2013 Giro d'Italia Stage 12: Longarone → Treviso (134km)

[RHRH19861986]

gavazzi is actually a good climber.

Voices here indicated he might get dropped early.

I, for myself, had and have problems rating his climbing skills:

On one hand, if you win so many stages in also hillier races like Langkawi, you should have some climbing skills.

On the other hand, he certainly wasn´t able to prove his climbing legs too often in WT races.

His problem might be his age now. He´s 29 or 30, and at this age, being sprinter, you normally tend to lose explosiveness already. He lost too much time during his career, due to these coke stories. If he was a GC or pure climber guy, this would be manageable, Horner proved it. For Gavazzi, things are more complicated.

On the other hand, look at Hondo. Maybe Gavazzi could develop similarly. Hondo also lost his best sprinting years, after this 2005 Murcia story.

 

[jeosdk]

Do you think a guy like Battaglin will go for the stage today, or will he wait until tomorrow wheres his chances are better?

 

[search]

it's Modolo's home stage, so Bardiani will surely work for him

 

[Michele]

They just showed some footage from the finish area by saying that the weather condition are quite bad, heavy rains with strong winds.

 

[DJ Sprtsch]

Severe weather alert

 

[cineteq]

Severe weather alert

I might actually watch after all.

 

[manafana]

Cavendish if its a sprint, but this rain does sound pretty heavy.

 

[Leonardus]

Simple sprinters stage might turn out to be quite dangerous for the riders. Bad weather, narrow roads and a lot of turns and twists. Doesn't sound like a good combination.

 

[JRanton]

Daniel Lloyd ‏@daniellloyd1 now
Rain update! Officially never personally seen sustained rain like it. Will be epic if they race. TV pictures uncertain

 

[Netserk]

breakaway of
F. FELLINE (23),
M. BELKOV (112),
B. DE BACKER (193),
M. LAMMERTINK (214)

Bunch +0'25

 

[Eshnar]

The final times will be taken before the final circuit, to avoid useless fights at the front.

 

[Parrulo]

The final times will be taken before the final circuit, to avoid useless fights at the front.

Very good decision

 

[Eshnar]

Very good decision

yep I agree

 

[Ferminal]

So how much flat does Wiggins have to chase back on?

 

[brilleaben]

Belkov the beast really loves the rain.

 

[Netserk]

Marcato trying to bridge to the breakaway.

5km to the TV. Seems like the BotD will take all the bonus seconds.

 

[One Eyed Aussie]

Short stage + bad weather = coverage virtually from the start!

 

[Maaaaaaaarten]

Lol this stage is now >130km right? That's a bit of an embarrassment for the hardest GT.

 

[Eshnar]

Lol this stage is now >130km right? That's a bit of an embarrassment for the hardest GT.

tomorrow it's 254...

 

[Afrank]

Lol this stage is now >130km right? That's a bit of an embarrassment for the hardest GT.

Meh, every GT needs at least a couple easier stages that the GC men can relax a bit on and the sprinters can have a chance in. If they start messing with the mountain stages now, that will detract from the overall difficulty of the whole race.

 

[Netserk]

Lol this stage is now >130km right? That's a bit of an embarrassment for the hardest GT.

At least the weather is rough and there is a couple of hills.

 

[One Eyed Aussie]

tomorrow it's 254...

Aren't there rules on minimum and maximum stage lengths?

 

[Netserk]

Belkov took the TV.

 

[Eshnar]

Aren't there rules on minimum and maximum stage lengths?

yes, but organizers can always ask for exceptions.
So they're basically meaningless.

 

[Netserk]

Aren't there rules on minimum and maximum stage lengths?

Only two stages over 240km. (and only one TT over 60km)

The Giro have had stages over 260km...