10 Second Anime - Blade and Soul - Episode 9

Blade and Soul - Episode 9

Yuu is dead. Jin Varrel is dead. But not for long? Elle Karen takes in Aruka, but only to take revenge for killing her lover.

Hmm.

For someone who keeps saying that revenge is foolish, Elle Karen is not foolish when it comes to revenge. With a well-planned setup, and ruthlessly killing one of her own employees, she takes revenge on the assassin who killed her lover. Karen saw that just killing Aruka wouldn't satisfy herself. Aruka also had no one left alive she cared for, so there could be no suffering of loss either. So Karen manufactured someone for Aruka to care for, one of the newer employees, and then made Aruka suffer that manufactured loss.

We saw that Karen was always ethically flexible since the episode with the village growing the blue flowers, but this episode puts her all the way into the evil category. It's apparent now that she was only keeping tabs on Aruka to look for an opening to exploit in exacting her revenge, and when she couldn't find one, she made one. She also knew that Aruka only killed as a contract assassin, so why didn't she go after the one who contracted Aruka? She took her revenge on the first available target. It's hard to look at her now and see a likeable character.

Feh.

After all the revelations of her lost love, and her cunning plot to make Aruka suffer, I was still going to let myself feel ambivalent over Elle Karen. Then she did this:

Giro Jot del Giorno - 5/31/2014

tifoso (pl. tifosi) - Italian for sports fan, but sometimes used derogatively in English language cycling broadcast coverage to describe disruptive spectators on the side of the road. Example:

Tifosi were especially active on the Monte Zoncolan, ruining Bardiani rider Francesco Bongiorno's chances of contesting the stage with the winner, Tinkoff-Saxo's Mick Rogers, and almost knocking over pink jersey wearer Nairo Quintana of Movistar as he rode further down the slope.

See also schloog or schmenge.

10 Second Anime - Fuuun Ishin Dai Shogun - Episode 8

Fuuun Ishin Dai Shogun - Episode 8

A colorful stranger steals Keiichiro's Tokugawa seal. He tries to win it back, but ends up losing Kiriko to foreigners. He and the stranger rescue her from Dejima island.

Heh.

If you think Kiriko hasn't been getting naked enough since the first episode, then this episode is just for you. And even if you think her amount of fanservice has been fine, this episode is still just for you.

Those nasty foreigners. Just selling whatever they got to whomever has money. I mean, who does that?

Interesting that the rock-paper-scissors game uses a gun instead of scissors. I guess it shoots right through paper.

Poor Hyakusuke. He got his Newtonian telescope destroyed and lost his awesome peeping location thanks to those horny foreigners.

Even though this is supposed to be an alternative history, it looks like we'll get our Meiji Restoration anyway, even if Keiichiro becomes the new shogun. Part of dismantling the shogunate under the emperor was opening Japan up for free trade.

So, uh, are all Japanese just terrible at rock-paper-scissors, or just the ones with wavering feelings in this episode? Kiriko wasn't the only one losing her shirt, so to speak.

Giro Jot del Giorno - 5/30/2014

Batman traversed the hillside of Montecopiolo on his way to greet the riders in at the hilltop finish. Photo: BrakeThrough Media | brakethroughmedia.com | Read more at Velonews

Keeping the Giro crime free is thirsty work for this local Dark Knight.

10 Second Anime - Soul Eater Not! - Episode 8

Soul Eater Not! - Episode 8

Dr. Stein successfully treats Eternal Feather's wound. Kim and Jackie break up. The meisters give Tsugumi a deadline to choose a partner.

Heh.

Epic trolling by Dr. Stein! Screw through the head, twice! Robotic head creepily crawling all over the place! And wind-up key in the back when Eternal Feather checks out! Epic!

Obviously, he patched her up really quickly to put together all those pranks, and had time to find the puncture wound left by the ring Shaura Gorgon gave her.

All that trolling produced not one, but two Gargantous's!

10 Second Anime - Soul Eater Not! - Episode 7

Soul Eater Not! - Episode 7

The cute girls do more cute things, at the school, at the café, and at the special market, before things get serious. Shaura Gorgon the witch attacks Eternal Feather.

Heh.

The only way Clay knows how to protect his cover is to make a confession of love, no matter how awkward or improbable it would be. I'm sure there are certain fans of Japanese pop culture who would love a Clay and Mr. Sid pairing...

