Missed most of the start as the RAI were messing around with what channel it was on. Seemed to be on their News24 and is now on RAI Sport 1. Naples looks amazing on a perfect day with a whisp of smoke coming off Vesuvius, one of the World's beautiful cities despite its innumerable problems.
I like the Neapolitans, used to mix with a lot in Milan, to the extent that some of my more local mates accused me of picking up the accent and sent the occasional 'terrone' in my direction. I would never pick a fight with a Neapolitan though. Went back there (Naples) briefly last year. Great place, 2,500 years of Greek, Roman, Norman, Aragonese, Austrian, Spanish/French/Bourbon influence creates something totally unique, if tatty. They must be cycling on the only pot hole free roads in town. Right, better go to the ****ing football, I suppose.
Italy south of Rome is nice, the North is very 'Mitteleuropean' with winters to go with that. Too many crashes, this one looks bad.
Haven't got Pay TV unfortunately, just RAI on free TV (HotBird 13 degrees East satellite with an ancient rusty 60cm dish). Am moving soon but hopefully not before end of the Giro.
Fantastic sprint by Cavendish considering how far back and boxed in he was after his lead-out man had a chain jump at the worst moment possible. He looked and sounded knackered in the RAI interview saying the heat had really got to him and the sheer number of corners was very stressful.
Do you know of any sites where they show 'highlights' if there are such things? No satellite at my house and never will be due to Murdoch issues (though I do read the Times, which just makes me a twat I suppose). I am going to make a determined effort to get into this sport this summer.
Agreed about Murdoch although HotBird is good for cycling thanks to the RAI's coverage. Free to view, no subscriptions. I would try here maybe: http://www.steephill.tv/giro-d-italia/ Otherwise you can take out an online subscription to Eurosport for one month afaik. Did it for the ACON and it was fine, link here: http://www.eurosportplayer.co.uk/ Guaranteed to work, they almost certainly do a highlights. Just checked, they do at this time: Cycling: Giro d'Italia Stage 1: Napoli - Napoli (156km) 22:30 - 23:30 Streams: http://www.viplivesports.eu/sports/cycling.html
Oh well cav's stint in the pink jersey was short lived. Sky not crushing the opposition as much as I thought though How beautiful is that island though??
Ischia's expensive but looks great, most of southern Italy is very beautiful, not called "Il bel paese" for nothing. Only Italian island I've ever visited apart from Elba is Capraia back in 1977 while it was still mainly a prison island, spent a week camping with my then to be first wife. Beautiful but boring back then, the island that was...: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Capraia Stage 4 looks interesting although probably nothing much will happen until stage 10 with a an uphill mountain finsh, click on 'altimetria': http://www.repubblica.it/static/speciale/2013/giro-italia/altimetrie/tappa10.html
Great stage today. Hesjedal taking the race to wiggins & nibali He's destroying the field single handedly Amazing cycling - everything wiggins just can't do. I guess they fear his advantage in the time trial and have decided to smash sky early doors Superb
Great result and great stage. Amazing that a 36 year old at his first Giro managed to get away on a difficult descent and even get the jersey. He clearly couldn't believe it himself shaking his head in disbelief as he neared the finishing line. Cilento is a beautiful part of Italy, great for holidays.
"Dave Brailsford has backed Chris Froome to be Team Sky's sole leader in this year's Tour de France, seemingly ending Sir Bradley Wiggins's hopes of defending his title." http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/2013/may/06/chris-froome-team-sky-tour-dave-brailsford Doubt very much things will stay that way as frankly I can't see Wiggins winning the Giro. Climbs are different from the Tour and less suited to him imho.
That's why wiggins will never be one of the greats IMO He can't do the 1 day spring classics as sky can't control the race and outside of time trials he just hasn't got the right stuff. He can't climb - froome can There's a reason no ones won the tour and the giro in the same year since Pantani - you've got to be a monster
In fact Paolini, a one day rider, said he treated today as a Classic. The Spring Classics are the 'League' of cycling, the Giro is the 'League Cup' at best. Wiggins, Armstrong, Indurain never achieved the crossover victories of the likes Merckx, Gimondi, Coppi or even my all time favourite Freddy Maertens who allegedly doped to the eyeballs and allegedly drinking on the job still managed to win 12 stages and the final overall of a Vuelta. Legend.
Indurain was a climber, wiggins a time trialist. You're right in saying the 'greats' could crossover to the one days Did you see cav today? Almost blown out the back - he must have really been hurting
