Lance Armstrong?s Twitter messages about the dangers of the last two stage finishes got little sympathy from Giro d?Italia race director Angelo Zomegnan.
The former Gazzetta dello Sport cycling reporter has never had time for any complaints from the riders. He refuted that the descent and twisting finish in Mayrhofen on Thursday and Friday?s 35km rain-soaked descent to the finish were dangerous.
Armstrong made it clear what he thought of the long descent to the finish in a Twitter message posted soon after the stage.
"Done with st 7. I've seen it all now. 25 mile fast decent to the finish. In the pissing rain. Makes no sense. The boys in the bunch are livid."
He also fired off an ?Agreed? when Michael Rogers wrote: ?Didn't enjoy that last decent into the finish. Dangerous stuff :-/?
After Thursday's stage to Mayrhofen, Armstrong wrote: ?Done with stage 6. Uh...wow. That was the craziest last 30k I've ever seen. Long, fast decent at 80k (50pmh) plus then a tight circuit.?
?Not sure that's necessary really. Tomorrow is the same kind of finish. It's bike racing, not moto gp??
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ZOMEGNAN RESPONDS
Zomegnan initially denied that he had seen Armstrong?s Twitter messages but later admitted it is one of the first thing he reads after each stage to see what his star guest is saying.
?I?m just happy that nothing happened,? he told Cycling Weekly on Friday evening.
?There are some stages that are more technical than others. We?ve taken out a load of roads traffic and railings. It?s getting harder and harder with all the stuff on the road.?
When it was pointed out that Armstrong was talking about the descent all the way to the finish, Zomegnan responded with his usual sarcasm.
?What are we supposed to do?? he asked bluntly.
?Add another 100km to the stage and finish it on the motorway near Bologna??
LANCE GETTING OLD?
Race leader Danilo Di Luca revealed that Armstrong had talked to him about the Mayrhofen finish but he didn?t think the Chiavenna was that bad.
?He talked to me about yesterday and he talked about the unlit tunnels. Today was a little more dangerous because it rained but I don?t think the finish was that dangerous. Things are more dangerous in Belgium.?
Asked if perhaps Armstrong is getting old and is perhaps a little nervous after recently breaking his collarbone, Di Luca responded with a smile and a ?maybe? that said it all.
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