Cobbles, Crashes & Chaos | Giro d'Italia 2026 | THEMOVE+

So I guess the guy who wins the maro, if it's one of the favorites, is winning the giro.

And I'm probably going to predict that's going to be you on something to guard. Hey, everybody, welcome back to the move plus. I'm Spencer Martin. I'm here with Johann Bernier. We are breaking down stage six of the giro, the Talia, 141 km sprint stage into Naples.

“I believe the fifth consecutive year, perhaps, Johann, that we've we've done at some version of the stage. Just maybe was the the most boring of that, but there was still action at the end.”

All it was won by David A. Balorini from Exia, XDS Estana, not the winner. We thought not how we thought it would play out. I mean, talk about just being there, being ready, grabbing the opportunity when it comes. It's a ston as second win in six stages of this year to tie up pretty impressive. The stage started pretty calmly. There was a the Alpson do an Alpson duo got away just like that Tourfront stage with Matthew Vanderpool. Last year, it was Luca Rogatelli and Edward Plankart. Get away kind of strange though, because there's no none of these smaller teams are there. It seemed like they missed an opportunity. They realized that they bridge up. There's a two-party on-e-riders, a polty visit mall to write a go up.

And then I couldn't quite figure this out. There was no sprint teams polling. It was GC teams at the front. All lined out across the road. But the gap never got that big. It was never more than a minute. It seemed like it was between 35 seconds and 15 seconds for a lot of the stage. I couldn't quite tell how fast they were going. It didn't seem like they were going so fast. Probably everybody was quite exhausted from yesterday's five hour stage or the cold in the rain. Eventually the sprint teams come to the front. They're positioning as we get closer to Naples. The GC teams Vesma fell back really early. Like 50K to go. GVesma is at the back, even with some strong wind.

Apparently they're not worried about crosswinds. Other GC teams were a little more skittish to do. Eventually they all go back. They're writing a few seconds off the back of the peloton by the time they get into Naples. Assuming that if they lose time, they all lose time together. Probably the right thing to do. You know that came to the front with Dylan Grundberg and you know that rockets come to the front. They looked fantastic. They were going into the final corner. It was a 180 degree turn on wet cobblestones because it had been raining on and off all day.

They looked like they have the perfect line and then you see the lead-out rider go down and then a multi you know once someone goes down everybody goes down. Ballerini was on the inside line slightly more traction on those cobbles if you look closely. He gets through. He sprints away holds off Jasper, Stephen for the win. Palman, yeah, who had to dismount and he did not crash, but he had to dismount and stop gets back on and goes unbleed. He was going flying up that client finishes third super impressive. We'll have points classification implications.

“I'm looking pretty disappointed. I think he would have won that stage running away with that had nothing happened. But Johann, they're not much to talk about other than this finish. What were your takeaways from the stage?”

Yeah, well Spencer, first of all, I mean take away is of course the way it ended right and the crash.

I think what I was really impressed with is the lead-out of Unibent Rose Rockets that was really impressive. They had five and four. I mean they had it completely under control. Until that corner, you could also argue that they went too fast in the corner because it was wet. It was starting to rain lightly and the cobbles were wet so it was whatever happened. You could clearly see that it was like an ice skating track because the two first guys went down and then 10-15 riders behind. They went down already.

“Just watching, watching them crash break, they were going down. But my big takeaway of the day is the incredible performance of Paul Manje.”

I don't know if we can put up the picture here that I mean credit to Velon for sending us sending us these stats and that information.

But if you look at the speed of Paul Manje in the last 300 meters compared to the other guys. So Balarini, I mean it was slightly uphill, right? The last 300 meters on the corner. So Balarini, the 38, the 39.1 because he came from behind. Paul Manje, that's a kilometer per hour average speed. Paul Manje, the 42.3 kilometer per hour. So he went four kilometers per hour faster.

It's clear to me that under normal circumstances, Paul Manje would have won this stage. It would not have been full to finish. It would have been nobody would have been on the picture with this kind of speed. So that was impressive.

“Other than that Spencer, what else is there to say? It was predictably a bunch of sprint and not just looking at the stage today. I think personally and I would like to know your take on this.”

When the course is designed, you see the stages and months before this stage, the zero organization and whoever it is who makes this course and checks the course and approves the course. There's always there's a protocol or there should be a protocol that there's somebody who has to approve this course. It's somebody responsible within the UCI like a commissar or responsible for the safety of the courses.

