Well, at least I wasn't the only one to underestimate this stage -- it just shows that over the feral ground of Italy, on a hot day, through the climbing of a Medium Mountain stage of only 150kms, if the pace is driven hard by the GC teams, what appeared like an easy stage on paper becomes a stage as tough and absorbing as any High Mountain stage with a summit finish.

I believe EQS started all that combat off, which was a little strange since Uran wasn't going that well and Boonen would struggle over the final climb. Nevertheless, it wasn't long before other teams became involved, worried about the calibre of riders in the breakaway and the significant virtual leaders, they began to work on the front before AST got serious and began drilling the speed and making devastating ground. I think all this suggested that even these teams underestimated the stage, and perhaps the categorization of those climbs. (And the climbs in the Giro generally appear to be under-categorized, perhaps.) However, once they were committed and realizing the slow-drip selection which was occurring there was no stopping it -- it had become its own monster, so to speak. Yes, Kreuziger was in the breakaway and TCS were on the front working, but that just showed that TCS have more faith in Contador than they did in Kreuziger winning the stage, simple as that. It showed that what's more important to them is the Giro win for Bertie, not a gamble on Kreuziger in a large breakaway early race stage. Especially, since it's likely that the scouts rang through and said that this can be a tough-enough stage to cause what we saw eventuate. These teams are here to race and that's exactly what they're doing -- what's interesting is who of them are using up their matches the most so early on, and what effect will that have in week three?

Can only echo the feelings of the previous comments -- this is what cycling is all about, this is why it's one of the best sports to watch, and in historical terms this is the, what I would describe, as the "Giro Flavour". I love it!

OGE didn't do much wrong I don't think, Clarke is in the leader's jersey and that's what they would've wanted in sending him and Chaves into the breakaway, clearly they didn't need to win the stage for that to happen, and both tried hard for the team -- they were just beaten by a stronger rider on his day. Obviously Matthews and Gerrans were never going to be in it with such a turn of speed by the peloton in selection mode. One of the hardest things to get right at ante-post is essentially who will feel strong all day or strongest when it matters? Formolo showed throughout the stage how strong he was, but to do what he did was quite amazing, and I didn't think he could do it with the selective peloton was closing in, simply because I thought it was a mistake for Formolo to have attacked the breakaway on the flat before the final climb.

Good try to lay him MC, sometimes such cheap lays can really pay off, but this kid is good and was brilliant today!

Cheers,
SP

500's on here, on face value I thought it was a little weak from him. He had beaten Formolo in a mountain top finish last year and should of been able to follow.  Maybe he didn't want to take the chance away from Clarke to get the maglia pink.  Anyway he will get his chance tomorrow, if he can follow the big guys he might be the fourth OGE rider to wear the pink in the first 5 stages.