2014 Giro d'Italia Stage 6: Sassano – Montecassino | 257 km

[Dekker_Tifosi]

So stage 6 is long, and features an uphill finish

expect a 30 men sprint uphill

 

[Eshnar]

As I mentioned in the stage by stage thread, the route has been changed due to a landslide and it will be 10 kms longer. 257. I edited the title.

 

[Eshnar]

EDIT: for those of you who don't know what happened here 70 years ago, well, open a history book. Or wikipedia.

 

[Dazed and Confused]

Yes Italy, damn beautiful in many places.
It will be needed during this stage.

Ulissi will crush everybody in the last few hundred meters. Again.

 

[manafana]

Ulissi has struggled in longer races before so interesting see how he does in this one, going need a sprint wondering what sprinters can manage to stick this one, matthews showed he could today.

 

[ILovecycling]

I dont give him much of a chance cuz of long really long distance.
The question is who the ... will win,and I really dont know
Evans?Uran?Arredondo (unlikely)?or even Roche?

 

[ILovecycling]

EDIT: for those of you who don't know what happened here 70 years ago, well, open a history book. Or wikipedia.

Lets hope this kind of person doesnt even exist.

 

[trifun]

Some lighter riders could be hit by the length of the stage combined with the nature of the finishing ascent.
We just need a team in the mood...

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

Would be fitting if a Polish rider won here. Like Majka

 

[Eyeballs Out]

Looks like they've taken a Vuelta stage and stretched it

I don't see Ulissi doubling up. Hopefully Battaglin and Felline have better luck

 

[Rechtschreibfehler]

Montecassino is a great destination for a stage. It would've been good to have more hills before it, but in general it's just a great great destination.

After yesterday's result I guess Ulissi is of course within the favourits, but if anyone could correct me here, I think the never won on a stage with an ascent that long at the end? Uran and Evans are my favourits here.

Mathews surprised me yesterday. It's double the lenghts now, but maybe he decided he want's to be best at hilly stuff now. So maybe he can hold on for longer than we excepted. To hold on to the pink? i don't think so, but it would be interesting if he'd do well. Even though JRod ****ed up the sprint yesterday, I guess he'll be in the mix this time, 7th in the end isn't that bad really.

 

[howardyou]

Evans to let Uran get ahead of him? You don't want the pink to early.

But history tells us Cadel likes to get every bonus where possible. He has learnt the hard way that every second counts. This climb should suit him fairly well.

This stage will provide a further insight into the form of the GC contenders.

 

[Zam_Olyas]

Lets hope this kind of person doesnt even exist.

Bill Guarnere's brother died here.

 

[Jspear]

Matthews to take the win and extend his lead!

 

[VeloHuman]

Evans to let Uran get ahead of him? You don't want the pink to early.

But history tells us Cadel likes to get every bonus where possible. He has learnt the hard way that every second counts. This climb should suit him fairly well.

This stage will provide a further insight into the form of the GC contenders.

Climb suits him well, and compared to the other GC contenders, the finish suits him even better than yesterday. He packs a great traditional sprint when some of the climber-types lose a lot of punch on the flats, and this hill really evens out at the end.

 

[Butterhead]

Much will depend on the weather, if it´s cold and rainy then Cadel will take this, if not my money would be on Purito, Ulissis or Uran. This is to much for Mathews he won´t keep the jersey.

 

[howardyou]

Much will depend on the weather, if it´s cold and rainy then Cadel will take this, if not my money would be on Purito, Ulissis or Uran. This is to much for Mathews he won´t keep the jersey.

Matthews has been quoted a saying he is climbing better than ever right now, and that his climbing legs are better than his sprinting legs.

But in saying that a Cat 2 might just be too long for him. Should be an interesting finish to what could be a fairly boring rest of the stage.

The length of the stage could be the most telling factor as to who the victor is.

 

[SafeBet]

Montecassino is a great destination for a stage. It would've been good to have more hills before it, but in general it's just a great great destination.

After yesterday's result I guess Ulissi is of course within the favourits, but if anyone could correct me here, I think the never won on a stage with an ascent that long at the end?

I might be wrong but I remember a stage in Trentino last year with longish climb in the end.

Yesterday after the race he said he can cope with the distance. His first win as a pro came in a 240 km Giro stage (his words).

 

[Afrank]

Anyone able to give me an estimate of what time they will hit the climb?

 

[Hugo Koblet]

Well honestly, the final climb shouldn't really be a cat 2 climb, it's too easy for that.

As for Matthew's chances, sure the climb is longer than yesterday but it's also less steep and flattens out towards the line, so I definitely wouldn't rule him out. His biggest rival so to speak on this stage is Ulissi and he has a few things working against him compared to yesterday: The lenght of the stage and the fact that the climb flattens out towards the line.

I actually like Matthews' chances here.

 

[Pricey_sky]

Will be interesting to see if Matthews can hold on, he seems to think he can. Either way I will go for an Evans win, he looked good yesterday.

 

[Bushman]

The fact that the hardest part is right at the beginning of the climb plays into Matthews favour as well. It is unlikely that the climb will attack that early, and if he can hang on the flat run in is ideal for him.

 

[Dazed and Confused]

In my book, Orica should try and get a soft and irrelevant break going then give them 15 minutes rather quickly. Set the pace at around 38 km/h at the front of the peloton.

Let others do the chasing if they want a stage win and bonus secs.

 

[manafana]

In my book, Orica should try and get a soft and irrelevant break going then give them 15 minutes rather quickly. Set the pace at around 38 km/h at the front of the peloton.

Let others do the chasing if they want a stage win and bonus secs.

15mins is a hell of a lot, they could do something like it but also they could send someone into the break too. I can see lampre working today at some stage, and few other teams like bmc will pitch in

 

[Dazed and Confused]

15mins is a hell of a lot, they could do something like it but also they could send someone into the break too. I can see lampre working today at some stage, and few other teams like bmc will pitch in

yep, but get the break right and its not a problem. 2-4 riders who are way down in GC already would be ideal.

Anyway time will tell what the plan is.