In my opinion, this was not justified even when you can't predict rain, right? But you kind of know that Napoli is there's always chaos. There's always something going on.

And, you know, 180 degree turn on cobbles with 300 meters to go. I think in today's cycling, especially taking into account how the sport has changed, how the speeds have increased dramatically compared to whatever ten years ago. They go five, six kilometers per hour faster now. It's kind of asking for trouble. You know it's going to be a bunch. There's a the hairpin basically 180 degree turn on cobbles between 100 meters to go. And I think, you know, what's telling to see Jonathan Milan, who is a sprinter, who is Italian, who loves the zero, who openly questioned the choice of this course and he said, I don't get it. I don't understand why we have to do these kind of finishes.

You know, there's a lot of things that come into play, of course, you know, the stage is attributed to Napoli. So I'm just going to take a wild guess Napoli probably has something to say on where the finish should be. But they don't get to dictate how they get there. There's other ways to get to this finish other than, you know, 180 degree on cobbles.

“What do you think Spencer, could this be avoided? Is it justified that the riders just have to accept this?”

Of course, it's easy to say now because it was wet, right? It was wet and if it's a bunch sprint and on wet, it's something's going to happen.

You could say, well, the first two guys took too much risks. Listen, if they get through there would have been a crash in four, fifth or sixth position, it was like soap on the road.

You can see your thoughts. Yeah, I agreed with John the Milaud. I was watching the union. Why are we doing this with the chicane's up to the course yesterday? You know, it's actually pretty good little route through the city. They were going fast. It's fast. So that is dangerous even if it's straight. I thought they just could have finished it right there on the road on the approach.

“The turns I just thought it was unnecessary. Like a lot of turns inside the fundamental 180 degrees on cobbles, even if it wasn't wet, did you notice there was big chunks of cobbles missing?”

So what they would have been going faster. I didn't even think they're going that fast. I thought they were going pretty gingerly through the corner. I did think I I wonder if they were worried. It looked like some guys were maybe moving up on the inside as I could grow under vegans going to lose position here. He's got to be careful. But if it was dry, I just think they would have probably still had problems because there was it just doesn't feel like it's befitting of a major world class sporting event. You're like, why are you going?

I don't think that a stage which is 95% sure going to be a bunch print in Napoli knowing how the roads infrastructure is in that part of Italy and especially Napoli should not be finishing on cobbles tones.

That's the first thing that you can avoid.

And then on top of that, don't put that big turn 300 meters before the finish. Yeah, I mean another thing Spencer, I mean I didn't, I wasn't able to get that information or I missed it.

So you know you can kind of say okay hopefully it doesn't but maybe it does. So out of precaution I would think that there should have been a decision made that okay guys there's going to be a stage there going to be stage winner but the times don't count for the GC because this is and this takes already out of the equation a lot of nerves from teams who have nothing to do there. They probably still without fresh because the sprinters go full gas they want to win the stage they don't care about the time but it would have calm down the peloton I think unless I missed and maybe there was that call from the from the race direction say okay the times are neutralized don't worry about it.

“Do you have any information about that there was a rumors all day that it was going to happen and then it didn't happen and they were speculating on I thought that would have made a lot of sense and you do see it.”

Sometimes it like oh it's too we're going through middle of a big city like a huge city.

Let's neutralize the GC time it's been done in multiple grand tours. Yeah, there was speculation on the broadcast that they didn't want to do it because they didn't want Naples to fight them you know. I probably would be worried about that like are we then violating the contract it must be a huge contract they have with the city like a multi your deal to do this. And they didn't want to nullify the state like if they nullified the GC standings or the GC implications are they then breaking their contract that was that is that it is that a rumor is it is back your speculation I have I'm having a hard time to believe that the Spencer that cannot be the case I mean the safety.

You know anyways then the other question is no what's the worth of a contract with Naples are they are they going to respect it are they going to do.

What the contract says or are you just hoping crossing your fingers that they're going to respect it.

“There is a lot of fine around on the broadcast too we want to tread lightly here we don't want to be yeah yeah but yeah I think it's I think it's pure speculation Spencer.”

