On the Rivet: Giro Edition

Grandissimo

Il Corso

The first grand tour of the season is about to begin and at Team Wiskota the excitement is at an all time high.  There will be many previews out there talking about the course and picking favorites.  This is not that post.  Rather, this guide is more concerned with "la dolce vita", the good life.  This preview focuses on how to watch rather than who.  Sit back, relax as we are whisked away to Italia.  The Commish has a few group watching dates lined and perhaps a group ride as well.  So stock up on the marinara sauce and hit the wine shop cause it's Giro time.

Stage 1: Friday, May 5th

It Begins

The Pope has done his part...

The 100th Giro d'Italia kicks off on the island of Sardinia in the sunny Mediterranean Sea.  Touch 'em all seems to be the motto of this historic Giro as the planners look to include every region of this beautiful country.  

Why to watch

The stage itself is perhaps not the most exciting profile.  This one will probably end in a sprint giving some of the big men a chance to wear the pink jersey on the first day.  So why should you watch?  Well mostly because this is the grand depart, the beginning, the Grande Partenza and on the first day, everybody still has a chance.  What team is looking to get in breaks, who will snag the first mountains jersey, do any favorites crash?  Its a new race and on day one the future looks bright.   

How to watch

The first stage starts on a Friday and most of us will be at work.  Well, who really wants to work on a Friday anyways.  Most stages will end around 10:15 so maybe you want to carve out a little alone time with your computer and enjoy some hot Giro on Giro action (NSFW).  Not sure how well the YouTube live streams will pan out, if you are really into it you might want to check out signing up for Fubo.tv.  As most of us will watch this at work I'm not going to recommend busting out the vino just yet.  Perhaps a little pasta for lunch will keep the Giro vibes flowing until you make it to happy hour and can enjoy a negroni or perhaps a nice minerally italian white to while away the afternoon.  Its just the first stage no need to get to creative, find what you love about Italy and enjoy it.  

Stage 2: Saturday, May 6th

Grand Fondo

Let's ride boys

Many of us will busy putting in miles of our own on Saturday.  However, the pros will be tackling the steeper sections of Sardinia, putting in over 120 miles themselves.   

Why to watch

The first three stages of the Giro are on the beautiful (I'm assuming) island of Sardinia.  Stage two looks to be the most intriguing with a cat 2 climb and nary a flat road.  Perhaps someone makes and early attack?  Will the fast men be dropped before the finish?    

How to watch

A few of us will already be several miles into the Fulton Grand Fondo by the time the stage ends, but a long day in the saddle, followed by several beers in the sun may mean an early retirement.  Don't be afraid to head home just a bit early in order to watch the stage replay.  You earned a big steaming plate of stuffed pasta, a local favorite in Sardinia.  Perhaps you are feeling up for something a little more unique?  This area is know for it's mussels and they are much easier to prepare than you might think.  Pick up a bag at Coastal Seafood, steam them in a little white whine add some butter and herbs and you are good to go.  Or maybe just drink your self silly at Fulton and fall asleep in the Uber on the way home, now that's la dolce vita.   

Stage 4: Tuesday, May 9th

Volcano!

This thing blows up all the time, this pic is from March

Prepare for blast off as the peloton heads to Sicily and takes on the infamous Mt. Etna.  

Why to watch

This one is a no brainer, first summit finish of the race.  After an early day off for some island hoping the race resumes on the beautiful but deadly island of Sicily.  If la cosa nostra doesn't get you then the volcano will.  The climb up Etna is like 20K long, we are sure to see some of the GC men come to the fore.  Can Nibali take charge on his island or will others show early form?   

How to watch

Sicily is a unique landscape with a unique history.  Sure we all know this is where Don Corleone is from, but do you know about it's Arab and Spanish influences?  This diverse history is evident in two of the quintessential Sicilian ingredients, eggplant (brought by Arabs from north Africa) and tomatoes (brought from the new world by the Spanish).  On this Tuesday night I recommend you prepare some simple spaghetti with your favorite sauce (Newman's Socarrooni is the only thing allowed in the Schmidt house), but then bump it up with some grilled fresh eggplant and tomato slices.  If anyone can find these fried rice balls they look amazing and are a Sicilian favorite.  I would wash it down with a good red, but if you want to add some authenticity a bottle of Marsala (think Italian port) might make a good after dinner treat.  

