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2014 Giro d'Italia Route Revealed
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| mb2612 |
Posted on 23-02-2014 12:58
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So it's time for the reveal of the grand tours, and first up is the Giro d'Italia.
On stage to reveal the route are Damiano Cunego, Taylor Phinney and route designer Stylus, while standing at the back of the room, Ricardo Ricco and Angel Madrazo are muttering under their breath about vengeance.
Our first stage is a short 8 km time trial, on the Island of Sicily, taking us out from the city of Milazzo to it's pristine peninsula.
Last year things started off with a calmer than usual Giro waiting until stage 5 to start the climbing, here we don't even go 50km, as we head south east from Milazzo on the way to the hilltop town of Caltagirone and straight over the Portella Mandrazzi. It may only average 3.6% but that includes plenty of flat sections to ensure that everyone is well and truly warmed up. After that there are a couple more undulating climbs, with 400m gained in the last 20km allowing the Italian puncheurs an early chance to steal the Maglia Rosa.
There is a rule about Giro's and Sciliy, and this race is no different, with stage three ensuring that the race properly breaks apart on the sides of Europe's most active volcano. Although we only climb to 1600m before descending all the way back to the coast for the finish in Taormina this will certainly sort the men from the boys. There is a sneaky little kick up to the finish to allow time gaps to reopen as well.
Stage 4 and we start across the straight in Reggio Calabria then immediately climb 1300 metres to the Ski resort of Gambarie, although don't worry about rider burn out, as this settles down to become a sprinters stage, with a long flat run in along the coast to Amantea.
Stage 5 is also one for the sprinters, with only some relativity minor cat 3 and 4 climbs in their way, although the last climb with 16km to go could hinder the sprint trains. The finish on the beachfront in Palinuro takes us forward, northward, toward the mountains.
The mountains were promised, and here they come. It's not quite a summit finish, but the 13 km of downhill beyond the final summit give only a minimal chance to close the gaps created on the Bocca della Selva. There are two category two climbs before this as well, with 17km at 5.9% and 12.1km at 7.1% lead into Ponte Torello, after which the riders will spend an astonishing 50km going uphill, although the classified climb is only 17.3km at 5.7%. These climbs won't tear the race to spreads, but will certainly set things up nicely for what is to come.
 
We are out of the mountains and back into the hills to end the first week, however this is certainly the hardest day of the race so far, 6 categorised climbs, including the finish in Chieti. The gradients on a couple of the climbs push the boundaries on what is UCI legal, and the final uphill sprint is the small matter of 5km uphill at up to 8%.
So the profiles for the first week are as follows:
Stage 8 is rated flat, but after the first week there is plenty of chance for a break to make it on the 2300m metres of climbing that pepper today's stage. The final 80km into Tenri are mercifully climb free, so any bunch sprint should have all the big names involved.
As the race moves into Tuscany we enter the land of sterrato, and the stage today takes in fully 20 kilometres of off tarmac roads, including the final 5km uphill into Monte Sante Marie. The climbs today are small, with none of them even being categorised, so this hilly stage will be a test of bike handling as much as anything else.
 
Taylor Phinney is disappointed as it is announced that the next stage will be a time trial on the tiny island of Elba. Just 24km for the riders to cover here, and a small hill has been added to help the climbers further.
Stage 11 is the hardest of the flat stages, featuring three climbs of 8km or greater, and over 3000m of climbing over 226km of racing. The final climb, La Mola, tops out just 30km before the finish in Chiavari, and leaving this stage fr only the hardiest of sprinters.
After today the sprinters have just two more opportunities on the road into Milan, so the break today is surely doomed, with only the 13.6km Colla di Praglia standing between the riders and a bunch finish on the streets of Alba.
Three 7% climbs are the main obstacles on the hilly stage 13 as the riders head north past Milan to finish on the shores of lake Como. All the days climbing is shoved into the later half of the stage, and with no flat roads in the final 70km and a short 10km decent into the finishing town expect attacks from those Italians who don't trust their legs in the mountains to come.
Stage 14 and we finally have our first mountain top finish. It feels like this is a single climb stage so dwarfed are the 18km Belmonte and the 7km Galleria Rosazza by our finish climb today, the Colle di Bettaforca. We start climbing with 44km left to ride, and just keep going uphill, averaging 5.3%. However even that madness forgets to mention the final 7 kilometres, all on sterato, and averaging 13%, with a maximum slope just above 20%. If the general classification was close before today, it won't be close now.