I would even dare to argue that if you make a decision based on safety for safety reasons. The contract is still valid and what do you imagine that's in there right like that yeah that in the in the case of. But I could imagine sitting in a meeting with non cycling people because the finish it was it was dramatic we should say like I like the uphill cobbles I liked the view. Imagine sitting on a meeting and it's like it's a halt at local politicians people from UCI and I like how it's going to be a beautiful finish look great let's do it people love cobblestones they love Perry Rubay this is going to be great so you can kind of imagine how this came to be.

“I don't think it was probably the right decision but who inspects the course like who is this advanced team that does the question that's the constant question you know and that there's nobody who can give an answer.”

I'm pretty sure that this you know whatever official inspector it's just. I don't know it's something that is there but it you know it's an if it's somebody or a group of people because you know one inspector cannot be everywhere. A group of people they basically are you know officials you call them government officials from the UCI who do do the job do a job you know for for you know their their remineration and it in my opinion it has to be. I like lists who have been there and see the danger because.

Any other person will never see what a guy who has been there many times and sees.

You know after the corners or or okay guys this is this is not this is not good this we cannot allow this this is asking for problems. I don't know how that protocol works and then what I also see a lot Spencer I mean we don't want to get off topic here but you know there are there are certain cyclists ex professional cyclists even big names who. When I see that they get a function. At the UCI. It seems like they forgot they've been a cyclist it's like okay you know I'm a politician now and this is what I have to do and.

You know there are people like for example I think I think the the CPA the.

How much is their voice taken into account.

“You know it seems to me like they listen to them and then they just keep doing whatever they want anyways I've hardly seen.”

Now small organizer sometimes gets put get punished for a lack of safety never seen a big organizer never RCS never ASO.

Not flanders classics the powerful organizations. You know but at the ultimately it should it should be the UCI who is or somebody from the UCI who is responsible for approving. That course and then when there's problems and there are so many criticisms and you know complaints. Then that person should be responsible and and ultimately it's the UCI who appoints somebody who to approve. And they have to take their responsibility it's easy to always push it away on you know now you know what's going to happen Spencer.

Whoever whether it's it's RCS or the UCI they're going to say well you know it's the writers fold they went too fast through the corner. Yes maybe but this could have been avoided guys this could have been avoided just make it safer because if there's if there's a race to be one they're going to take risks so make sure that when they take risks it's a safe as possible. You would be curious if anyone I mean maybe they are inspecting it it's not clear to me anyone is physically looking at these finishes because it feels like every year we get here.

And it's two days before day before the morning up and it's like oh this isn't safe it's like well to know and look at it and tell now like how is this now. Just becoming an issue shouldn't this been yeah I don't know I don't really know enough about how the the minutia of the course are created. You know what I also think is that some of these ex cyclists who have now this this leading role whether it's with race organizers or with the UCI you know.

I'm not saying they can always do what they want their under pressure just I'm just going to give you an example right so.

Stage two we have this massive crash the race is shortly neutralized. Until everybody's back until their ambulances again you'll be seen riders talk to the race director while they were going slowly. I've seen a quote from Jasper Stiven who was talking and I saw this on on screen he was talking to the to the race directors and he was you know. Trying to convince them to say okay you know what let's just neutralize everything to the finish. The guy I forgot I forgot who it was now it was an ex cyclist the guy who was in there.

He was you know pretending he was listening to him you know I said okay I'm going to consult you know I'm going to consult in the car. And the next thing Steven knows I mean he's he's got public with this so I'm I can say it. He says the guy just you know all of a sudden just put his head in the car was hiding and just wave the flag okay races back on.

“So that's probably not what this guy wants but that's what they told him to do.”

Yeah you know. It's complicated it's not easy but but I'm sure that this guy I mean he's not so long out of cycling yet and but he can't decide. Well that was a different situation too that was the race was happening they were approaching the final climb. This was not this was a static situation they could have decided it's not I would love to know when these courses are seen because it seems like every year. The morning up is when it's it's like well this is what we're finishing holy smokes but I'm not even sure.

You know the teams the teams yes because you know you can't you can't preview all the all the stages and it's also a middle of a city right so the course doesn't you know. So they they see the they see the course or they know the course like when they look at the roadbook and then they still develop you were in. They all know it's going to be dangerous and on top of that you know they are they're all sending people up front so they communicate with people who are at the finish so everybody knows. But there's still a race going on and there are a lot of things that can be avoided and unfortunately it doesn't happen enough.

