TAPPA 21 Giro d'Italia 2013

TAPPA 21 Giro d'Italia 2013

The Red jersey is up for grabs

Marky Mark wants it bad

Also this course is flat

Mark would like a shot at that

Nibaii is ahead on points

As the Giro he anoints

Pirazzi is the KOM

Betancur in White

Adding in the weather

Its' been a brutal fight

Astana is on fire

ditto the Poles

Italians took it higher

Also Columbos

The final stage this Sunday

Under sunny skies

Must be a welcome respite

for all the guys

I noticed pizza boxes

stacked in the team car

Get the party started

At 50 KMs far

At 31 they enter town

Seven circuits around

Garzelli leads in

he is retiring

to a crowd loudly admiring

A moment to shed a tear

an end to a long career

The finish is tight

not much room at the front

no one wants to take his lump

OPQS takes the head

Marks' Red jersey put to bed

Thrice Mark had to take the sprint

He's vexed and has an argument

Now the final 15 K

Does Cav have something left today?

Last Lap!!!  

Can Omega stick it

handing Cav a winning ticket?

Yes!!! He stakes his tappa five

Indeed the fastest man alive!!!

TAPPA 20 Giro d'Italia 2013

TAPPA 20 Giro d'Italia 2013

The race has changed from the intent

Minus climbs which were meant

Bad weather served to compound

route problems and to confound

the planners---where could there be found

steep mountain climbs without descents?

With Wiggins out then Hesjedal

The favorites were not there at all

Nibali astounded  with total grace

and dominance

Both his time trial and climbing skills

have lifted him to prominence

But the star of this year's Giro

is bad weather--il maltempo 

Torrential rain, storm, and ice

It really hasn't been too nice

Tre Cime di Lavaredo

is where the group must go

A blizzard ends tappa two oh

Mountains blanketed with snow

Halfway through the stage

The break of four is still away

Many teams and riders

want to shine on this day

Another day of filthy rain

cobbles now add to the pain

Cadel and Nibali move to the fore

there are twenty KM more

12 plus miles of total risk

perfect for the masochist

Pavel Brutt leads the break

Betancur breaks down but retakes

Peter Weening leads the pack

Nibali et al half a minute back

At 10 KM a short descent

weather totally inclement

The lower slopes of Tre Crimi

The cold is shocking--wintery!

Capecci deserves a shout out

Kiserlovski is still about

The cold is culprit number one

once it's in, your race is done

So says veteran Sean Kelly

I'm getting frostbite through the telli

Nibali takes the lead

So far to go

I guess he likes riding in snow!

At heights of 18 per-cent

A monstrous gradient

Cadel keeps on

 he wants GC

The fans are acting crazily

Uran Uran is still intact

Cadel grinds on at his back

It's almost over

Nibali streaks ahead

The podium his daily bread

What a stage

Vincenzo grabs it!

Climbing quicker 

than a rabbit

Uran takes two

Cadel is three

I refer to the GC

TAPPA 19 Giro d'Italia 2013--CANCELLED!!!!

Tappa 19 Giro d'Italia 2013

Cancelled!!!!!

There will be no dueling in the Dolomites today

Andy Hampstens' legacy will not come into play

Snow and ice make the road unfit to ride

Today the mighty peloton will chill inside

TAPPA 18 Giro d'Italia 2013

Tappa 18 Giro d'Italia 2013

Time Trial

Nibali and Cadel

do the time trial

hope to do well

Capecci pushes 

Betancur flies

as does Sanchez, Samuel

His ride straight from the manual

Nibali looks strong

as he flies along

 Uran looking  like he belongs

but Scarponi is doing better still

Cadel losing time but not his will

Nibai is flying!

This is the news

Cadel must be feeling the Blues

Uran also is also losing time

although clearly in his prime

Majka takes White from Betancur

It's cycling these things can occur!

Nibali is giving it all he's got

Cadel must feel his race is shot

Coming in at 24

He can almost hear the shutting door

Nibali wins the stage!

A remarkable ride

Can anyone stop this rising tide?

In GC he leads by minutes four!

This time trial stage his open door

Sanchez a disappointing two

Sammy we do feel for you

Five native sons in the top ten

An excellent day to be Italian!

TAPPA 17 Giro d'Italia 2013

Tappa 17 Giro d'Italia 2013

Caravaggio to Vicenza

These names lend us

a sense of history

medieval mystery

soaring citadels

in grey stone

ancient roads

for the peloton

The big question 

is the climb

up Crosara

For the finish is flat

with 25 points

if you can climb that

mount--a category four

Cavendish wants one stage more

Sorry I missed his birthday

I was on a getaway

Here's cheers to Cav

twenty eight

A man who shows us

what is "great"

a true champ we can contemplate

even when he is irate

With 100 K to go

The mood is mellow

Nibali is a happy fellow

Ditto Pirazzi KOM

With many climbs still 

before him

A fast pace by Argos

and OPQS

tries the break to harness

Other teams come to the fore

Hoping for an open door

Also to improve their karma

No pain no gain for Omega-Pharma

 Cannondale and Argos share the work

Movistar also won't shirk

The break is flying impudently

It's do or die for all to see

Belkov clearly on a mission

He'd like to win 

with Gods' permission

He takes the sprint intermediate

five more points are his to get

San Bonafacio

The Giro so classy-o

But at 40 km/h per

is it all a blur?

