Floating atop the vast sea of “how’s the form” questions that pop up right before a grand tour is a beacon of flippancy called “Unserious Questions,” our semi-frequent and thoroughly lighthearted check-in with five of the Americans racing the Giro d’Italia. This series, now in its third grand tour, is intended to provide a different kind of insight into the minds of bike racers across a grueling three weeks. Sometimes the most revealing answers come from the silliest questions.
So, welcome to the first round of Unserious Questions, Giro 2017. With us this month are Cannondale-Drapac riders Joe Dombrowski and Alex Howes, BMC’s Joey Rosskopf, Trek-Segafredo’s Pete Stetina, Pete Stetina’s mustache, and Sunweb’s Chad Haga. We’ll catch up with them at each rest day and at the end of the race, plus maybe once or twice more just for kicks.
Have an Unserious Question for our American Giro-ists? Tweet them at us.
What was the most Italian thing you saw/that happened to you today?
Pete Stetina (Trek-Segafredo): Upon landing, the Internet has been virtually nonexistent.
Alex Howes (Cannondale-Drapac): The old guy at the cafe looked each one of us up in the local paper and demanded a picture.
Chad Haga (Sunweb): I saw a kid on a tiny 650c bike with vintage Miche and Campy components, and Vittoria corsa tubulars on 36-spoke box-section rims.
Joey Rosskopf (BMC): My name now seems to be “grande Joe!”
Joe Dombrowski (Cannondale-Drapac): Saw a Piaggio Ape practically drifting around switchbacks.
Coffee count: What time is it, and how many coffees have you had since you woke up?
Stetina: Just my 1 big American-style Aeropress. Gotta save the adrenals for week 3. Two decaf in afternoon for the flavor though.
Howes: 2 cappuccinos, 1:12 p.m.
Haga: 1 big coffee at breakfast and a small cappuccino on the ride.
Rosskopf: As of 10:00 a.m., I’ve had 2 Americanos.
Dombrowski: Due cappuccini.
Hypothetically, if the downhill competition did happen, who would win it?
Stetina:The noob who was dropped and gets the car draft at the bottom to catch up. He’d take it by a few seconds by doing 100kph.
Howes: Luca Paolini
Haga: Nibali would be the fastest guy at the front of the race, but it would likely be won by a sprinter in the grupetto.
Rosskopf: Manuel Senni. Lightest guy on the team but is strong in the corners.
Dombrowski: Matej Mohoric.
Pick one word that sums up your feelings about racing the Giro.
Stetina: It’s, like, the 100th edition brah. Like centennial, man.
Howes: Pink panther.
Haga: Pride.
Rosskopf: Hopeful.
Dombrowski: An odyssey … It is an odyssey.
What was your first thought when you got up this morning?
Stetina: Last day to relax, marinate this morning. (I did just that: 1.5-hour breakfast.)
Howes: It’s so dark. Why do I hear birds?
Haga: An hour till breakfast, I’m gonna have some coffee while I read out on the terrace.
Rosskopf: I wonder how my boys did in the Redlands TT.
Dombrowski: The hotel room blind is still broken
Time for a friendship exercise. Turn to your roommate, ask them to say one nice thing about you. What did they say?
Stetina: Nice mustache.
Howes: “There are too many nice things to say about you” – Woodsy [Michael Woods]
Haga: Sindre, my Norwegian roommate, says I’m quiet.
Rosskopf: “Hard working, super relaxed, and an easy roommate.” Awww shucks …
Dombrowski: Excellent taste in music.
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