At the Deathbucks Caffe, the Master is still the scariest one there, no matter how tough the Thompson sisters try to act. I think they're getting better at their jobs. Maybe a little bit...

Giro Jot del Giorno - 5/29/2014

With Ivan Santaromita not starting mountainous stage 18, Orica-GreenEdge has only 2 riders left with 3 stages to go in the Giro. They are Canadian Svein Tuft and Australian Michael Hepburn. Incidentally, they are 3rd and 2nd to last on the General Classification, respectively, but would each have to lose over 10 minutes to the holder of the maglia nero, Jetse Bol, the Dutch rider on Belkin.

10 Second Anime - Yowamushi Pedal - Episode 33

Yowamushi Pedal - Episode 33

Tadokoro starts off badly. Makishima says they need to leave him behind, but Onoda refuses. The power of Love Hime begins to save the day.

Heh.

Squee! Onoda makes Tadokoro sing the Love Hime opening song! And how does he know the words already?! Okay, okay, it was just Onoda setting a good pace and recovery rhythm for Tadokoro, but still, timing the final attack on the refrain's ending was a nice exclamation point. Like I've said before, Onoda is going to turn this club into Anime and Cycling Club, emphasis on Anime.

Oh, man, the best part was before Onoda started singing with Tadokoro was when he asked him, "Hey, you want to pass that guy?" Hah!

Alright, the power of nakama and anime saved Tadokoro, but what will save Imaizumi's low morale? I don't think Kinjou's voice can go low and macho enough to give him a shot of otoko! power.

Not only was there good cycling scenes as we start the 2nd stage, but there were also lots of good reaction shots in the peloton.

10 Second Anime - Yowamushi Pedal - Episode 32

Yowamushi Pedal - Episode 32

The cycling teams recover at their hotels. Makishima worries about Tadokoro and Imaizumi. Onoda's mom is a force of nature. Tadokoro gets left behind.

Heh.

Makishima sure is a worrywart. I think it fits in well with his personality quirk of being a neat freak.

Oh, man. Do not get Naruko started on his adventures in advanced toiletry. You've been warned.

Onoda's mom blowing in like a typhoon had me rolling. Seeing Kinjou embarrassed for Onoda's sake was classic. Mrs. Onoda may not understand exactly what's going on with his racing club, but at least her feelings of support were made clear.

The Hakone guys continue to crack me up. Arakita and Toudou especially. I like how Fukutomi barely registers Arakita's complaint that he wanted the win to be bigger, and just says, "leave it for the last day." Arakita just needs something to complain about. Toudou keeps making his presence known with his oversized personality.

Hmm.

I think Kinjou saw that Imaizumi was frustrated with how much Midousuji had improved since last he saw him, but I'm not sure his words of encouragement reached him. Kinjou is right, though. Without Imaizumi's strong leadout, and blocking for position, Kinjou wouldn't have been delivered to the finishing straight and had the chance to duke it out with Fukutomi and Midousuji. What Imaizumi has to wonder is how Midousuji made it down the descent of the climb on only his small chain ring. The Sohoku teammates saw Midouji fly past, so they should have seen what he was doing.

Kyoto's former ace recognized Onoda's talent and aura. To race on the lip of a gutter and outclimb Midousuji are both things to respect. But the only reason Onoda knew there was a lip to that drainage ditch was because Tadokoro made the first years watch a foot race up that same mountain. Scary preparation combined with talent is hard to beat. Midousuji prepared too, and the strength of the Sohoku and Fukutomi aces were just a bit outside of his calculations.

Going forward, Sohoku has two big things to worry about: Tadokoro's heat exhaustion and Imaizumi's rattled head over Midousuji. I expect the power of nakama and anime will play a hand in solving those problems. Onoda already has one convert to his anime and cycling club. Will he recruit another?

Cycling Porn.

There wasn't much actual cycling to look at this episode except for flashbacks. But there were a few scenes.

Giro Jot del Giorno - 5/28/2014

Bernhard Eisel on completing the Giro's queen stage, stage 16, which included the snowy passes of the Gavia and the Stelvio:

At the end of the day the stage became like ancient Rome or like modern Hunger Games. I'm actually surprised that winner of the stage doesn't have to fight with tigers.

Nairo Quintana, the winner of the stage, did not have to fight tigers, but did have to wrestle with putting on the maglia rosa.

10 Second Anime - Mahouka Koukou no Rettousei - Episode 8

Mahouka Koukou no Rettousei - Episode 8

Slice of life before the drama happens. Tatsuya gets dragged into the big inter-school contest. Miyuki learns to fly.

