2014 Giro d'Italia, Stage 17: Sarnonico-Vittorio Veneto (208 km)

[Afrank]

Via Eshnar once again.

Are you guys all going to make me create every stage thread for you? Come on you lazy **** do it yourself for once!...................................

Technical overview:
Penultimate chance for the sprinters, the best flat stage of the race. 208 kms with a complicated route, with many little climbs and walls, the most important of which, the Muro di Ca' del Poggio, a bit more than 1 km at a bit more than 12%, is situated at 20 kms to the finishing line, 20 kms that aren't entirely flat. Here sprinters will have to sweat a lot.

What to expect:
It depends too much from the GC situation, the number of sprinters and the number of attackers still in the race, the weather, etc. No clue about this one, really, but it should be fun. More than a regular flat stage, at least.

General Classification after Stage 16
1 QUINTANA ROJAS, Nairo Alexander (MOVISTAR) 68:11:44
2 URAN URAN, Rigoberto (OMEGA PHARMA - QUICK-STEP) + 1:41
3 EVANS, Cadel (BMC RACING) + 3:21
4 ROLLAND, Pierre (EUROPCAR) + 3:26
5 MAJKA, Rafal (TINKOFF-SAXO) + 3:28
6 ARU, Fabio (ASTANA) + 3:34
7 POZZOVIVO, Domenico (AG2R LA MONDIALE) + 3:49
8 KELDERMAN, Wilco (BELKIN) + 4:06
9 HESJEDAL, Ryder (GARMIN SHARP) + 4:16
10 KISERLOVSKI, Robert (TREK FACTORY RACING) + 8:02

 

[hfer07]

Interesting stage IF is raced full gas & tactically managed- Perhaps an opportunity to ambush Quitana & Movistar if the rest of the teams join forces & want a pay back from yesterday

a breakaway should make it, hopefully...

 

[SafeBet]

It takes a brave team and a non fatigued one to try an ambush today. Unlikely but not impossible maybe, OPQS I'm looking at you.

How many riders left for Cannondale? And FDJ?
I'd like Swift to take the win.

 

[DonMI6]

...How many riders left for Cannondale? And FDJ?...

I thought I heard one of the Orica guys abandoned yesterday which would reduce them to 2 riders, I may have misheard though.

 

[RetroActive]

Via Eshnar once again.

Are you guys all going to make me create every stage thread for you? Come on you lazy **** do it yourself for once!...................................

lol. I predict a sprinter type will win. What's my prize?

 

[Ruby United]

People are fatigued from yesterday, weary of tomorrow, so it's going to be a break.

If it does come down to a sprint swift will take it.

 

[Dazed and Confused]

There has been very few in this Giro, but this is a great flat stage design.

Brown Power will be ready or maybe Tinkoff.

Bouhanni is "climbing" a few minutes ahead of the grupetto, I think he could make it, but I don't think the sprinter teams can control the break today.

Hansen FTW.

 

[Sasquatch]

Cunego will win

 

[RetroActive]

Cunego will win

Interesting prediction. I like that.

Bouhanni is more likely though. Cunego from a break? Who knows - some fast, ish fellow will win. Battaglin? If Gerrans was here I'd say him. Bouhanni is still more likely.

 

[whittashau]

That's a pretty nasty bump 20k from the end. I expect a punchy climber or a sprinter who climbs very well. Ulissi, or Gatto or Swift

 

[jens_attacks]

kiserlovski or pellizotti. or maybe ulissi if he's still in the race

 

[luckyboy]

Descent from the Muro di Ca' del Poggio looks pretty scary. Get the red flags out!

 

[Dazed and Confused]

People are fatigued from yesterday, weary of tomorrow, so it's going to be a break.

If it does come down to a sprint swift will take it.

Yep, people are tired, but many teams are without a win (or high GC placement) and we are running out of stages.

This creates opportunities for brave riders.

 

[Pricey_sky]

For a flat stage this looks a decent one, I marked this one out as one of Swifts best chances. If it's raced hard he can stay with the leaders, It remains to be seen if he will be competitive after yesterday's heroics though. Ulissi will surely be there too.

 

[luckyboy]

Lotto, Garmin, Katusha, Colombia, Neri Sottoli, Androni with no wins so far (and no jersey/GC to really concentrate on)

 

[SafeBet]

I thought I heard one of the Orica guys abandoned yesterday which would reduce them to 2 riders, I may have misheard though.

But I asked about Cannondale and FDJ

 

[RetroActive]

That's a pretty nasty bump 20k from the end. I expect a punchy climber or a sprinter who climbs very well. Ulissi, or Gatto or Swift

A nasty bump with 20 Km to go...A nasty bump with 20 Km to go

 

[manafana]

everyone is going be so wrecked. Surely Swift will be too he decided to get home as quickly as he could yesterday

 

[Sasquatch]

There's no way this will go down to a reduced peloton sprint. Not after yesterday. Everyone will be exhausted. There are 3 huge stages to come. A group will go up the road and won't be seen again. Especially on an undulating stage.

 

[The Barb]

Agree that this is highly likely to go to the break. I'm a stick with my man Maxim Belkov.

 

[veji11]

a big breakaway today, then the cream will rise to the top on the difficulties and you will have 4/5 strong guys fighting for the stage, far far far ahead of a peloton who will have taken the day off.

 

[RedheadDane]

Via Eshnar once again.

Are you guys all going to make me create every stage thread for you? Come on you lazy **** do it yourself for once!...................................

But you're so good at it!

I thought I heard one of the Orica guys abandoned yesterday which would reduce them to 2 riders, I may have misheard though.

Pretty sure they're all still in.

Lotto, Garmin, Katusha, Colombia, Neri Sottoli, Androni with no wins so far (and no jersey/GC to really concentrate on)

We all know what will happen if Androni doesn't make the break...


Anyway:

BAK!!!!

What? A girl can dream!

 

[petiagos]

Tim Wellens and Monsalve that missed the break yesterday ...
today is the day ... Lotto na Neri needs a win.

 

[classicomano]

Obvious Adam Hansen win is obvious.

 

[More Strides than Rides]

Kiserlovski tried early yesterday.

It is a good thing that so many are close to a podium and far from falling outside the top ten. The risk/reward for many is enough to see some ambitious moves between here and the last stage.