The week 2 profiles are as follows:
Stage 15 gives the riders no rest, as they are forced to take on the Cima Coppi as one of four categorised climbs on the road to Pragelato. First up we have the Piccolo San Bernardo 18km at just under 6%, we then duck into France to crest the monster that is the Col de l'Iseran. 34 kilometres of climbing at 5% send the riders to the highest point of the race, at 2770 metres above sea level. The Colle del Moncenisio adds 7 more kilomtres of interest before the Finestre finishes the climbing off nicely with 20 kilomtres at over 8%. The Finestre tops out at exactly 200 kilometres, giving the riders 14km of decent to try and close the gaps before the finish.
 
After those two monster stages a flat stage is required, and stage 16 delivers, there isn't a single obstacle of note on the two hundred kilomtres between Finale Emalia and Portogruado.
The riders are sent into the foothills of the Dolomites for stage 17, with a couple of small passes on the way to a finish just beyond the Passo di Sant Osvaldo in the town of Erto e Casso. Probably one for the breakaway, unless someone fancies their chances of stealing bonus seconds from their rivals.
Now we come to the Queen stage, the final 100km are either up or down, as the eighteenth stage snakes it's way through the dolomites to end at the summit of the Passo Fedia. First up we have the Passo Cereda, 8 kilometres, averaging 7%, but that hides some really brutal sections designed to weaken the legs of domestiques.
Then comes the Passo Duran, 12km of climbing, with an average percentage of 8, this is still merely warming us up.
Third on the menu is the Passo Staulanza, again this is over 12km in length, however at an average of just 6.4% this is a respite before what is to come.
Finally, Passo Fedia itself, 14km at 7.5% are it's official numbers, but they belie the difficulty of the final portions, with multiple sections touching almost 20% in gradient, leaving nowhere for anyone to hide.
Stage 19 is a classic breakaway stage, an early kick to encourage the escapees, then enough climbing to try and convince the sprinters to give up their final shot at victory, before a flat finish in Bardolino.
One final chance for the climbers is provided on stage 2, with 4 categorised climbs over 190km setting us up for our final summit finish, on the road up to Presolana. The stage opens with two category one monsters, the Passo Maniva and the Passo Crocedomini at 9 and 17 kilometres respectively, and both around 7% in gradient, these climbs will help isolate the leaders before the Croce Salven puts them in position for one final assault on the Maglia Rosa. That assault comes on the Passo della Presolana, which provides 8 kilometres of 7.5% incluing a 2km section of above 10%.
The final stage is a classic Milanes time trial, at 29km it gives the time trial specialists a chance to win make up lost ground on the purer climbers, maybe a chance for Phinney to retain his jersey? Even now though, climbers get thrown a bone, with the final 2.5km being uphill into Bergamo, reqquiring one last lungbusting effort before the Giro d'Italia can be claimed.
The third weeks profiles are thus as follows:
So, in summary:
3 Time trials
7 Flat stages
5 Hilly stages
6 Mountain stages
1 Cippa Coppi
8 Category 1 climbs
14 Category 2 climbs.
This is certainly a route designed to tempt Cunego back to Italy, and set up a showdown with Ricco after last years aberration of foreigners fighting it out for the win.
Thanks to Stylus for designing the stages and for his excellent screenshots.
 [url=www.pcmdaily.com/forum/viewthread.php?thread_id=33182] Team Santander Media Thread[/url]
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| rycadinho |
Posted on 23-02-2014 13:02
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Wonderful presentation there mate, and I cant wait to see ING make its debut in what has always been my favorite stage race in cycling!
It's truly tailor made for the two Italians, though I still believe Phinney could do something big here.
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| Scorchio |
Posted on 23-02-2014 13:07
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Kudos on the excellent preview, and to the great work of the race designer. Looks a good route to attract a host of GT riders due to the balance, perhaps slightly favouring the pure mountain goats as the total distance of the 3 TT's is not too large. Some of the sprinters might be put off by some of the big stages in week 1 (stage 6 looks like it might cause some time-cut losses!).
Can similar previews be expected for the other GT races?, would make good reading!
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| Bjartne |
Posted on 23-02-2014 13:09
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This is simply an awesome preview. Thank you mb2612!  |
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| cio93 |
Posted on 23-02-2014 13:10
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After a really quick look, good to know I don't have to get angry at that route, it would be hardly worth it to send Bennati here 
Ponzi to win green.
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| Kami |
Posted on 23-02-2014 13:12
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Awesome preview & route. I might have to reconsider some transfer plans  .
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| Ad Bot |
Posted on 22-11-2024 13:02
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| Rin |
Posted on 23-02-2014 13:19
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Scorchio wrote:
[...]
