Tuesday, March 19, 2024

Giro d’Italia 2010 – Into Double Figures

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HomeJournalsGarmin Physio Toby WatsonGiro d'Italia 2010 - Into Double Figures

We’re into double figures. We’re now deep into the Giro, Day 10 in fact, and the cracks are starting to show! Firstly, there was a horrific incident of five of the team’s staff getting on the wrong side of some VERY raw, yet delicious steak, which fortunately didn’t lead to a team-wide outbreak of GIT problems. Thank goodness for Universal Precautions! Secondly (and as ever, less importantly) the riders are now in the hurt basket pretty much permanently.

Double Figures
Some guys have a stylish way to beat the rain. Photo©Ed Hood

The racing to date has been through pretty horrific conditions, both weather-wise, and racecourse-wise. Yesterday was a particularly good example of both issues — the boys were riding through a rain squall of significant size, and then found themselves having to ride through standing water all the way up to their pedals.

Some called a small river, although I would have called it a creek myself. The boys tend to exagerrate at times! Southern Italy, road drainage and planning are minor details.

Double Figures
It’s a dirty job. Photo©Martin Williamson

We’ve been bopping away with some solid, although not brilliant results, but hopefully today will see a bunch sprint, and hopefully Tyler will be the man at the front of said sprint. True, a lot of “hopefullys”, but not unreasonable ones!

The other key event of the race since the last message — Cadel Evans winning one of the most epic stages of Giro history with the coolest tactic of all: ride them all off your wheel!

Double Figures
Chatting to VeloVeritas Editor Martin, and waiting for the boys to come up the Strada Bianchi. Photo©Ed Hood

All of the boys crossed the line absolutely caked in mud (it was a race over clay roads for 17 of the final 20km), freezing cold, exhausted, and all saying they were happy they had finished it so they could say they were in the race THAT day. Pretty cool. Dave Millar dragged himself up to third overall on that day too.

Double Figures
I catch a lift from the BMC boys.

We’ve got 16km to go today, so that’ll be all he wrote.

GO TY!

Toby Watson
Toby Watsonhttps://www.veloveritas.co.uk
Ex-Garmin Transitions physiotherapist and soigneur Toby Watson brings you inside the squad, and shows you what it's like to be working with a top team on the biggest races in the world. Through his regular blog updates, Toby shares his sense of drama and fun that were essential parts of his job. Toby is Australian, and currently lives in Girona with his fiancee Amanda. If he has any time, he enjoys reading and running, and occasionally skiing too, when he can.

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