Stage 8: Saturday, May 13th

Il Punchero

If Italy is a boot, then this stage is in the spur

Punchy fun in the Italian sun. 

Why to watch

Not a game changer GC day, but this stage should make for a great finish.  A stone paved road with gradients around 10% should unsettle the pack.  This one is for the puncheurs and who knows, maybe a punchy GC guys looks to make up a few seconds here.  

How to watch

Well, seeing that it is Saturday you may have a little more time to enjoy the azure blue scenery of the Adriatic coastline.  As the action should really only come in the last 10K perhaps turn down the race volume and turn up the local folk music know as pizzica.  After, get on your bike and find your own punchy finish, perhaps the steep hills of the "minneardennes" in south Minneapolis.  Make it a long one, cause you know you are going to be busy tomorrow.  

Stage 9: Sunday, May 14th

Mama Mia

If it wasn't for this Italian mom we wouldn't have pizza rolls
Happy Mother's Day

A week two mountain top finish with a rest day to follow. 

Why to watch

The why on this one is pretty simple, something called Blockhaus.  Don't know why it has a German sounding name, but it looks like a big ass mountain top finish.  

How to watch

Now the how to watch in this case is a bit trickier.  Pretty sure my wife won't want to spend Mother's Day watching cycling and despite the fact that it's "mother's" day and not "wife's" day, I am pretty sure I'll be on the hook for some sort of brunch type event.  Looks like a late night stage replay on this one.

Stage 10: Tuesday, May 16th

Against the Clock

Yippee Ki Yay, MonteFalco

Time trial, chrono, the race of truth, boring. 

Why to watch

This Giro may be decided by time trials and the 46K between Foglino and Montefalco may be the most decisive.  But it's a time trial, so I probably won't watch it, I just wanted to make the Die Hard joke.  

How to watch

At some point on Tuesday go to Cycling News and check the results.  TTs suck. 

  

Stage 11: Wednesday, May 17th

Under the Tuscan Sun

Amore 

We could just pick up and move to the countryside, buy a little fixer upper, maybe a little olive grove, nothing special, but with some work and some time...

Why to watch

This is the stage all of you romantics have been waiting for.  Ahhhh, Tuscany, the rolling hills, the olive groves, the lush green landscape.  This stage may not be an important GC day, but it may be the most beautiful. 

How to watch

 This is your chance to transport yourself, tuck the kids in, crack the wine and prep a Tuscan feast.  Now's the time for the olive oil so let it flow, a bit in a dish, some chewy bread and plenty of Chianti.  A little pasta "secondi"  will hold you over till the main course the famous fiorentina T-bone steak, heat up that grill, smather that thick cut with olive oil and salt, a little rosemary on the side and enjoy.  Bellissima.

Stage 12: Thursday, May 18th

Wiskota Night Event

Not Italy

"Just proud to be here representing Visit California in the Amgen Tour or California Visit California Mt. Baldy stage presented by Amgen"  - Chris Horner

Why to watch

It's a Wiskota happy hour event!  The Giro stage looks to be a sprint but back here stateside the Tour of California kicks off their queen stage in happy hour prime time.  We don't get much live racing on tv and even less after 10 am, so let's maximize what we got.
   

How to watch

Get out of work as soon as you can and head to the pub.  Haven't picked the spot yet but Team Wiskota will rendezvous around 4pm at the boozer.  Maybe watch the sprint replay on a laptop and then talk some bartender into turning on NBC Sports with the sound.  First round of negronis on Greg!

Stage 14: Saturday, May 20th

Wiskota Day Event

As finish lines go, not too shabby

Never stand when you can sit, never sit when you can lay down, and never ever run a marathon. 

Why to watch

120K flat and then 11K straight up.  This area looks beautiful and the Oropa Sanctuary at the finish is a UNESCO world heritage site.  With 13% gradients and flagstone paved roads this climb may just end a few rider's GC hopes.    