Can similar previews be expected for the other GT races?, would make good reading!
Well all the GTs have their reveal threads (as always) but these aren't written just like that.
To the Giro, well unless Cunego wants much less then I gave him I don't know if that Giro suits Cunego really against a Top GT rider.
~55km TT is a bit hefty whilst none of them are that hilly that it could make a diffrence against someone like Phinney.
Great read mb though 
Edited by Rin on 23-02-2014 13:19
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| Miguel98 |
Posted on 23-02-2014 13:21
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Awesome preview. Stylus work is amazing, it will definetelly help to see those amazing screens to the race excitement. |
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| cio93 |
Posted on 23-02-2014 13:23
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Kami wrote:
Awesome preview & route. I might have to reconsider some transfer plans .
Ricco to win it as a Wildcard or Ricco to get you shitloads of money to win it in a PT team or what?
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| SportingNonsense |
Posted on 23-02-2014 13:23
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Awesome route reveal mb!
Kami wrote:
Awesome preview & route. I might have to reconsider some transfer plans .
I should probably point out that keeping Ricco would not guarantee you a Giro spot. GT wildcard priority always goes to teams who havent done a GT before.
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| CountArach |
Posted on 23-02-2014 13:25
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Scorchio wrote:
Can similar previews be expected for the other GT races?, would make good reading!
Yep it is a yearly thing.
Well this is a terrifying course and it really has just hit me how woefully underprepared for this division my team currently are.
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| Kami |
Posted on 23-02-2014 13:30
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SportingNonsense wrote:
Awesome route reveal mb!
Kami wrote:
Awesome preview & route. I might have to reconsider some transfer plans .
I should probably point out that keeping Ricco would not guarantee you a Giro spot. GT wildcard priority always goes to teams who havent done a GT before.
Forgot about that, thanks for letting me know now.
Change of plans, going for Cio's second suggestion .
Edited by Kami on 23-02-2014 13:30
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| mb2612 |
Posted on 23-02-2014 13:36
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Rin wrote:
Scorchio wrote:
[...]
Can similar previews be expected for the other GT races?, would make good reading!
Well all the GTs have their reveal threads (as always) but these aren't written just like that.
To the Giro, well unless Cunego wants much less then I gave him I don't know if that Giro suits Cunego really against a Top GT rider.
~55km TT is a bit hefty whilst none of them are that hilly that it could make a diffrence against someone like Phinney.
Great read mb though
I think the big plus for Cunego is the number of depleted sprint stages, and the bonus seconds can add up really quickly if he manages to win a couple of them. He's not a dominant favourite like he would have been a couple of years ago, but I think the sprint stages make him number one favourite should he show up.
Also thanks to everyone for the kind words.
[url=www.pcmdaily.com/forum/viewthread.php?thread_id=33182] Team Santander Media Thread[/url]
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| ember |
Posted on 23-02-2014 13:41
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Great preview! And by the looks of it, Spilak might be very tempted to return if he stays in my team. No TTT, several hilly stages and not too many brutal mountain stages.
Hmmm.... |
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| jph27 |
Posted on 23-02-2014 13:47
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Fantastic route and preview
Not a great route for the Sprinters, but one that should lead to a great race for the GC. Depending on how transfer season goes, a wildcard could be tempting |
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| Dippofix |
Posted on 23-02-2014 13:57
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Really nice route, especially stages 15, 18 and 20 should make a great battle.
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| Alakagom |
Posted on 23-02-2014 14:26
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Lovely preview mb, should be fantastic race. I might apply for a wildcard, but Tour is of much higher priority this season.
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| roturn |
Posted on 23-02-2014 15:28
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Great preview, mb.
Indeed not the most sprinter friendly route. So could be a chance for a 2nd tier sprinter here.
And I guess I need a better climber than Ruijgh/Koep/Voss/Olivier to perform here. |
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| Stromeon |
Posted on 23-02-2014 15:38
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I love this variant, it's so detailed and also pretty balanced as well - the preview is great as well! Should be fun to watch without any vested interest
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| Smowz |
Posted on 23-02-2014 15:39
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This preview is a great read mb - one of your best bits of work
It's a nice mix route - certainly not as TT heavy as last year. I know one Italian who is disappointed with the lack of heavy mountains
It certainly reminds me of the route from two years ago that Ricco won and with some doubts over his participation Cunego you would imagine may fancy this.
Dave has a real dilemma on his hands with Phinney. I would imagine Phinney could revert back to his usual California - Tour combo but you never know.
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