“Well I think I'm with I'm with Milan I mean I think you know Milan is you know the best voice you can listen to because he's a sprinter can you he was going to be up there.”

He's Italian goes there with an ambition and says openly I don't get why we have to do this you know why they keep pushing us and doing this.

I just to play devil's advocate a sprint spin a sprint sorry a straight sprint is not always a safe sprint.

I mean sometimes I do like a turn 180 feels a little a night maybe try 90 90 degree turn could be.

Yeah, but this was this was I mean they came with a lot of speed it was like slightly downhill on the callables and then there was this this turn and it's it went uphill so. Anyway, it happened you know the advantage Spencer is that if there's a crash like this normally it's it's very slippery. But nobody really gets hurt badly it's they slide you know it's better on like this on cobbles that on normal road because this is a lot more slippery it looked so slippery like unbelievable and. Well, you know what you're talking about it is interesting that so unsafe, et cetera, et cetera.

GC teams have just decided it's neutralized like there's no jockeying for position from GGC teams anymore.

Is this a good idea do you think this is smart.

“What what just sit back and there's remember there was this it was like a decade of get to the front get to the front get to the front like BMC was obsessive about this get to the front.”

Yeah, and then because they don't want to lose time I guess there's been a material change because now it has to be a three second gap before there's a time a time gap is counted so what how how often you're going to be more than three seconds behind. It kind of makes me think man that was pretty stupid like what why were teams doing that GC containers were getting in huge crashes. Yeah, yeah, because I mean, yeah, I mean, on a stage like the day for example, I mean you can kind of. And especially with that approach and having the weather forecast.

You can kind of calculate, okay, there's a 75% chance of course the trash crash occurs.

“Then yeah, then you're fine, then you're fine, but yeah, what I guess, but what happens if you were deemed off the back before you don't know if you're no you need to be attached to the group, but you can be in the back.”

That of course you have the the risk that there's a gap already and anyways, I mean, they had a 140 one riders counter on the same time today, so I don't think there's a sticklers about the gaps. Yeah, exactly. Yeah, and so it is, I think it's a very good idea. I mean, Visma. Visma's like almost moved the needle on this, like, hey, we're going to sit at the back. They were at the back with 50 K to go. It doesn't have a reason. If you're with your team, what is the worst that's going to happen? You have seven strong riders at your disposal to chase down a move.

Even if you are caught out, so you're probably okay, and you do save. You save so much and it's a lot easier. Yes, plus plus the great they help. So, you know, the teammates also save a lot of energy because there's no stress, you just stay united and whatever happens, then you can you move to the front. Yeah, it's it's not a bad idea. It depends on the course, you know, it depends on how the final is, but what Visma, I mean, there's one of the team directors who went on record with this that this is.

This is their plan and they're going to do that for whatever stage they think is suitable for this, it's part of their strategy. Yeah, and it is dependent, like think of stage one of the tour last year. That was just so crazy that maybe you do want to be a front, this year was a little bit different. David A. Ballerini wins the stage. Do you know the last time he won a world tour race. Don't tell me it was on over news. Yeah, 2021. So it's been a minute. That's a long time ago, a strong rider though. Yeah, he was, you know, you know, you know, in his in his last grant tour.

He finished second on the last stage in Paris behind. Well, not the way he was part of that group and he was in the last year or that he did.

Last year, too, the holy smoke. If you look smaller in you was second in the last stage. Oh, that is a crazy trivia question. Who's going to get that? He was he was he was up there. I mean, first of all, he was strong enough to stay with those three four guys. So it's strong rider, you know. Today, it was his opportunity. He was there at the right moment. And he was, he was not even the protected rider. He was on lead out duty for Malouchelli. But yeah, he found himself in that situation. And yeah, and he went through so slowly and on the inside, which was a little less warm. So that probably helped him.

“But he was a cross rider going through a like a muddy off camber turn. I think even Stephen had a foot out of the pedal.”

Yeah, Stephen had a foot out in the corner. Yeah, in the corner. So he couldn't make that up. He couldn't make up. But he's he got a go back to the wheel. But I initially thought, Stephen would win. But by the reason he's fast to, you know, yeah, I mean, I think he won. I think he won a stage in the tour of Turkey just before the, yeah, maybe for the zero before this started right.

But this means now Paul money, 130 points in the points classification, Jonathan Milan 64. That's already really far down. Also troubling for Jonathan Milan.

