2012 Giro d'Italia, May 23rd, stage 17: Falzes → Cortina D'Ampezzo, 186 Kms

[Parrulo]

Same for me, i love tomorrow's stage design so i really hope it delivers

 

[greenedge]

Nice stage OP, thx.

I think Basso will test his legs on the climb and be escorted to the finish. I would like to see riders like Tiralongo and Uran attacking for their team leaders.

I think Scarponi will win.

 

[karlboss]

No matter how much folks (Astana) want this to stay together three is just no way. I agree it's a pity the penultimate climb isn't a little harder with a really technical decent, because of this we may well be waiting for the final climb before any action.
The final climb is guaranteed action, tomorrow should be easy, so there is no real reason to "save yourself" finishing on a decent must have kreuziger, rodriguez and scarponi targetting Basso, and the long steep final climb must have Basso targetting everyone else, or at least hoping for a buffer. This climb is steeper, when Szmyd turns the screws it won't be 30 guys left, more like 10. However there is no chance he gets to within 3km of the summit without being attacked. On something this big if everyone waits for Szmyd to pull off, well see Rujano and Pozzovivo take back all their time, even with horrible decending.


EDIT: I may be over estimating the final decent, on the map it doesn't look too bad, I'm really hoping for rain.

 

[TechnicalDescent]

No matter how much folks (Astana) want this to stay together three is just no way. I agree it's a pity the penultimate climb isn't a little harder with a really technical decent, because of this we may well be waiting for the final climb before any action.
The final climb is guaranteed action, tomorrow should be easy, so there is no real reason to "save yourself" finishing on a decent must have kreuziger, rodriguez and scarponi targetting Basso, and the long steep final climb must have Basso targetting everyone else, or at least hoping for a buffer. This climb is steeper, when Szmyd turns the screws it won't be 30 guys left, more like 10. However there is no chance he gets to within 3km of the summit without being attacked. On something this big if everyone waits for Szmyd to pull off, well see Rujano and Pozzovivo take back all their time, even with horrible decending.


EDIT: I may be over estimating the final decent, on the map it doesn't look too bad, I'm really hoping for rain.

Yes a technical descent would be good.

 

[Timmy-loves-Rabo]

no way this wont be epic.
very pumped for this.

 

[blaxland]

same as...lets just hope i dont run out of snacks tonite.It will be a late one"
My predictions;
1st=Scarponi
2nd=Kreuziger
3rd=Rodriguez/slagter/pozzzivivo??

 

[ooh_25mm]

in case this hasn't been posted recently.
Here is video of the final decent to Cortina from the 2005 Giro

This is a very technical descent, that Salvodelli handles masterfully in this clip.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y-VrcNqQ9ak

If you weren't fired up for this stage you will be after checking this video.


EDIT: looks like this is not the same decent but a cool video nonetheless.

 

[AntonioRossi]

no way this wont be epic.
very pumped for this.

it better be! would be such a shame if the gc guys wasted this stage

 

[karlboss]

in case this hasn't been posted recently.
Here is video of the final decent to Cortina from the 2005 Giro

This is a very technical descent, that Salvodelli handles masterfully in this clip.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y-VrcNqQ9ak

If you weren't fired up for this stage you will be after checking this video.


EDIT: looks like this is not the same decent but a cool video nonetheless.

Descent of the Colle delle Finestre to Pourrières

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iWVK7YgE7Wo

This is it, by some fans. Good vid, minutes in the wet, minute in the dry to be gained or lost.

 

[royalpig180]

I really hope that this stage turns out to be epic, but I have a sinking feeling that we'll see a decent sized group of favorites coming to the finish together.

My money's on Rodriguez to lose time on the descents along with Basso. Scarponi and maybe Hesjedal to be the big GC winners...

 

[Swede1]

Yes this really should be an awesome stage. I hate to say this but I hope Szmyd isnt so good because he basically nullifies 3/4 of the climb as everyone waits for him to pull off. Basso better finally go for it tomorrow because he is running out of time and he will lose time on the descent. My prediction is a group of 4 coming to the line together with scarponi sprinting for the win.

 

[wirral]

Check Cav's latest tweet, says it all.

https://twitter.com/MarkCavendish/status/205037360914776064/photo/1

 

[Timmy-loves-Rabo]

Yes this really should be an awesome stage. I hate to say this but I hope Szmyd isnt so good because he basically nullifies 3/4 of the climb as everyone waits for him to pull off. Basso better finally go for it tomorrow because he is running out of time and he will lose time on the descent. My prediction is a group of 4 coming to the line together with scarponi sprinting for the win.

hard pace riding on the steep stuff is great imo, love seeing groups get decimated before the top dogs take over. More of a slug then a explosive action. Hopefully they set some hard pace from a long way out (maybe liquigas on the pneultimate climb, followed by some astana descent work) and then they really hit the final climb hard.

Hopefully some of the main protagnosists who have nothing to lose (i.e. rujano) show caution to the wind even earlier.

 

[FellOff]

err, what on planet earth are you talking about? Is there something i should know?