Mark wants points

It keeps him engaged

He is at a dangerous age

Building from a foundation firm

all laurels are his to earn

The fastest sprinter of his era

And he seems to know no fear--ah!

His daughter Delilah has not sapped

his powers

He is the uomo of the hour

Birthday cheers to Vande Velde

Happy Returns we wish you well!

 Veterans like Voigt, J.

allow you to embrace your Earth Day

The mountain stages yet to come

occur in weather not much fun

But now with Ks left 33

Crosara looms forbiddingly

The climb begins

At first gently

The race will form up

consequently

Technical and very steep

Crosara is tough to  complete

We hope that Cav can make it 

Also rough on all the swifts

Climbers alone can smile at this

Lampre sets a quite high speed

the sprinters suffer to succeed

Visconti surges showing form

Rubiano riding beyond the norm

Putting up an excellent fight

Visconti starts showing 

his great might

His descending form a textbook

Not even a backward look!

Suffering, he has a chance

What a fantastic performance!

He wins the stage for Movistar!

With wins like that he will go far

TAPPA 15 Giro d'Italia 2013

Tappa 15 Giro d'Italia 2013

On the way to Mont Cenis

The peloton is truculent

for the most part

showing solidarity

and a lot of heart

They're upset about conditions

And the stage  route

Tappa 15 can be a brute

At 80 KM they roll

through the snow banks

The racing has started

Let's all give thanks

The most interesting 

thing to me

Is how the peloton

exerts its' personality

Directors sportif

may have their say

but the peloton rules

at the end of the day

Visconti and Weening

are in the break

The Galibier

everyone awaits

They're  on

the Telegraph

climbing dictates 

Pirazzi and Weening

take off the breaks

Astana stays cool

yet in control

as the peloton

continues to roll

The danger men

are scrutinized

Astana looks with

calmness wise

10 K  to go

it's anyone's race

some are just trying

to save face

Visconti is scrambling

and getting the points

it will be the climbers

who fortune anoints

Nibali wins!

He takes it in stride

The end of a harrowing ride

TAPPA 14 Giro d'Italia 2013

Tappa 14 Giro d'Italia 2013

Once again the weather

Takes a leading role

 snow on the Sestriere

because it's freezing cold

has caused the organizers

to cancel  that climb

The safety of the riders

Coming first this time

Nibali's  still Pink

protected as you'd think

The live feed interrupted

By the steady rain

 Most riders seem happy 

to be spared the pain

of a frigid descent

with low visibility

Most applaud the move

as a taste of civility

As athletes they're men of steel

But still flesh and bone--

let's keep it real

Battaglin crashed with a broken collar bone

A stage winner he will now head home

Strategies may have to change

 RCS can't control the rain

The break at 75 K

is over nine minutes

None of those men

are GC in it

Uran is now leader

Of the Sky Team

How he acquits himself

remains to be seen

David Millar's gone

Another G-Sharp blow

A lot of disappointments

in their Giro

With the Tour de France

'most six weeks away

several have decided

To ride another day

I am also tempted

to brew some morning gold

since the live feed

has been put on hold

20 minutes later

sipping a fine brew

I can report nothing new

Oh, tomorrows' big hill

the Galibier 

by foul weather

has been swept away

At 45 km we're still in the dark

The break is looking likely

nine minutes up

one of those four

may drink a winning cup

Now it's down to five

with  15 still to climb

Who will mount the Jafferau?

We'll know in time

We hear Sky is leading the group

With no copters flying

it's hard to get the poop

How clever of me to grab

La prima colazione

With no live feed

there is no need 

to be hungry 

as well as lonely

8 KM and over 4

The break sees an open door

Nibali and Evans are still in the pack

We hear Pellizotti has made an attack

Our visuals are back to black

The break is finally pulling back

Santambrogio attacks

Nibali on his wheel

Santambrogio wins it

How great they both must feel

Nibali did not contest

taking the points on bonus

Gesink sinks he's off the pod

Nibali ranks this Giros' god

And here's the GC after today's stage:

Nibali and Santambrogio are the big winner of the day.

