Well, it looks like entire Veenendaal is celebrating for your 3000th post. The only thing I hear around here is *bang* *bang* *bang*. I hope they save some fireworks for tonight. And a happy new year to you, dienblad (hope it's not your real name )
Edited by Marcovdw on 31-12-2012 12:23
Marcovdw wrote:
Well, it looks like entire Veenendaal is celebrating for your 3000th post. The only thing I hear around here is *bang* *bang* *bang*. I hope they save some fireworks for tonight. And a happy new year to you, dienblad (hope it's not your real name )
If it'd be for me, then they can stop. Arrived from work, and it's almost a warzone here. Al these lunatics with the loud fireworks, totally hate it. Gonna stay in the house....
And of course dienblad is not my real name (translation: tray), it's Paul.
Welcome to Tarante, in the region of Apulia, in the South of Italy for the 97th edition of the Giro d'Italia. Since 1909, the riders are fighting for the pink jersey, with Alfredo Binda, Fausto Coppi and Eddy Merckx being the record winners with 5 wins.
Last year, the Giro saw a battle between Robert Gesink and Igor Antón. Gesink took a safe lead in the first week, but a crash in the 10th stage changed everything. Igor Antón took over and managed to stay in the pink jersey untill the 21st stage in Torino, winning his 2nd consecutive Giro d'Italia.
The Route
The 21 stages are mostly situated in the Eastern (along the Adriatic coast) and the North (the Alps & Dolomites), with a short trip to France:
- 91 TT-kilometres (6.5km prologue, 36km in stage 10 and 49km in stage 20).
- 8 flat stages.
- 5 hilly stages.
- 5 mountain stages with the Cima Coppi at 2770 metres above sea level.
- 5 mountain top finishes.
- A total of 3168 kilometres.
Stage 1-3
The Giro d'Italia starts in the Southeast of the nation, in the regio Apulia, with a flat 6.5km prologue in the streets of marine harbour city Taranto. The next 2 stages, the peloton stays in Apulia. Furst with a flat 173km long stage to Polignano a Mare. The difficulty of the stage lies in the first half with 2 small hills to be climbed, so that afterwards the first Maglia azzurra can be rewarded. Stage 3 to Mafredonia is a bit longer (204km) and also features 2 hills in the first hal of the stage. Expect 2 mass sprints!
Stage 4-6
Stage 4 is the first hilly stage and w travel North to the region Molise. The finish awaits in Campobasso after a hilly final, with the summit of the Colle Longo only 12km before the finish. Also the finish is going uphill. Stage 5 is for the sprinters again, as the 165km route to Pescara (regio Abruzzo) is almost pancake flat. Stage 6 is a different story, as the profil matches a difficult hilly classic. With 4 ascends of the Madonna del Freddo, 3 of the Madonna degli Agneli (last one 6km before the summit), expect a shattered peloton arriving in Chieti.
Stage 7-9
After yesterday's hill, the GC-riders can calm down in stage 7 to Porto Recanati in the Marche-region, as the stage is, except for a climb in the first 30km, flat. The 8th stage to Cagli is a bit more difficult and classified as hilly, but probably these hills aren't difficult enough to create time gaps. Stage 9 is a different story, as 2 real climbs await in the last 30 kilometres. First the Passo di Cantoniera and finally the Monte Carpegna (alt. 1358m). The finish awaits in Carpegna after a 8km descend.
Stage 10-12
The day after the first mountains, it's the first of the 2 ITT's. 36 flat kilometres between Rimini and Cesena await. The next day, we stay in the region of Emilia Romagna, with another flat stage to Ferrara. The 12th stage has 2 faces. The first 190 kilometres are flat, but the last 8.5 kilometres are ascending with an average gradient of 7.8% to the Croce d'Aune, having entered the region of Veneto. So another day for the GC-riders to excel!
Stage 13-15
After yesterday's mountain top finish, the riders have another flat stage. 207 kilometres from Feltre to San Dona di Piave. The GC-contenders for sure will try to save as much energy as possible for the next 2 stages. Stage 14 is with 220 kilometres the longest stage of this years Giro. But that isn't the only terrifying fact of the route, as the road is ascending all day to finish at an altitude of 2320 metres. 5 smaller climbs form the appetizer for the grande finale, the ascend to Tre Cime di Lavaredo! This horrible climb, of which the last 4 kilometres have a minumum gradient of 10% and a maximum of 20%, has seen legendary winners as Felice Gimondi, Eddy Merckx and, unfortunately, lunatic Riccardo Riccò.
