The chaotic finale of stage 6 at the Giro d’Italia sparked criticism from riders, and Jasper Stuyven believes some of the blame also lies with the riders at the front of the crash.
The sketchy finale
Speaking after finishing second in Naples, the Belgian pointed to Dylan Groenewegen and Elmar Reinders, who were among the first to go down on the rain-soaked cobbles in the final corner.
“I think it’s a pity that experienced guys like Elmar and Dylan keep pedalling on cobblestones in a corner,” Stuyven said, according to WielerFlits.
The rider said the slippery conditions made the risk obvious, especially once rain began falling, though he also questioned why organizers included cobbles in such a technical finish at all.
Stuyven avoided the crash and still contested the sprint, but mechanical issues in the closing metres left him unable to properly challenge stage winner Davide Ballerini.
Ballerini took a solid win, though. And with a last name like that? You gotta win races. Btw, Davide is not related to the late, great italian legend, Franco Ballerini.
But back to the task at mano.
Stage 7 delivers the first major GC showdown of the Giro d’Italia, with a brutal uphill finish atop Blockhaus after more than 240 kilometres of racing. The long day features several climbs before the decisive 14-kilometre ascent, where the overall contenders are expected to finally go head-to-head.
It’s going to be a fun day at the races. (Well, for the riders, not us watching it with our cereal.)
Friday’s banger is going to be broadcast on Flobikes.com. It all begins at, uh, 4:35 a.m. EDT. (Good morning!) But that’s also because it’s going to be a helluva day. Still kinda early.
If you feel like waking up a regular hour, no worries, not all of us have hungry cats. (They wake you up, IYKYK.) Check back here with Canadian Cycling Magazine for a full report.