General classification after stage 14 

1 Vincenzo Nibali (Ita) Astana Pro Team 57:20:52

2 Cadel Evans (Aus) BMC Racing Team 0:01:26

3 Rigoberto Uran Uran (Col) Sky Procycling 0:02:46

4 Mauro Santambrogio (Ita) Vini Fantini-Selle Italia 0:02:47

5 Michele Scarponi (Ita) Lampre-Merida 0:03:53

6 Przemyslaw Niemiec (Pol) Lampre-Merida 0:04:55

7 Domenico Pozzovivo (Ita) AG2R La Mondiale 0:05:02

8 Rafal Majka (Pol) Team Saxo-Tinkoff 0:05:32

9 Carlos Alberto Betancur Gomez (Col) AG2R La Mondiale 0:05:39

10 Benat Intxausti Elorriaga (Spa) Movistar Team 0:05:41

Imo at Amgen Tour Stage 5 Intermediate Sprint

Parked ON the sprint line,

I'm O on the spot stage 5

Tour California

Weather is breezy

Townsfolk are still unaware

What is soon to come

TAPPA 13 Giro d'Italia 2013

Tappa 13 Giro d'Italia 2013

The two major contenders

Found illness race enders

Wiggo and Ryder

have abandoned the struggle

illness gave them too much trouble

The psychology of being 

number one

is sometimes not all that much fun

They started the race in perfect

shape

Winning only contemplate

Expectations weighing heavy

The champions' tax was levied

Supermen but human in the end

They must go home and try to mend

Uran Uran will try for Sky

I like his name

I like the guy

He must enjoy this fateful turn

Allowing him laurels to earn

Ryders' ride was just plain sad

His hopes dashed by feeling bad

Double proof that all can see

Championship can bring tragedy

 Last year this happened to Cadel

I really hope he remains well 

Today's stage is long and flat

Mark Cavandish is up for that

Looking for stage win one hundred and one

For him being champion is still fun

The sun is shining tentatively

A welcome sight for all to see

This stage is the longest

We now have a climb

Boem sets a sturdy pace

Mark C hangs in with grace

Vini Fantini sets the time

25 miles 'til the finish line

Mark seems strong on the incline

Quick Step begin their bell to chime

In the saddle for 200 miles plus

Riders' strength amazes us

Endurance and focus off the charts

They also must have giant hearts

Not speaking just of cardio

A mighty love must make them go

All the way to Cherasco

An attack by Bongiorno

From the Italians lots of brio

Omega Pharma Quick Step

Marks' ambitions they protect

A late race break nine men strong

Would like to sing a different song

Lastras works with the wisdom of age

Oh, would he love to win this stage!

Niboli has maintained his cool

Can Quick Step take this break to school?

Katushas' Caruso attacks from the break

Mark is alone but in great shape

He wins by a hair and celebrates

His climbing and sprinting both first rate!

Mark admits to being tired

For being human he won't be fired

TAPPA 12 Giro d'Italia

Tappa 12 Giro d'Italia

Another stage of slogging

Through torrential rain

A stage short and flat-ish

But weather will bring pain

A finish for a mass sprint

if they're not all washed away

Should we propitiate the weather gods

For a break today?

A cold is circulating 

through the peloton

On days like this you must ask

How can they go on?  

With backers backing off

It's no time to go soft

Sean puts it neatly

"their morale is in their socks"

Not wishing to get into

a sympathetic grumble

I'll brew a pot of coffee

And watch the sprinters rumble

60 KM to go

Markey Mark his cheeks does blow

They're talking about editing

the final ten KM

In any case the deluge

divides the boys from men

A climb is coming soon

Montello Vittoria

Mark will have to pull it

To sprint on to gloria

A second cup of coffee

brose spiked to a T

Allows me to observe affairs

with equanimity

OPQS keeps Mark C in good place

The five man break sets a good pace

30 seconds up

With under 10 to go

Will one attack?

We don't know

They hang in 'til the final 1

They're gone 

but a fine race they've run

Cavendish takes it

Stage 12 was a bitch

Bradley unable to scratch 

his itch

Go to the bus, lads

Take a hot drink

Pro-racing is tougher

than you would think

TAPPA 11 Giro d'Italia 2013

Tappa 111 Giro d'Italia 2013

Wiggo has a head cold

He's under weather foul

Garmin-Sharp took this 

time to howl

 Ramunas Navardauskas

Lithuanian stalwart

took the stage with

Degenkolb home, hurt

Oss came two

Pirazzi three

No internet made 

today sans for me

TAPPA 10 Giro d'Italia 2013

Tappa 10 Giro dItalia 2013

Rest day is done

Now for the fun

Of steep climbs 

And a finish uphill

Astana in front

The pace they pump

A test for everymans'  will

By the end of the day

We'll be be able to say

Who can make the grade

A strong break begins to fade

'Tho here it's only 6:15 AM

I'm already exhausted for these men

Pellizotti leaps forward

Ryder's in the rear

For his Giro must we fear?

Cadel and Scarponi  looking good

Brad seems composed

as he should

Rodriquez leads across the top

Henao has been dropped

Nibali descends neatl

Sky Team to unseat

The final climb beckons

The day will be reckoned

Altopiano del Montasio

Finish fantastico

A test for one and all

Gesink, Wiggins, Nibali, Evans

feel the stress as sixes and sevens

Lots of good climbers

Grade of 20 percent

Big suspense is what is meant

Uran makes a move

Nibali must choose

Cadel looks swell

Uran is impressive

as he climbs along

Bradley struggles on 

the steep slope

Rigoberto Uran

Emerges the man

Betancur two

Congrats to you

Nibali from Sicily

Wears Pink for Italy

Coming in three-fully

Brad loses a minute

Is he still in it?

Experts say he's not out yet

But to Uran goes the fete

Evans rode this stage 

quite gracefully

But can he rely on team BMC?