Hmm.

Several things were confirmed about Tatsuya this week. It's not stated specifically, but he is Taurus Silver, the genius magic engineer. This was hinted at way back in Episode 3. Of course, he could just be involved with a project or group code-named Taurus Silver, but with the way he was making Miyuki crack up over his speculation that the famous engineer is a teenager, well, that's pretty much all the confirmation we need.

More things that were barely shown in the prologue to the first episode showing Tatsuya as a child soldier were fleshed out here too. Such as a military officer playing a hacking game with Tatsuya just to make a phone call, addressing him as Special Officer, and asking him to calibrate a new magic gun for the armed forces. There seems to be lots of retired military working in Tatsuya's orbit, like Mibu's father doing some criminal intelligence work. Small world, indeed.

And we get an explanation of why the school nurse was so nosy about all the students: she's an undercover Public Safety officer, who just happens to train under the Shiba siblings' shinobi master. I'm reminded of what one of the girls said in the first episode, "I don't think there are any civilians at this school."

As a first episode to a new story arc, everything in it is heavy with foreshadowing. From the introduction of Erika's childhood friend, Tatsuya's scheduled visit to Taurus Silver's corporation, the completion of a practical gravity-based flying spell, and the Major's warning to Tatsuya about a criminal syndicate targeting the magic school competition, we're given our list of landmarks to guide our way through the upcoming episodes.

Geh.

We get no action BAMF this episode, but we get a lot of intellectual BAMF'ing from Tatsuya. They should call him the precedent breaker, since he proved he was more than good enough to be one of the magic engineers for the upcoming magic school competition. He rocks code old-school: keyboard, text editors, and reading memory addresses in hexadecimal. As some people said as they watched him do the CAD calibration for Kirihara, most people wouldn't be able to understand just how amazing it was that he did it in this way. Some dude had to complain without even knowing what happened, but he was just a tool to get other people to brag for Tatsuya. It's a good enough device for exposition, but if you're not already a fan of the BAMF, this kind of writing will just annoy you.

Oh, and that magical flying thing that nobody can figure out? Let him just solve it all in an afternoon... No, that's not what happened. Obviously Tatsuya had been trying to get his idea to work as an extension of his loop casting combined with a time recording function for a long time, and he finally finished the practical prototype coincidental to the conversation he had with the Student Council at lunch.

Heh.

Oh, Japan. You better get your act together, or by the end of the century, all you'll be known for is your collection of strange fetishes. Like selling used bloomers to old men...

10 Second Anime - Mahouka Koukou no Rettousei - Episode 7

Mahouka Koukou no Rettousei - Episode 7

A whole lot of BAMF'ing going on against Blanche terrorists. Mibu and Kirihara get together?

Heh.

Erika sure does like to tease her friends. She's easily my favorite character. Azusa runs a close second, though.

The leader of this Japanese branch continues the hypocrisy of using magic when his own foot soldiers can't. Tatsuya cares not for his parlor tricks.

Geh.

Okay, we know Tatsuya is a BAMF, but just shrugging off the antinite cast-jamming and shooting people with his gun? That's Indiana Jones kind of BAMF.

At least the BAMF got spread around. Kirihara seemed awfully mad at the guy who hypnotized false memories into Mibu.

Giro Jot del Giorno - 5/27/2014

Eduard Vorganov rides next to a ten foot wall of snow on the Stelvio. Photo: Tim De Waele | TDWsport.com Read more at Velonews

In recent years, passes in the Italian alps have been included at the Giro when they would normally be covered in snow. The Giro organizers, in deciding to include the Gavia and Stelvio passes, have taken extra measures in the clearing their roads in the month before race comes to visit.

10 Second Anime - Bokura wa Minna Kawaisou - Episode 8

Bokura wa Minna Kawaisou - Episode 8

Usa starts his job at the Apprentice Cafe. An old friend with a new look is caught between worlds. The Kawai Manor girls enter battle mode to save Usa.

Heh.

The title of this episode is a portmanteau of the two Japanese words for happy and death. Kind of like the German Schadenfreude, this word or concept means someone is happy even though they may be dying. That seems to cover most of the situations Usa finds himself in when he deals with Ritsu. So many terrible things happen before he gets that one little smile, or look, or cute action from Ritsu.

Apparently that Mori Summer from Chuunibyou gets around...