How to watch

For all of those not crazy enough to run a marathon, we will meet at Luke's place for an early morning Giro party.  Perhaps a breakfast of crusty bread with salami or a honey hazlenut spread, both local delicacies,  and of course espresso.  Then after the stage, we're gruppo compacto as we take a pleasure cruise round the lakes, taking in the local fare along the way.  Finally, arrive at the pub in time to watch the final stage of the Tour of California, home by supper.  Perfecto! 

Stage 16: Tuesday, May 23rd

Double Stelvio, All the Way, Across the Sky

Why to watch

How to watch

Stages 18,19,20: Thurs-Sat, May 25th-27th

Grandissimo Forza

Why to watch

How to watch

Stage 21: Sunday, May 28th

Il Finale

Why to watch

How to watch

From the Commish

Transfer Period #1

Chipo won't be racing...or will he? 

It's time for the first transfer period of the season.  The classics are done and it's time for the grand tours.  The transfer window will be opening Monday, May 1st at 8 am and closes Thursday the 4th at Midnight. Get your squad set for the Giro, we'll have another transfer period again before Le Tour.  So, drop the dead weight and add some riders who are actually racing.  Not sure who's racing?  Check the startlists at cycling fever, you can use the link under "Upcoming Races".   If you want to make a transfer just state who you are dropping and who you are picking up in the comments section of this post.  The Wiskota leader board is especially close this year and it's anybody's game.  Go for it, get involved!  Wiskota!

The Broom Wagon

...cleaning up after the week's racing

Valverde Wins Everything!

Balaverde lets the arrow fly for a record fifth time

So, technically he hasn't won everything but he has dominated the early stage races and made winning in the Ardennes look easy, ringing up double digit victories in the process and its only April.  Obviously Valverde is our top Wiskota performer in the Ardennes, but a few others deserve mention.  Since winning San Remo, Kwiatkowski (The Quiet One, Kwiat1™) has earned himself two classics podiums as well as a top ten at Fleche.  He looks on pace for a career season.  Tim Wellens has attacked again and again, earning himself little to no points but the admiration of some, but not many.  GVA is still racing and managed a top ten at Liege, that's kind of nuts seeing as he ways about 30 pounds more than Valverde.  Speaking of lighter guys, Sergio Henao continues a strong season with a podium at Fleche and a high finish at Liege after animating much of the race.  Danny Boy Martin may be right that if he wants to win in the Ardennes again he may have to wait until Valverde retires, despite this truth he has some very respectable results as well.  Perhaps now he knows how Purito felt.  Bardet and Yates continue to show promise and Ion Izaguirre looks like he'll be in the mix for years to come.  Lastly, the Wiskota blog has to give a shout out to Rory Sutherland, the Chillcoot Allstar, for all of his work at Movistar.  Many of us stood inches away as he repeatedly destroyed the competition in Stillwater.  Nowadays he is routinely found first at the front of a chasing peloton and later celebrating on a victorious team bus.  

Keep pulling Rory

Next up, Romandie.  But don't forget the Giro starts May 5th and our first transfer window opens up May 1st.  WISKOTA!

The Spokes Man

...talking points from the Commish

Greips

I've got a few things to gripe about

The Commish is introducing a new segment inspired by Gregario Forza, our beautiful yet frustrating sport, and Andre Greipel.

- Will I never be able to watch races live in HD on my TV?

- NBC Sports Gold crashed during Paris-Roubaix, the worst.

- Valverde wins every race, can someone else get in the mix.

- A few of my favorite riders are on Sky, and Sky is lame.

- I gave up GVA and he leads the league in scoring

- I'm not fast enough to keep up with the rest of Team Wiskota

- Sagan whines about being good

- No Stannard results on the cobbles and Geraint doesn't even ride them anymore, thanks Sky

- I'm going to have to buy another weird streaming thing in order to watch the Giro

There it is.  The inaugural Greips post.  I would like to pair it with a similar, only positive, based post.  I am still trying to come up with a title.  If you have a suggestion, let me know.

