Stage 9 | Montenero di Bisaccia to Blockhaus | Giro d’Italia 2017

The Giro d’Italia reached Blockhaus, the first major mountain of the race, and at last there was drama, although it was the unwelcome kind of drama because a poorly-parked police motorcycle, which was accompanying the race to ensure the riders’ safety, caused a crash which ended Wilco Kelderman’s race and scuppered the overall chances of both Team Sky’s leaders.

Lionel Birnie and Daniel Friebe report from Blockhaus on the incident which not only cost Geraint Thomas and Mikel Landa but also Adam Yates.

When the crash happened, Movistar were driving the pace and it was their man Nairo Quintana who attacked repeatedly on the climb to clinch the stage and take the pink jersey from Bob Jungels. How should we weigh up Quintana’s gains? Was it impressive or perhaps a below-par reward for the effort expended?

And were Movistar wrong to carry on setting the pace after the crash – Adam Yates’s Orica-Scott sports director Matt White certainly thought so. Geraint Thomas and Dave Brailsford of Sky sounded remarkably calm despite months of preparation being wiped out in a second.

In this episode, we discuss the drama and disappointment and weigh up who looked good and who looked ragged in Quintana’s wake.

The Cycling Podcast is supported by Rapha and Science in Sport.