Friday, March 29, 2024

Giro d’Italia 2016 – Stage 16; Not a good day for Esteban Chaves

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HomeDiariesGiro d'Italia 2016 - Stage 16; Not a good day for Esteban...

Bassano del GrappaIt wasn’t a good day for Esteban Chaves on Tuesday’s Stage 16, he lost time to Kruijswijk and Valverde.
With three minutes in hand over the Colombian, the Dutchman is going to take a bit of shifting; and there’s a danger that Valverde might leapfrog Chaves, too – he’s now just 23 seconds in arrears.

Nibali lost time, too.

He just doesn’t seem like his old self in this race.

Esteban Chaves
Estaban Chaves. Photo©Ed Hood

We were at the GreenEDGE hotel on the rest day – whilst the likes of Sven Tuft and Rubén Plaza went out for a couple of hours on the road, Esteban Chaves sat on the turbo, smiled and chatted to journos.

Esteban Chaves
Chaves seems very relaxed and happy to chat. Photo©Ed Hood

It’s not for us to say but we think that perhaps Chaves’ rest day programme wasn’t the best?

Too laid back?

He certainly seemed to be suffering the ‘Post Rest Day Blues.’

Esteban Chaves
Scott Addict. Photo©Ed Hood

We had the opportunity to have a good nose at the GreenEDGE bikes on Monday.

They have a choice of the well proven Addict or much more ‘aero’ Foil, complete with huge head tube, ‘Stealth Fighter’ stem and back brake tucked under the bottom bracket.

Call us traditionalists but we like the Addict best – and we have our doubts about how aero all that wiring is under the stem on the Foil…

And what about when you stick two circular feeding bottles into the equation?

GreenEDGE duly ‘done’ we headed off to get our race credentials – always a nice milestone to pass.

The digs were good, clean and with nice grub – but freezing cold.

We were the only guests – shades of, ‘The Shining’ and the heating system wasn’t switched on.

Esteban Chaves
Filippo Pozzato. Photo©Ed Hood

Tuesday saw us on the race proper at the Stage 16 start in Bressanone or ‘Brixen’ – there’s a lot of German spoken here – but not before we spied Pippo getting measured for his new Sella Italia.

He’s still so damn cool.

Esteban Chaves
The iconic trophy. Photo©Ed Hood

Every year the presentation gets that bit grander; this year a “goddess” brings the trofeo in to the sign-on.

There’s dancing, hyper ‘speakers’ and it’s certainly more glitzy than a Tour roll out – even if there are less folk around.

Esteban Chaves
Damino Cunego. Photo©Ed Hood

Damiano Cunego is still hugely popular and his tenure in the blue (used to be green) of Montagna leader is huge for his Nippo team.

Esteban Chaves
Roberto Ferrari. Photo©Ed Hood

Lampre’s Roberto Ferrari is a good sprinter in his own right – he has a Giro stage win to his name – but his role now is as Sasha Modolo’s trusted ‘last man’ in his train.

He has the hair, the smile, the attitude – he’s cool.

Esteban Chaves
Gianluca Brambilla. Photo©Ed Hood

Brambilla appears and no one bats an eye lid – that stage win and time in pink is forgotten now.

Esteban Chaves
Vincenzo Nibali. Photo©Ed Hood

Nibali looked relaxed – but wouldn’t at the finish when he dropped time on Kruijswijk and Valverde.

Like we say, not his self.

Esteban Chaves
Alejandro Valverde. Photo©Ed Hood

Valverde looked ‘on it’ before the start – and so it would prove, taking a great stage win in his first Giro and moving to third on GC.

Esteban Chaves
Diego Ulissi. Photo©Ed Hood

As we mentioned, it wasn’t a good day for Esteban Chaves – seen in this photo on Ulissi’s wheel with 10 K to go – he dropped 48 seconds on Kruijswijk.

GreenEDGE PR guy and cycling legend, John Trevorrow reckons it was due to inattention – we’re not so sure, he looks tired to us.

Esteban Chaves
Giovanni Visconti. Photo©Ed Hood

Some, like Visconti, were just riding in – glad that another day can be crossed off.

Esteban Chaves
Steno Pirazzi. Photo©Ed Hood

Whilst you can sense the frustration in riders like Pirazzi – desperate for an opportunity to show.

Our first ‘real’ day in, then, and the digs weren’t too far away, the pizza was good and we slept like logs – even though the Sky bus was just around the corner…

More soon – we’re still finding our race legs!

Ciao, ciao.

Ed Hood
Ed Hood
Ed's been involved in cycling for over 50 years. In that time he's been a successful time triallist, a team manager and a sponsor of several teams and clubs. He's also a respected and successful coach and during the winter months was often working in the cabins at the Six Days for some of the world's top riders. Ed remains a massive fan of the sport and couples his extensive contacts with an inexhaustible enthusiasm for the minutiae and the history of our sport. In February 2023 however, our dear friend and beloved colleague Ed suffered a devastating stroke and faces an uncertain future; Ed has lost his ability to speak, to read, and has lost movement on the right side of his body. He's working with speech and physical therapists on rehabilitation, but all strokes are different and each patient responds differently, so unfortunately recovery is one day at a time. Ed ran his own business installing windows, and will probably not be able to work again. Please consider joining us to make a contribution to Ed's GoFundMe page to help stabilise and secure his future.

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