2012 Giro d'Italia; May 14th; Stage 9: San Giorgio nel Sannio - Frosinone (166km)

[Geraint Too Fast]

That final bump looks good for an attack...

 

[El Pistolero]

Come'on Pippo, don't disappoint for once!

 

[Gloin22]

The end should be interesting. I still say Cav.

 

[will10]

I'll go with Pozzato.

(He's got to pull it off at some point )

 

[Fetisoff]

Thinking Cav, hoping for someone else (ie break or late attack)

 

[jsem94]

Probably Cav.

 

[fluffkitten]

How steep is that last bump? Is it enough to shed the sprinters? If not it probably a Cav stage.

 

[Pippo_San]

 

[DominicDecoco]

That descent is not important. The hill is. Is it any difficult?

 

[jens_attacks]

pippo pozzato or gaspa.

 

[Libertine Seguros]

That final climb in Frosinone looks, by my reckoning, to be about 1300m at around 7%. No real steep points to speak of, max of probably 10-11%. However, that would see the climb topping out at around 270m, which is noticeably higher than the 251 quoted by RCS. I'm not really sure how they get it topping out at just 251.

Edit: think I've found the correct side now. It makes it a similar kind of length but only about 6%. It ramps up then flattens out, with a quite steep bit just before the summit.

 

[will10]

Wasn't a too dissimilar profile

 

[Bala Verde]

That descent is not important. The hill is. Is it any difficult?

Well the downhill section is 3.9% for 2200m. From the general profile, it looks like the climb is a little steeper, but also somewhat shorter. So perhaps 4.5%-5% for 1750m?

I pulled that totally out of my a$$, so erm...

 

[DominicDecoco]

Hah, ok. Goss it is then. On the other hand. GreenEdge probably won't bother catching the breakaway. Might be the breakaway's day.

 

[Bubban]

According to tracks4bikers the last climb is 1,46 k @ 5,3% Max 9,2%.

 

[Frosty]

Hah, ok. Goss it is then. On the other hand. GreenEdge probably won't bother catching the breakaway. Might be the breakaway's day.

Why wouldnt they chase? Good chance for a stage win and what other objectives do they have? Not saying they should do all the work but would have thought they would be willing to put the effort in to catch the break.

Wouldnt surprise me to see a number of teams chase the break, attacks to then go on the final climb, and then a catch just before the finish with Goss or Cav winning.

 

[Kwibus]

I'm hoping the breakaway doesn't stay away and Ballan and Pozzato to attack on the last hill.

Should and could be interesting. It will probably end up being a dissapointment though

 

[Peccio89]

Oscar Gatto for the win

 

[Froome19]

Oscar Gatto for the win

Between Guardini and Pozzato I dont see much room for him to maneuvre in terms of the Farnese hierarchy.

 

[Peccio89]

Between Guardini and Pozzato I dont see much room for him to maneuvre in terms of the Farnese hierarchy.

Guardini won't be a factor tomorrow, he will surely be dropped on the hill.
I think Gatto might be more suited than Pozzato for this kind of finish.

I'm not sure but this is the same arrival of 2005 where a Group of 5-6 was able to escape on the hill and get to the finish after a Bettini attack. Bettini was disqualified for an irregular sprint against Baden Cooke, and Mazzanti was awarded with the stage. The descent was really technical too.

 

[DominicDecoco]

Why wouldnt they chase? Good chance for a stage win and what other objectives do they have? Not saying they should do all the work but would have thought they would be willing to put the effort in to catch the break.

Wouldnt surprise me to see a number of teams chase the break, attacks to then go on the final climb, and then a catch just before the finish with Goss or Cav winning.

Because no one has really made any work in front bar Leaky and Astana. The heat might have had something to say in that matter.

 

[Anonymous]

Between Guardini and Pozzato I dont see much room for him to maneuvre in terms of the Farnese hierarchy.

Pozzato (was) 6/5 to beat Hesjedal in tomorrows stage. I had a hefty bet on Pozzato and he's now been cut to even money.

Still a decent bet, IMHO.

 

[DominicDecoco]

For reasons I don't know I have Ferrari to win it tommorrow in the fantasy game.

 

[Lexman]

i hope i'm wrong but i fear the break will be retaken on the last hill and Cav will win

as said i hope i'm wrong and we see some ACTION!!

 

[Damiano]

How's the weather tomorrow? I've seen some forecasts with different predictions.