“We might not have a sprint stage until stage 15 in Milan and then stage 21 in Rome. So it's really only two sprint stages left in this race. Two likely sprint stages.”

This could, like, is little track in panic mode. What is the mood at that team right now? I mean, there's not much they can do. You know, I mean, today they were there. With Milan have won today. I don't know. After I've seen from Monday, I have doubts that he could have had a chance.

But hey, he have to try. He seemed like he was happy about his form and his legs today compared to other days.

So, but what's for sure is that it's definitely for the moment, not the zero that Jonathan Milan and little track have wished for for him in the sprint stages.

“But anyways, you know, any, any other sprint stages is different. Although, I do think that the way anybody rose rockets is riding, I think I think we don't know big and has a stage within the next two.”

Yes, I mean, they look like the dominant sprint team also from Milan. It's on paper. Maybe it looked good. But a lot of these sprints haven't been great from yet the cobbled sprint on stage three. You had the cobbled up a cobbled uphill sprint. That's not even really a pure sprint finish. Like it's the two to France. And then you have maybe two more. It's not actually the slam dunk parkour as I thought it was when I glance at the stage list. And then yeah, his team is splitting between dergy and the GC and then him and the sprint. So they don't have, they're not the dominant sprint team, even though they have the dominant sprinter.

Yeah, it's a, it's a tricky situation. And you think let's say he leaves this race without a stage win. That's a season done that goes like going to the tour where they not, no, he's not going to the tour. Man, so this is a lot of pressure on him for to get a result here. Yeah, but hey, cycling is not exactly about the matrix. You know, it's sometimes it doesn't work the way you want it to work. I mean, a lot of times most of the tanks.

“It doesn't work the way you wanted to go. Yeah. I mean, you could definitely tell he was frustrated at the end of the stage. Like why, why did we just do that? What have you done to me?”

No change in the GC, but before we go to work with hope hopefully we have a change in the GC tomorrow that would be shocking if we don't before we preview tomorrow stage. Do we want to talk about tires really quick? You have some tire info to share with us. Yes, yes, I've seen some information on social media about the tire choice of UAE.

Initially, the first report I saw was in, that's not too bad, but then I heard Grant Thomas and Luke Rowe talk about it on their podcast.

So, it's about the tires of UAE. They ride with continental tires. We all know, you know, everybody was a cyclist know that these GP 5000 model is a really good tire and there's different models in that. So, there's a special model for time trials. It's called GP 5000 TT. And that's apparently their tire of choice for almost all the stages because, you know, they're supposedly faster and lighter than the other models. Also pictures from stage 2 Adam Yates went down and he was on time trial tires. I don't know what the width is, but I'm going to guess 28.

But and then yesterday, Arietta went down in that corner. Okay, of course, it's raining again. It's possible, you know, with all your, it's not on continental tires. I don't think so. But he went also down, right? But then we saw that when Arietta came back after that wrong turn his tire was slipping on a straight. So, I've been doing some research. I mean, I've spoken to somebody and from inside continental. And I asked him, I said, do you know if the GP 500 5000 TT model has less grip than the S model or the AS model, which is the S is the race tire by choice. And then the AS is all season, which is a bit heavier.

And the fastest tire is the Aero 1111. And the second best is the TT. But the S model is the best for everything, also for grip. So, I mean, he doesn't necessarily say that the TT has less grip, but it's a lighter tire. It has more possibilities of puncturing, and I'm personally going to think that the TT has less grip. I think it's not a great decision to ride with tantra because they're fast. I know the riders will probably want them because you can feel the difference when it's a super fast tire.

But tires are often underestimated, the advantage of having a fast tire. It's amazing.

“But man, on rainy days, it brought me back to, I don't remember, I think it was 2003. We went with postal. We had this, and I, you know, I was always back at the days we were riding 23 millimeter tubular for the road stages.”

And then there was special time trial tubulars, which were 21 and sometimes even 19. For like smooth minutes, unthinkable nowadays. But back then, that was a standard. And I remember, you know, I made the decision like in time trials, and especially in team time trials, to avoid any risk, we're always going to ride with the normal road tubulars, the all round, the all rounders, the 23 millimeter Hutchinson that we were riding. And there were teams, you know, and some of our biggest competitors, they were obsessed with these time trial tires. I remember one time, the team time trial in 2003, I don't remember where it was, but we won this time trial on our usual normal road tires.