Otaku are everywhere, even when they're geeking out over historical references.

Usa's old friend trying to impress her new friends, and all the interactions between her and her old friends was very realistic. That stress of not being found out, but being so insecure you go with the flow of the obnoxious guy, who is also insecure with trying to look cool in front of girls by insulting wait-staff, was all done very well.

That obnoxious guy character is almost an archetype in teen coming-of-age movies, so seeing him get taken down a peg by the Kawai Manor girls in full battle mode was very satisfying.

Speaking of battle mode:

Giro Jot del Giorno - 5/26/2014 - Rest Day

Pink bar tape for Rigoberto Uran Photo: © Tim de Waele/TDW Sport | See more at cyclingnews

Rigoberto Uran's bike goes pinker than Cadel Evans', with added pink brake hoods.

10 Second Anime - Bokura wa Minna Kawaisou - Episode 7

Bokura wa Minna Kawaisou - Episode 7

Ritsu meets a pervert, and Usa comes to her rescue. Usa gets scouted for a part-time job. Ritsu convinces him to take it.

Heh.

Is there a uniform for perverts? Because how could two of them be dressed exactly the same?

Sumiko marveling at how bras these days can thwart train molesters made me laugh out loud. Sayaka didn't like being the butt of Mayumi's joke, though.

10 Second Anime - Blade and Soul - Episode 8

Blade and Soul - Episode 8

Yuu and Aruka, two apprentice siblings finally meet. The Flower Monks discover their location. Jin Varrel versus Aruka, part 2. Yuu dies.

Heh.

You know, if I were a mortally sick dog boy, and I woke up with four beautiful women looking at me as they hovered over my bed, I would think I was actually in Heaven. Of course, Yuu just cares about the food being brought in.

If there's anyone who talks even less than Aruka in this show, it's Jin Varrel. Even the guy with damaged vocal cords talks more than she does.

Aruka is not much of a talker, this much we know, but I liked how she tried to share a moment with Yuu by eating filled buns like she did with their late master.

Again, Yuu cares too much about the food when you have someone like this sitting in your bed.

10 Second Anime - Blade and Soul - Episode 7

Blade and Soul - Episode 7

Aruka stumbles upon a cult at the beach. Hazuki is bored. Elle Karen rescues Aruka and confirms a connection with her.

Heh.

You know, when I saw Aruka find the beach last episode, I had my hopes up for the requisite swimsuit episode. Imagine my disappointment when she finds the village leader from the first episode has hooked up with a bunch of scarred individuals with a crazy cult leader who likes to offer human sacrifices.

Protip: when your crazy cult leader licks the blade of a dagger, that's a clue she is not interested in your soul's salvation. That's, like, universal, or something...

Without bikinis, hot springs, or some kind of fun splashing around, I was bored. Like Hazuki.

Giro Jot del Giorno - 5/25/2014

Usually, race numbers the riders wear in Grand Tours have their last digit starting at 1 and ending at 9. The team with last year's winner is given single digits, with their designated leader given the number 1. The other teams are randomly assigned team numbers starting with 11, then 21, etc. In the Giro, however, the team starting with the 100's is given the number 100 for their designated leader because there is no 108. That number has been retired after the death of Wouter Weylandt in 2011 on a dangerous descent. Wearing number 100 this year is Lampre-Merida rider, and former Giro winner, Damiano Cunego.

Weekly Ride Report - 5/21/14 - 5/24/14

Date	Route	Course	Ride Time	Total Time	Distance	Avg Speed	Altitude	Max Altitude	Max Speed	Odometer
05/21/14	Rose Bowl Laps	Flat	00:54:35	00:59:24	16.4	18.0	664	939	29.9	32557
05/22/14	Rose Bowl Laps	Flat	00:53:07	00:58:56	16.4	18.5	653	936	30.1	32573
05/23/14	Rose Bowl Laps	Flat	00:52:34	00:55:20	16.4	18.7	677	945	29.2	32589
05/24/14	Chantry Flat - Lake Ave	Climb	02:06:26	02:10:43	29.1	13.8	3032	2136	35.2	32619
		Total Time	04:46:42	Total Distance	78.3	Total Climb	5026

Break shortened week after the first 6 weeks of the current 12 week block. Strength training and muscular tension started this week, and I immediately set my personal record for the year so far on my flat course. Usually, after a break of more than two days, my times over 16 miles are about 2 minutes slower than what they would be after I've shaken the cobwebs off the legs. My time on Wednesday compared to Friday confirms this pattern, so when I set that time after 3 days off the bike, I was expecting good stuff. Compared to my 2010 baseline, I've tied the second best time of that year, and those two fastest times of 2010 were set with the help of motorcycle cops practicing maneuvers around the Rose Bowl. I had no help this time around, but I'm still 36 seconds off my best time from last year.