But the party ain't over the next day, as stage 15 contains 3 midstage mountain passes (Monte Croci, Falzarego, Fedaia) and a mountain top finish at the Passo Pordoi at 2239 metres above sea level.
Stage 16-18
After 2 hard days in the Dolomites, the riders head to the West. Although classified as hilly, stage 16 requires a lot of climbing abilities. Out of the start, the Passo Pordoi has to be climbed, and then after a long, long descend, the Passo di Santa Barbara awaits, 15km at 7.2% with the summit only 22km before the finish in Riva del Garda. Stage 17 is finally easy, without KOTM-sprints and the finish in Ivrea, in the region of Piemonte. Stage 18 contains 3 more mountains: the Colle Zuccore, the Colle San Ferro and the final and horrible climb outside Morgex, the Colle San Carlo (10.5km at 10%!!).
Stage 19-21
Stage 19 is this years queens stage, as it features 5 climbs in 218 kilometres, including the Cima Coppi. Out of Morgez, the riders climb the Colle delle Piccolo San Bernardo (23.5km at 5%, 2188%) and enter France. Next to follow is the Iseran (48km at 4.1%, 2770m), the Cima Coppi of this Giro. The riders enter Italy again over the Moncenisio and arrive at the foot of the Colle delle Finestre (18.6km at 9.1%, 2178m) with th elast kilometres over unpaved roads. After a short descend the final climb to Sestrière is waiting (11.5km at 5.4%, 2033m).
But the GC will be decided in stage 20, a 49.7 kilometre flat ITT from Torino to Crescentino. The last stage to Milano should be a sprinters party.
And after all this hard labor, 1 rider awaits this:
It's the 1st GT in which Wilco Kelderman is our leader, so wedon't want to pressure him too much. A top 5 would be great, but a top 3 fantastic. And of course, we want to win at least 1 stage.
Maglia Rosa
Vincenzo Nibali
Radio Shack's Sicilian is back in Italy, looking to win his 3rd GT. Vincenzo Nibali has developed in one of world's best stage racers and won the Tour de France in 2012 (and 2nd in 2012 by 1 single second...) and the Vuelta a España in 2013. He is eager to win all 3 of them, and has the package to do so. Being in the prime of his career, only a weak day or a crash can prevent him from winning here (or a completely different season planning, so he starts out of form....).
Igor Antón
The winner of the last 2 editions is back to become the first rider since Eddy Merckx in the seventies to win 3 consecutive Giro's. Igor Antón lacks the time trialing abilities, and that is his weak point, his only one. But he is the best climber to start in Taranto, so expect him to shine in the Dolomites and Alps, althugh we haven't seen anything from him this season!
Cadel Evans
The old fox is up for his, probably, last trick. Australian Cadel Evans is still hoping to finally win a GT, after missing it several times (2nd in Le Tour in '11 and '12, and 4th in the Giro in '13). But at the age of 37 he has declined at all levels. Still, don't count him out!
23-year-old Wilco Kelderman has raced the Giro the last 2 years, finishing in 19th and 10th. But then, he was a luxury helper of Andy Schleck or Robert Gesink. This year, he finally can shine as a teams leader. He excells in smaller stage races, having won the Volta a Catalunya and a 2nd in the Tour de Romandie. Only weakness is his stamina, but even that isn't lower than that off his opponents.
Janez Brajkovic
What goes for Kelderman, also goes for Janez Brajkovic: finally being the team leader. But Brajkovic, who used to be the new crown prince of GT's, is already 30 years old. He is a strong allrounder, but lacks the stamina to win. But still a candidate for the top 5.
Jurgen Van den Broeck
Belgiums hope for a GT-podium is Jurgen Van den Broeck. Knowing that he is a weaker time trialist than Nibali or Kelderman, he knows he has to attack in the mountains. For sure, he wants to do better than 9th as in the Giro of '11 or 6th as in Le Tour of '13.
Estonian Rein Taaramäe finished 7th in the Giro of 2012 and was ready for the next step to the top 5 of a GT. But 2013 turned out to be a miserable year. This year, he is eager to make that step, although he needs to stay out of trouble.
Michele Scarponi
One of the older, and discutable riders. Michele Scarponi is still looking for gloy in his homeland, and wants to do better than the 3rd place in '12. He has the abilities to do it.
Simon Spilak
What goes for Taaramäe, also goes for Simon Spilak. The 27-year-old Slovenian finished 6th in '12, but had a disastrous year in 2013 with the 22nd place. When he stas out of trouble before the mountains come, Spilak for sure can surprise!
Other jerseys will follow Friday (or Saturday )
Edited by dienblad on 03-01-2013 22:02
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