“And our two rival teams, which were CSE and Fonak, they were convinced that they had to be on time trial tires. Well, guess what, they both had crashes, it was also raining, their guys went down, you know.”

And it's not the same as now, but there was already, there was a difference between the normal road tire and time trial tire in terms of grip. And I, it's probably less of a difference now, because the time trial tires are not also the same with as the road tire, but the difference in, you know, the different components, the composition of the rubber is probably making a difference.

And so, I mean, this guy here from within continental told me that the S, the continental GP 5000S is the best tire that they should always use that in road stages and not the time trial tire.

Well, I've been, you age just handed me a bike with like there's their stock set up on it. And so it was the, it's like the aerobike that they all ride with the TT tires. It is very, they're very fast. So I guess we should say that they're very fast. I just replaced, they just ran out, you know, they run out like they just fall apart on you, you can tell they're meant for speed, not for durability. I put the AS on the 5000, AS great tire, you can feel it's heavier.

So you could, yeah, but right, but yeah, right, for most of us, like we just don't want to flat, that's great for anyone that's not trying to win a professional bike race.

I guess my one pushback would be could with the riders say, like, well, doesn't matter if I don't crash, because I'm just going to get dropped. So I need to have these super fast tires that must be what they're thinking. Grand Thomas, I mean, he was, he went pretty in detail. He said that they had continental tires also on the nails and they had been riding on the time for all tires, the TT tires. And you know, once you get used to it, it's hard to, you know, say, okay, I don't want the TT tire because, you know, it's going to be rougher terrain or maybe terrain, I want a different tire.

But they did end up switching for, for stages where there was possibility of rain.

“Yeah, I mean, listen, they probably done their research and they must have a reason to use them, but, but I think sometimes, you know, giving a little bit in in terms of performance and going for safety.”

It's probably sometimes worth it, especially in a grand tour. Yeah, I mean, yes, not crashing is, is big. These tires, they also, they have no grip in the, in the wet. So it is a little crazy to me that they would run them on a wet stage.

Yeah, don't crash. It's pretty good. That's a pretty good strategy in a grand tour. Try not to crash on a wet stage. Maybe use grip your tires. Well, I mean, it's, it's, it's strange to, it's strange to understand because I think that the design and the, the profile, these, you know, it's, it's the same kind of it's they're slick tires and then they have this designs on it, you know, to kind of get more grip or get the water evacuated faster. And it seems to me like that they're all the same. They'll have the same design on the, on the roller on the rolling surface.

Yeah, yeah, there's a lot about tires. I don't understand. And like sometimes the speed in the grip is not related to the actual physical structure of the tire, but how it gets formed on the road.

“Yeah, I think, too, if it's, if it's just a big chunk of rubber, like a chunk of your rubber, then that design is going to have more effect than the TT one, which you do feel like is is kind of thin.”

It was the first time I'm just giving my thoughts based on, you know, like, just my own, I mean, I have no scientific evidence at all. You know, from the difference, I mean, and I'm sure that at UAE, they've done the research, they've definitely done the research, they've tested all the tires. But, you know, yeah, I mean, I'm going off with this guy from inside continental says also that the S and the AS have more grip than the TT. I mean, you can, you can feel it when you ride them. The AS wager up here than the time trial. I don't, I mean, I'm only riding AS. So I love it. I mean, you, you can, it's not going to have for continental. It is a great time.

Yeah, I, I, I, I really like the tire. And you can lean, you know, like you can feel in corners. I mean, I'm not in the wet because I never ride in the wet.

But you can feel the difference. I mean, I have not tried the S or the TT, but it's, it's, it's the, they're all roads that all season tire is a really good tire.

“And I, I was just thinking even before all of this came up, I think tires are probably the biggest gain that's happened in the last 10 years. You know, it's like speeds have increased obviously arrows important and all that.”

These tires are really fast. Like even for us, I, I, I feel like I noticed myself going faster with less fitness because of the tires. So the tires are super important. The thing that nobody is also able to see when in psychological and just the feeling or do you see it. I definitely see it like I did a, we are too far in the weeds. I did a group ride on a course where I've done like a thousand versions of this ride. And this is the most unfit I've probably ever been on that course and it was the fastest I wrote it. So, but you also have the fastest bike in years.