To keep the muscular tension going on the longer ride, why not climb some steep stuff? So I climbed up to Chantry Flat and then climbed up Lake Ave. That took a while, with both slopes offering long climbs at over 10% grades. I thought I had it rough going up Santa Anita Canyon with 20 pounds of bike and water strapped to my legs, but this guy running up it had me beat. Next week will be climbing with the next heavier cog, so I expect I'll be going slower than my previous best times on those climbing courses.

10 Second Anime - Naruto Shippuuden - Episode 363

Naruto Shippuuden - Episode 363

The 10-tails is way OP compared to the 8 and 9-tails. Naruto has a better jutsu than Shadow Clones.

Heh.

More Shadow Clones? Oh, no. That's just Naruto's super-duper, awesome jutsu that's stronger than the Infinite Tsukuyomi: The Allied Shinobi Army Jutsu!

We took about half an episode to establish that the 10-tails handles the 8 and 9-tails like they were bugs. Flicking away the 8-tails bijuu-dama like a pebble was just insulting.

Guy approves of Kurama acting like a squad leader. But they were just buying time until the entire army made their appearance.

Hmm.

Things are moving quickly here. What took many chapters in the manga to present is much better suited to the exciting battle animation we see here now. I seriously hope we don't get just 6 episodes of the main story before we start up another filler arc concentrating on the Hokages. As it was, the sojourn into Hashirama and Madara's back story of when they became friends, and then enemies, felt like a filler arc, and that was in the manga itself. Anyway, I can't wait to see all the action animated. Some great stuff is coming up next.

10 Second Anime - Naruto Shippuuden - Episode 362

Naruto Shippuuden - Episode 362

Naruto Shippuuden start! Wait... this isn't filler? Despite badassery all around, the 10-tail beast still awakens.

Heh.

Do you know how long it's been since the present story has last been told? Half of the first episode of the Winter 2014 episode. This took place right after the big reveal at the end of Fall 2013 season, that the Masked Madara was Kakashi's old teammate Obito. And it's been Madara to Kakashi Shippuuden ever since. But we've rejoined the main story, and what a reintroduction! Madara is still his bored, smirky self. Now that we know the back story between Obito and Kakashi, their little side conversations are way more emotionally packed. And Naruto is still kind of dumb yet sneaky.

Kurama is sneakier than Naruto, though. The look on Naruto's face when Kurama just basically stuck Kakashi in Obito's kamui dimension: priceless. But then he realizes that any time Obito tries to evade his attacks, Kakashi is in the zone already, able to give him a beating.

Guy is a beast. With that Afternoon Tiger attack taking out Madara's Susano'o... whomp! Madara can only be injured by physical or nature energy attacks, and with Naruto in Jinchuuriki mode and not being able to quickly get into Sage mode, the tactics dictate that Guy is the man for the job. Yup.

Hmm.

But even with all that, and the 8 and 9-tails firing their beast bombs at the incubating 10-tails, it was too late, and this mindless thing pops out. We'll have to see what this thing can do next episode.

Giro Jot del Giorno - 5/24/2014

Nicknames are common among the notables in the Giro, especially for the Italians. Sometimes, however, the rider doesn't like what the sports writers have dubbed him. In Domenico Pozzovivo's case, he has his own suggestion:

In recent years Vincenzo Nibali was named the "Squalo dello Stretto di Messina" - the shark from the Strait of Messina, Paolo Bettini was "il Grillo" - the Cricket and Paolo Savoldelli was known as the "il Falco" - the Falcon, for his descending skills.

This year Domenico Pozzovivo has been baptised as "il lupo dei Jonio" - the wolf of the Ionian (sea) and the "Pulce di Policoro" the flea from Policoro, for the way he attacked on the climbs.

Pozzovivo doesn't like either the wolf or the flea, especially the flea. He likes what his teammates call him, Dom-dom, after the navigation device Tom-Tom, because he has a good sense of direction.

Finds from the Grind - Harsh Training

Harsh Training

This is what dragging a tire behind you looks like in real life.

