Giro d' Italia 2014

[Jakkals.]

Roland vs Aru for 3rd step on the podium, at this stage

What a fight there!

 

and Majka, same time as Aru.

['Dale]

 

 

and Majka, same time as Aru.

 

Indeed!

 

 

Quintana looks bulletproof.

Uran looking into a consecutive 2nd finish.

 

But hey, anything can happen.

Trieste is still a few days away.

[Gen]

 

 

These steep climbs don't suit him but you're right, what a legend and fighter. Never gives up.

 

Net so..

 

His grand tours may be coming to an end... but he sure is a fighter.

 

 

[tombeej]

Re. Trek Factory Racing:

 

Surely, with his recent performances in the Tour de San Luis and the one day classics, the sports directors will see the light and make my boy Arredondo a protected rider for the Giro.

 

I mean, am I really the lone one in the wilderness sticking my hand up for this guy?

 

He's a lighty with a lot to learn in terms of race tactics and curbing his youthful enthusiasm, but heck, he's got so much talent. I'm expected this year's Giro to be his breakout race. We'll see if he's got the engine to last for 3 weeks.

 

So happy to see my boy come good in the Giro. Picked him out from San Luis. Very well done, lad. Muy bien hecho, Arredondo!

['Dale]

One of the toughest MTTs I've seen

 

Tomorrow:

 

['Dale]

A mountain time trial. Obvious when you look at the profile. But look again at the x-axis because this is 26.8km long. By contrast last year’s uphill time trial to Polsa was 20.6km and previous uphill TTs have been much shorter, for example Plan de Corones in 2010 was 12.9km. Now look again at the steep gradients. Given the long distance and the relatively slow speeds this will be a very long effort so late in the race. This stage will place a massive load on the riders and the time gaps could be significant.

 

Inner Ring

[tombeej]

1500m elevation gain in 19km. Another Ventoux.

 

Monte Grappa is another very famous Italian mountain. It has no less than 9 recognised routes to the top.

Edited May 29, 2014 by tombeej

['Dale]

[tombeej]

The Monte Grappa has a giant ossuary on its summit, where the remains of 23,000 soldiers are buried. The Grappa was the scene of some serious battles that took place in WW1 between Italian, German and Austro-Hungarian armies, and is known as Italy's Thermopylae, named after the story of the 300 Spartans who made their last stand against the Persians in 480BC, because it was a similar sort of last-stand situation for the Italians on this mountain. The trenches are still there on the slopes. There are also 5km of tunnels underneath the mountain.

[TALUS]

1500m elevation gain in 19km.

And it is also late in the tour. I have a feeling the fact that the youngsters have a lot to go for and the fact that Uran's motivation must be fading, will lead to the possibility of three Young Riders on the podium. What a changing of the guard. What an exciting couple of years ahead.

[tombeej]

"For cyclists, the mountain has become a magnet. Every weekend, at least in summer, it morphs into an anthill, swarming with fanatical local cyclists on each of its nine ascents. For the many professionals who have lived in the cycling hotbeds around Vicenza, Verona and Padova, it's also a private gymnasium like no other in Italy or perhaps indeed Europe. 'The Grappa has absolutely everything', Filippo Pozzato, one of the areas leading pros, once said. 'Between them, its nine climbs offer absolutely every challenge imaginable.'"

 

From the book Mountain High, Europe's greatest cycle climbs.

 

-------------------------------

 

Imagine having a mountain like that to ride every weekend. 9 epic climbs to choose from, being immersed in deep culture of cycling, cyclists all over the place, and seeing some of the worlds top pros on the mountain with you pretty much every weekend as part of the normal old routine. Wow.

 

The Monte Grappa is one of the centres of cycling culture in Italy. But also a place with so much history of major battles (real ones) where young men fought to the death. I couldn't think of a more appropriate place to hold a mountain ITT.

 

[Please forgive all the hyperbole. Sometimes I just can't help myself ].

[tombeej]

And it is also late in the tour. I have a feeling the fact that the youngsters have a lot to go for and the fact that Uran's motivation must be fading, will lead to the possibility of three Young Riders on the podium. What a changing of the guard. What an exciting couple of years ahead.

 

Whatever happens tomorrow, there are going to be some major time gaps to blow open the GC.

 

Some reputations are going to be made tomorrow.

 

And some reputations to shatter too.

[TALUS]

I am sure we will hear the same again tmrw regarding bravery, being buried etc.

Edited May 29, 2014 by TALUS

[T-Bob]

"The Grappa massif, which includes a number of neighbouring peaks, is known also for the traditional cheese Bastardo del Grappa"

 

I like this place already.

[ScottCM]

“I have to give a big thanks to my director and coach Josu [Larrazabal]. I wanted to attack at the bottom of the last climb but he told me from the team car, ‘no, no no! take it easy, not yet!’ Then with four kilometers to go he said, ‘Julian now!’ I won this stage to a great degree from his advice.”

- Julian Arredondo

[tombeej]

“I have to give a big thanks to my director and coach Josu [Larrazabal]. I wanted to attack at the bottom of the last climb but he told me from the team car, ‘no, no no! take it easy, not yet!’ Then with four kilometers to go he said, ‘Julian now!’ I won this stage to a great degree from his advice.”

- Julian Arredondo

 

Ja, we called that one