That's true. The bike is faster, but he just, because we always talk like, how could we possibly, what could possibly be that much faster about the bike?

And I do think the tires and the fact that it's tubeless, it's a big fat tubeless tire. I think that is quite a bit less rolling resistance. And when think about the, the rolling resistance of a 120 PSI, like 23 mil tire, probably pretty low.

“Probably not. Yeah, we thought back in the days we thought that that that was that had to be, you know, that's how you know fast.”

You were only six and a half, seven bar. That was like nothing else. You're getting the tire like on a, yeah, any time you over a bump, let's take a quick break and then we'll preview tomorrow's super important stage. Okay, Johan, stage seven tomorrow. This is crazy. We had to look at this twice because I thought it was a mistake.

This is the first big GC stage. So it finished up lockouts 244 kilometer stage. It's like a monument inside of a grand tour.

Four, four hundred meters of climbing and then the final climb blockhouse 13 kilometers at eight and a half percent. So it's long and steep. I mean, we were comparing it to outpying climb just today. It's it's steeper. It's as long and steeper than out to us. So it's a very serious climb. By the way, it's like 15,000 feet of climbing instead of meters. So very hard stage. Two big questions. The first question, who's going to win? The second question is, is it break away? What is it break away going to win? Because the stage is so long. It's also laid out very oddly. It has a slight kicker to start descent and then rolling terrain for 133k, which is the length almost the length of today's entire stage.

And then we start climbing. We have a cat to climb. We even uncategorize climb that's 10k at 5% not quite sure how that's not categorized. Then we descend and then we have a 7k long climb at six and a half percent.

The finish of blockhouse Red Bull kilometer halfway up. I would better break away takes those bonus seconds. I don't think they're in sorry. It's like not halfway up. I misspoke. It's probably an eighth of the way up.

“So break away probably takes that in the then summit finish. How does this play out and who do things going to win?”

Well, I mean, the first question is kind of break away. Make it, right? It depends who's in the break away, but I'm going to say the break away doesn't make it.

Because in my opinion, Bahrain is going to control this stage. They want to keep Euryo in the jersey and he's capable of staying in the jersey. You know, he has six something minute lead on Jonas and how much does he have on Arieta? The minute three minutes basically, 257. Yeah, is that crazy? Okay. So who's the closest area closest in? Okay, so he's 251. He picked up some bonus seconds. Yeah, so he's not, I think I think I'll argue tomorrow loses between two and three minutes.

It was case. He's a good climber and he's in good shape. So and he's riding for, you know, the fame of his life, right? So I don't think he's going to get out of the pink. And I think personally that Jonas wins solo on a climb like this 13, 13, 13, half kilometers, eight and a half percent. I don't think anybody can stay with Jonas depends on the win, but still.

“I think I think Jonas wins. I mean, the blockhouse is it's a very important climb.”

You know, what it was first featured in the, in the zero, 19 1952. 1968, 1968 and a young rider, a young rider, one that stage, the young rider was Eddie Merks. It was been like, was first year a pro or something, 1969. No, no, no, no, no. He was in 1968. He was, yeah, he had been World Champion already, but he was not World Champion then, I think.

I think he was on, I think he was on, on firema. Actually, yes, he was on firema. It was his first zero that he would actually, I should know this, because funny, you know, sight note. 1968 is the first ground tour that Eddie Merks won, the zero.

I've always known about this because my father, when I was, when I was little, you know,

he was always talking about Eddie Merks and the stage to three chimpanzees of that stage and the snow. So I've always heard about this. Eddie Merks won also on blockhouse ended up winning the winning that zero. I actually, I actually, you know, I have a passion for vintage bikes. And I actually possess the original bike of 1968 of Eddie Merks, which, which he won, 30mAh with, which is, you know, a super, super nice piece of history.

But so yeah, Eddie Merks won the first time, and then there's two other riders. I mean, there's many that there's been other times, but 2014 Nairo Kintana won on blockhouse and ended up winning the GC. And 2022, Jay Hindley won the stage on blockhouse and ended up winning the zero. So I guess the guy who wins tomorrow, if it's one of the favorites, is winning the zero. And I'm, but I'm going to protect that's going to be you on something to guard.

I hate to be a buzzkill, but I don't think they did this in 2014.

“I think they did it in 2017 when Nairo won and then remember he narrowly lost to do it.”