The Broom Wagon

Classic

The cobbled classics have wrapped up and we have already begun the hillier one day races of the Ardennes.  This season has left us with no shortage of action, in fact it has been one of the better starts to the season in recent memory (more on that in a later post).  Others have won races as well, but there have been two names to dominate the classics so far:  Van Avermaet and Gilbert.  

Almost tastes as good as the Paris-Roubaix brunch

GVA kicked off the cobbled classics by destroying Sagan in an Omloop sprint finish.  Only to fully break Sagan's spirit a few weeks later in Gent.  In the mean time he out muscled his former frenemy Gilbert at E3.  A second place in Flanders foreshadowed his hugely impressive Paris-Roubaix victory.  This guy is crushing it and leads the Wiskota league with over 1300 points.

You earned that crisp european lager

It appears that Jill Bear read my pre-season post about solidifying his legacy.  He said he was going to win Flanders and then he went out and did it.  In spectacular fashion nonetheless.  High placings in several other races and most recently a win in Amstel has PhilGil as our 3rd best scorer with just over 1100 points.  Unfortunatly, we will not get to see more of him in the Ardennes as he crashed in Amstel and lacerated his liver or some crazy shit.  Yup, crashed, damaged an internal organ, got up and beat Kwiatkowski in a  sprint. Panache.  

The Broom Wagon

...cleaning up after the week in racing

Shhhhhhh...

The Quiet One takes it at the line in SanRemo

With the first monument of the season in the books, it was about time to update the points.  Last Saturday we were treated to one of the better Milan-San Remo races in recent memory.  It's no coincidence that the top three in that race are some of the top scorers in the league so far.  We all knew Sagan would score points but Kwiatkowski and Allaphillipe look poised to have huge years.

Nitro comes out guns a blazin' in "The Race of the two Seas"

That's Contador checking the clock to see if those missed
 bonus seconds would cost him the overall victory. They would.  

Most of the big name GC guys came out of hiding last week as we had both Paris-Nice and Tirreno-Adriatico on the docket.  Nairo rode away from everybody on the biggest climb in Italy locking up overall victory early.  The Race to the Sun was a more nuanced affair, as the ever attacking Contador took it down to the last second (well literally last 2 seconds) only managing second to a scrambling Henao.  Paris-Nice is often an exciting race, but this edition was exceptional.  Every stage played a role in the GC battle and we saw a mix of old favorites like Contador and Porte battle it out with younger guys like Henao and Alaphillipe.  Great race.

Steven takes the lead

Perennial podium finisher, Le Pacte de Lupes jumps out to an early season lead.  Is this the year he breaks through for an overall win?  

Forza's Fury

Ride Forza, Ride

Some day I am going to travel to Siena and ride my bike on the Strade Bianche through the Chianti region of Tuscany. Some day…

In the meantime, I am going to find a “pirated stream” of the beautiful, idyllic, and exciting Strade Bianche race. I read that the Strade Bianche is “like Paris-Roubaix and Amstel Gold Race Italian love-child — a hilly route that features rough, unpredictable roads.” This unique race attracts one of the strongest and most competitive fields of the season, especially now that the race has gained WorldTour Status. The Strade Bianche peloton consists of classic’s stars and climbers. The race will be determined by how hard the rouleurs make the race on the rough roads and by the selections the climbers can make on the various slopes throughout the rolling parcours.

How to Watch:

Show up at Luke’s unannounced.

Saturday, Live video starts at about 6:40 a.m. and the finish is approximately at 8:30 a.m.

Steephill links

Cycling Fans

YouTube: search Strade Bianche 2017, use filters, select live

What to eat and Drink:

I like to drink coffee with Baileys and enjoys a pastry or 2. I also like to enjoy some Chianti after a Strade inspired bike ride.

Forza’s Top 10

1. Stybar
2. Sagan
3. GVA
4. Kwiatkowski
5. Wellens
6. Sep
7. Tom Dumoulin
8. Nibali
9. Stuyvens
10. Moser

Honorable Mentions

Fabio Aru, Gatto, Brambilla, Vakoc, Uran, Benoot, Amador, Betancur, Rosa, Battaglin, Lobato, Kelderman, Felline, Pinot, Krueziger, Boasson Hagen