares, and last night the latest victim was former pro triathlete and coach Stuart Hayes. Two hours ago he updated his Twitter followers saying he's waiting for a CT scan, but hopefully he will make a speedy recovery.
Hayes competed in the London 2012 Olympics, where he played a domestique roll on the swim and bike legs to pave the way for Alistair Brownlee to take the gold medal. He is now a coach at Team Dillon coaching with his wife Michelle Dillon, also a former pro.
22/05/2019, 08:41
Lord Sugar is all fired up to be riding his new Corratec e-bike
Just taken delivery of the Carratec electric bike. Did 20 miles along the cycle lane in Palma . Brilliant machine @corratec_1990pic.twitter.com/98w1PFoUUS
— Lord Sugar (@Lord_Sugar) May 20, 2019
After flirting with high-end Pinarellos (before moaning about being stuck in traffic after taking delivery of his last one because of Cycling Superhighways, apparently) it seems Lord Sugar has embraced the motor on his new ride.
22/05/2019, 08:27
Wearing the Maglia Rosa < getting to sign your own Panini sticker
There's a Panini sticker book for the Giro this year, and it looks like signing them is becoming part and parcel of the post-stage press conferences.