Okay, yeah. Okay, 2017, yeah, sorry, sorry. But he was up and ended up winning the, winning the GC. Yeah, 2017, sorry. Well in 2014, he wins the GC 2017.

He wins on blockhouse, but loses GC by 31. But it was close. Okay, it was a close loss to do him along. That was the famous infamous year that everyone remembers well. And he's been playing with him along and had to stop for an issue in the dollar money.

Is that already, are you telling me that Tom Doolat won almost 10 years ago? And years ago? Yeah, it's messed up. That's crazy. It's crazy.

We're getting old Span. So who you are ready to be? That's pretty messed up dude.

I remember watching that zero so vividly and it's a day to go, basically.

It's crazy. But you're right.

“There's like no, you rarely get outlier wins on this climb in the last time.”

Okay, while my mistake, I thought it was 2014 that Quintana...

I didn't want to come. I wanted to get one of the GC, but it's... Yeah, he didn't win, okay. He wanted in 2017. It's actually hard to map out a scenario where Jonas doesn't win.

Because if you think about a break away, just crunchy numbers. The Strava KOM on this climb is 40 minutes, Tvo Pino. You said the fastest ever time is like 39.57 by Nairo. He said... Well, I mean...

Quintana has the fastest time of... You know, the last few years... And in last few years, that's already 10 years ago. But he's like 39.50 something. Tell me get on Strava.

Didn't happen. But let's assume Jonas does 38 minutes tomorrow. It's the record by about a minute. Then a good GC rider. Like our allureo, let's say he loses three minutes.

So 41 minutes. A guy in the break away for 244k. He's going to lose seven minutes. You think eight minutes like... And then you'd still be in the top 10 of the Strava segment.

So that's like very still climbing very fast. It's just hard to imagine a break away having eight minutes at the base of the final climb. I don't think it's going to happen. Because these are the odds of the stage. You know, just finnigart minus 250.

Pelazari plus 500. Philiscall plus 1600. Chaconian plus 2000. Jai Hindley plus 3000. Disrespect for Jai Hindley.

I'm a Ruby of plus 3000. I'm going to go with you, John.

“I think you know, just finnigart wins the stage.”

And I think the best we can hope for is it's a small win. And it's still competitive by the end. Because part of me... These guys look... Do you think they look very unbothered by this entire record?

So far, that entire team. It just... It feels like it's a joke, Jim. Yeah. Yeah.

And also having mine Spencer tomorrow is going to be... Very hard on the riders. Because, you know, a lot of riders have not recovered from yesterday's efforts. Yes. You know, the horrible day in the rain and the cold and the hail.

It takes its toll. And tomorrow, we're going to see some dead bodies. After 240 kilometers, tomorrow. Wow. I mean, the bikes.

Yeah. Yeah. That's... They weren't even chasing. Some of you in the longest stage of all the grand tours in the last...

Long time. I don't know. Yeah.

Time-wise, it might not be unbelievably long because it is flat for the first time.

And I've flat. It's rolling for the first half. So, there's probably been alpine mountain stages that are up and down the whole time that have taken a very long time. In recent years, so maybe this is done in like... What do you think, six hours, six and a half?

Or 4,400 meters. Yeah. It's going to take more than six hours. This is too long. This stage is too long.

How... This gets approved. It's crazy. But that's the zero. My old school.

Old school. Old school. But you could tell their messed up because no one's really chasing the break away today. The gap is not going out. First of all, the teams that should were supposed to be in it didn't even get in.

The gap isn't going out. And there's guys getting dropped from the break. Well, there's no one chasing the gap is it going out. And there's people getting dropped from the break away today. So, I think you're right.

People are on their knees already from the stage on stage. A lot of writers said it was the hardest stages ever in their life. Like it was that train. Yeah, I've seen images. I've seen images from writers.

You know, like shivering, like... They couldn't talk. You know, they were... It was horrible. And then I saw an interview of Tomudumula who was at the finish.

And he said, man, he said, I feel for these guys.

He said, you know, I have never in my life been in a situation like this.

That it was so hard, so cold. Maybe he forgot already. But yeah, it was horrible. And then, you know, some writers will pay the price from the yesterday's efforts.

“Well, I think you're right, and the Jonas Finer girl is going to win.”

And we'll be here to talk about it right after the stage. Yeah. It's a join us. Okay. All right.