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?