Anyway whose challenge will come undone tomorrow? After the sleepy stage today maybe the climb of the duran will encourage the wild boys to shake the race up? Im sure that some people's reflex on the ride will be to want to get off.

Talkin bout the movie villain, Doctor Durand Durand (from planet Tau Ceti), the band Duran Duran, the rider Rigoberto Urán Urán, and the Duran pass. Obviously.

Looking at the stage virtual profile, I'd say it's humanly physically impossible and everyone will abandon today, except Cav who will secretly be pushed all the way, appearing at the finish with a cheesy grin and ludicrous victory salute.

 

[RedheadDane]

Looking forward to it!
Unfortunately I'll miss the start of the broadcast due to an exam...

Finally we made it into the Dolomites!

Awesome picture! Looks like something from another world!

I am going to root for a Beñat Intxausti win so hard on this one. It will be the most poetic of victories.

Yeah! It would be beautiful indeed!

Surely the Tifosi will be dressing up as characters from the movie Barbarella, to celebrate Uran Uran climbing the Duran? He'll be Hungry like the Wolf, and I wanna see those Girls on Film.

LoL!
I also hope he (Uran) will attack up Duran!

I really, desperately want Beñat Intxausti to win, but he's up in 7th on the GC, so he's not likely to be allowed to escape, and in all likelihood is not good enough to beat the heads of state on tomorrow's stage. It would mean so much though.

I'm afraid you're right... it really could be beautiful though.

 

[Frosty]

Talkin bout the movie villain, Doctor Durand Durand (from planet Tau Ceti), the band Duran Duran, the rider Rigoberto Urán Urán, and the Duran pass. Obviously.

Didnt my reply suggest i might have worked that one out?

 

[Mellow Velo]

Rai Sport 2's schedule (CET times)
11:00 Ciclismo: 95° Giro d'Italia 2012 Si Gira
12:45 Ciclismo: 95° Giro d'Italia 2012 Anteprima
15:10 Ciclismo: 95° Giro d'Italia 2012 Tappa
17:40 Ciclismo: 95° Giro d'Italia 2012 Processo alla Tappa

First, intermittent live coverage should turn up around half an hour into "Anteprima", which means from about 140kms to go, or there abouts.
However, this is RAI we are talking about, so............

Eurosport due live at 13-30CET.

 

[TeoSheva]

I only know one thing......





I must come up with a good excuse at work to be able to watch it

I think that at 3pm I will have a strong headache

 

[FellOff]

Didnt my reply suggest i might have worked that one out?

Is there something I should say? ... Miguel Indurain?

 

[jens_attacks]

saronni also saying that most likely we'll have attacks only on the giau descent....this is ridiculous, aren't they ashamed of this attitude?
i also hope someone will punch in the face shefer and kreuziger with their attitude...lol they are gonna wait for stelvio...that's not the astana team i fall in love with.vino,how the hell did kreuziger sign with astana?

 

[hrotha]

saronni also saying that most likely we'll have attacks only on the giau descent....this is ridiculous, aren't they ashamed of this attitude?
i also hope someone will punch in the face shefer and kreuziger with their attitude...lol they are gonna wait for stelvio...that's not the astana team i fall in love with.vino,how the hell did kreuziger sign with astana?

What a disgrace. I remember in 1993 the Italian media would deride Chiappucci & co. for not attacking Indurain as much as they should. They were really nasty about it, they questioned them live on TV, in "Processo alla tappa" or whatever the equivalent was called back then, right to their faces. No sugarcoating it.

These journalists are a big part of the problem, I think.

 

[jens_attacks]

What a disgrace. I remember in 1993 the Italian media would deride Chiappucci & co. for not attacking Indurain as much as they should. They were really nasty about it, they questioned them live on TV, in "Processo alla tappa" or whatever the equivalent was called back then, right to their faces. No sugarcoating it.

These journalists are a big part of the problem, I think.

yeah pathetic seeing the RAI guys and de stefano praising the stage to piani de resinelli as awesome,incredible wow che tappa....but they will lose the patience too i'm sure.this is too much a disgrace

and if even myself i'm all for fueled performances,yes it's also very true that attacks can happen also with a low w/kg.see gardeccia last year,no one was really stratospheric but we had something like 3 hours of real racing.
it tells you a lot about this giro when cunego was the rider who earned most of my appreciation until now.and i'm far away to be a damiano fan.
something must happen today,it must.

 

[Mellow Velo]

Given the negative language trend, a climb straight from the start and Katusha's reluctance (well, everybody's reluctance, really) to control the race, I really fancy the chances of a big break forming, the best of whom go all the way.

Folks like Bruseghin, Bakelandts, Txurruka......well, you could pick a dozen more out of a hat.

I'd like to see young Tom the Butcher get out there. He's almost 11 minutes down, so no problemo.

In fact, we may have a second break try and join the first.

Androni will definitely fire men up the road. The only question is who........

 

[manafana]

mmm yeah the break will be interesting, but i think on climbs like this the peleton tends to catch them as the benefits of drafting are marginal so people will set pace on climb anyway to keep out trouble, you will see all big teams commit some men, and who they let in break will be very select.

 

[wirral]

Dupont to win from the break. AG2R are on a roll.