Giro Prologue in Israel

[jackarabit]

Interesting seeing the sights and sites of Jerusalem from the camera chopper. Dumoulin squeaks by a very motivated Rohan Denis to take the prologue TT. American on Subweb in top 20. And no Carleton Kirby in the booth for FUBO! O happy day!

[lindsayh]

Giro! Jerusalem??
How does that work so far from home?

[jackarabit]

Giro! Jerusalem??
How does that work so far from home?

Like a charm from what I saw yesterday and today. Massive crowds at finish of 1st road stage today in Tel Aviv. Front man for shipping the circus to Israel a realty tycoon and Canadian Masters road champ name of Sylvan Adams. Wife kibbutznik. Currently building a velodrome in Tel Aviv. Guy sees a “need” to grow cycling in Israel (ka ching) and the Israelis are supplying the fertilizer (ka ching).

At the granular level the broadcast booths and kites and barriers look just like they would in Italia. A fortune in freight if shipped. Assume it’s sourced locally as the same setup will be needed back in the “boot” day after tomorrow. Certainly an ambitious operation cf. to the T de F starts in adjacent nations! Maybe Alpha Romeo is also hungry for new markets and providing the juice?

[jamesg]

Today they go down, or close, Lawrence's route to Eilat, next door to Aqaba. Desert all the way. Start in Italy Tuesday.

They are commemorating Gino Bartali who won the Giro in 1936, 37 and 46 and the Tour twice. During WW2 he was active for the Jews and for the Resistance, smuggling papers hidden in his bike frame. Italy was then governed by Fascists and occupied by the Nazis.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gino_Bartali

[jackarabit]

T. E. Lawrence. Gino Bartali. One could have worse heroes!

For those interested in Gino the Devout, the documentary film My Italian Secret: The Forgotten Heroes addresses Bartali’s secret life as a Resistance courier circa WWII, the “big one” that ended so many lives and bifurcated many more.

If you like your sports reporting purpled with extended metaphor, Dino Buzzati’s enthusiastic account of the first postwar revival of the Giro d’Italia, The ‘49 Giro: Coppi vs. Bartali is worth the effort in Italian (my wife’s opinion) or English translation.

[GJS]

Rather glad that's over. Onward to beautiful Italy.
With Froome half a minute down things are set up very nicely.

[hjs]

Rather glad that's over. Onward to beautiful Italy.
With Froome half a minute down things are set up very nicely.

It was indeed pretty horrible, super boring stages. Apart from the time trial simply crap, only for the money...

[chipman]

Don't worry about Froome. Today is Tuesday, and froomie always does well on TUEsday.

[jackarabit]

The problem with TUEs is that although you can help yourself, you are under the WADApistol if you take too much. This is what happens when Brailsford determines the dose. A little bit here, a little more there, those marginal gains really add up! The day of this zero tolerance choirboy is coming to an end.

[GJS]

Well, there we have it.
Super stuff. Italy looked spectacular as always. Delighted for Froome. Shame the drug stuff yet looms.

For me, given Froome's pedigree, the weakness of the GC field, the time he put into his lacklustre chasers during the descents, stage 19 was a great and splendid thing rather than another blow to the sport's credibility.

Wot say you, Jack? I guess you have an opinion; I'm certain of it, in fact.

[jackarabit]

As you're certain of so much, Gary, did you happen to notice that my comment regarding therapeutic use exemptions came over a week prior to the 90k of gathering KOM points and strategically-placed water handups as well as accepting all the time that Yates gave back after he cracked on the fatal day. I was responding to another member’s comment, not suggesting that a few extra puffs from an asthma relief inhaler would totally determine the winner of a Grand Tour. (Good thing everything came together considering that the team car absented itself alarmingly after detouring around the strada sploogea climb.

I’m impressed by Froome, perfect preparation, attention to detail, marginal gains—and Brailsford. So is WADA. It won’t be my scepticism that breaks the spell.

[GJS]

Cheers, Jack.
I surely noticed the age of that post and its tenor prompted me to ask the Q.
I do wonder whether my fondness for Froome - as an hooman being - is rather blinding me from the truth of things and was interested in what you thought. Interested because you are always engaged and engaging, often insightful, and delightfully fecund. Which is to say I was certain you would have a opinion and certain that I would be glad to hear to it.

[jackarabit]

Sorry Gary, got sparky in that last post. I need to chillax. And the flattering comments got inside my guard, didn’t they? Blessed are the peacemakers!

[jackarabit]

Hmm, guess we’ll see Froome the bell tolls. Pun not my doing: from 2018 TOUR (de France) RACE GUIDE, published by TIME, UK.

[Dangerscouse]

Cheers, Jack.
I surely noticed the age of that post and its tenor prompted me to ask the Q.
I do wonder whether my fondness for Froome - as an hooman being - is rather blinding me from the truth of things and was interested in what you thought. Interested because you are always engaged and engaging, often insightful, and delightfully fecund. Which is to say I was certain you would have a opinion and certain that I would be glad to hear to it.

Fecund is an all too under-used word, and I agree you're engaged and engaging, Jack