First note: You never know what you'll find in the foothills of the San Gabriel Mountains.

Second note: Bonus points to this guy for adding the safety flag to his tire.

10 Second Anime - Fuuun Ishin Dai Shogun - Episode 7

Fuuun Ishin Dai Shogun - Episode 7

The Iga village "prince" visits Kiriko and Grandma. The Shinsengumi attack Nagasaki. Hyogo fights together with Keiichiro.

Heh.

The story with Keiichiro and Kiriko picks up right after she broke his curse 2 episodes ago. Which means Keiichiro and Hyakusuke need to have their hair cut by sexy girls. Kiriko and Chiharu are not amused.

This "prince" guy is like every good-looking guy character who's full of himself. At least he's actually skilled. Also, he's impressed with Keiichiro's strength in breaking his bonds. Perhaps there's more to this bastard heir to the Shogun, and he can entrust "his" Kiriko to him.

Susanoo takes on the personality of the virgin in the cockpit with Keiichiro? So that last character before the transformation should be interpreted as "lay waste, devastate" instead of "run wild." Susanoo went Beast Mode because Chiharu was at the controls. With Hyogo, we have a dual wielding sword slasher.

Giro Jot del Giorno - 5/23/2014

Official Stage 12 Photo Album Copyright 2014 © RCS MediaGroup S.p.A. Tutti i diritti riservati | See more at Gazzetta.it

Cadel Evans may have lost the pink jersey, but he still has his fans. The Croc has been a fixture at the Giro so far, much like the Devil Didi Senft from the Tour de France. Please note the nice touches with the "Crikey Cadel" on pink shirt, and the green Crocs on the character's feet.

10 Second Anime - Fuuun Ishin Dai Shogun - Episode 6

Fuuun Ishin Dai Shogun - Episode 6

Shigeyoshi may be bad, but he has his reasons. The prime minister has large appetites, and large secrets. Shigeyoshi's onigami is reawakened in a baptism by blood.

Hmm.

I like how we see what's going on with the Shogunate in turmoil from an inside out perspective. Shigeyoshi, supposedly our Big Bad, took some harsh action against the Black Ships, which in this alternative history actually fired on the coastal cities, but was imprisoned for his rashness, as opposed to his loyalty to the shogun. In the present, he has rejoined the ill shogun's inner council.

This rashness never went away, and Shigeyoshi confronts the shogun himself over his odd instructions relayed by the prime minister, who blatantly appears to be abusing his position, that he's taking a new concubine. He may have had an ally in the put-upon Matsudaira, the chief of staff, but their respective outlooks on life would have definitely clashed. As it is, he finds out what the prime minister has been hiding, and why the shogun has been giving such odd orders: he's dead, and has been for some time. Why the Iga ninjas know this and didn't tell anyone is something that needs to be answered.

I'm not sure how much Shigeyoshi's bloodlust comes from his own personality, and how much of it is influenced by the onigami he is bonded to. Several times we see that Shigeyoshi is possessed by Takemikazuchi, but that could also be his affinity to the self-willed puppet. Or some combination. It's enough for the story that they're connected.

While taking out the prime minister for his acts of disloyalty to the Shogunate by furthering his appetites and ambitions is the right thing to do, Shigeyoshi being consumed by wrath and killing everyone in the palace, and then going after Keiichiro and his onigami is going too far. I guess every revolutionary who engineers a palace coup starts out with noble goals and intentions, before it all turns into mass murder.

Heh.

Shigeyoshi's personal military police, or Shinsengumi, have all the elements of a harem, down to the overplayful one teasing the others.

Giro Jot del Giorno - 5/22/2014

A parade of L'Eroica-style riders passes through the rider sign-on area before the start, entertaining the crowds in Lugo. Photo: BrakeThrough Media | brakethroughmedia.com | Read more at Velonews

Compared to how the bicycles and clothing look on modern riders, especially on Time Trial day, one can see how much has changed since the first Giro in 1909, all the way to the 97th in 2014.

Giro Jot del Giorno - 5/21/2014

Cadel Evans (BMC) Photo: © Tim de Waele/TDW Sport | Read more at cyclingnews

In contrast to fellow Aussie Michael Matthews, who has already left the Giro due to a crash before the rest day, Cadel Evans opts for understated decoration of his bike, only applying rosa handlebar tape to reflect his maglia rosa. Perhaps he'll ride a fully detailed BMC bike on the last day if he holds the overall lead to that point.