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

[Ferminal]

Yeh they will work early to make sure the break has no GC threats. Their preference should be for one to stay away and take the bonuses.

 

[jens_attacks]

here we are...the poor man's montevergine di mercogliano. hairpins galore but easy climb
pirazzi to take it with a brutal attack!
that or matthews,he's riding very strong

let's hope for an explosive montecassino

 

[DJ Sprtsch]

Pirazzi, that would be nice.

Anyway, they're off already!

 

[Wigry3]

Cassino is a sacred place for Poles. Like Omaha Beach or Iwo Jima for the Americans so i bet Poles as top contenders. Majka?

 

[stefank]

Cassino is a sacred place for Poles. Like Omaha Beach or Iwo Jima for the Americans so i bet Poles as top contenders. Majka?

Yes, my father had many memories of the place, but he did not like to talk about them. He recommended a book "Cassino the Hollow Victory" which he thought nicely pointed out the waste and futility of the whole exercise. I still have his original artillery maps from the battle.

 

[Dazed and Confused]

Break established:

77 Edoardo Zardini (Bardiani-CSF) +4:53
163 Edwin Avila (Colombia) +16:10
170 Andrea Fedi (Neri Sottoli) +16:38
173 Marco Bandiera (Androni Giocattoli) +16:49

Almost perfect for Orica. Max 10 minutes I think.

 

[coimbrawu]

So other teams are saved for final climb to Montecassino?
soft padel for 248km

 

[Wilba60]

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

Cam Meyer would be the perfect foil for Mathews. If he could get into the break, the OGE boys can relax a little and protect Mathews....plus don't rule out Weening. He is having an excellent year and is riding really well, he can take over if Mathews feels the pinch.

I am hoping to see a break with Meyer in it.

 

[DJ Sprtsch]

eeerh, break is established, see above.
And they have 5 minutes after 28k.
It will be more than 10 minutes.

 

[Dazed and Confused]

Break with 5 minutes now.

Vegni to WCs: "you will put a man in the break today."

Hopefully the weather is good, so everybody can enjoy the ride.

 

[rainman]

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

Looks like around 4.30pm local time (CET) but I guess a lot depends on wind and weather, plus stage now being 10 k's longer.

 

[jens_attacks]

they can give them even 20 minutes i guess...i would like zardini maglia rosa

 

[Wigry3]

Yes, my father had many memories of the place, but he did not like to talk about them. He recommended a book "Cassino the Hollow Victory" which he thought nicely pointed out the waste and futility of the whole exercise. I still have his original artillery maps from the battle.

My very grandfather would have fought at Cassino as a soldier of the Polish Army but he died earlier in Teheran. He just didn't survive soviet camps. Nowadays most Poles find the storm of Cassino as stupid and unnecessary but that was just reality of that war. I have not read that book yet - I'm reading Mathew Parker's "Monte Cassino". Worth recommending too.

 

[Leonardus]

Crazy long stage, that's a classics distance. They shouldn't allow such long stages in my mind but on the other hand it is interesting to see what it will do with the riders on that final climb. But until they get there, very long and boring stage. More like a transfer by bike.

 

[DJ Sprtsch]

Only 35km in and the break has more than 10 minutes already.
The peloton is riding, what, less than 30km/h?

 

[Arredondo]

Crazy long stage, that's a classics distance. They shouldn't allow such long stages in my mind but on the other hand it is interesting to see what it will do with the riders on that final climb. But until they get there, very long and boring stage. More like a transfer by bike.

A GT is about variety. There are stages for sprinters, climbers, explosive man, rouleurs/attackers. So there has to be a stage for the riders with a big endurance. That's all what a GT is about.

 

[Ryo Hazuki]

A GT is about variety. There are stages for sprinters, climbers, explosive man, rouleurs/attackers. So there has to be a stage for the riders with a big endurance. That's all what a GT is about.

thank you for spreading the truth. you understand cycling.

 

[Bushman]

I dont think the length will affect the riders too much when it is completely flat until the climb.

 

[Butterhead]

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.

It sounds to me like we should have a bet here Any ideas?

 

[Hugo Koblet]

It sounds to me like we should have a bet here Any ideas?

Let's do it! What do you have in mind? Looking back, your first statement was that Matthews won't keep the jersey.

What do you say we make a bet that if Matthews keeps the jersey, I write a signature for you to keep untill the end of the Giro and of course if he doesn't keep it, you can write a nice signature for me?

 

[Butterhead]

Let's do it! What do you have in mind? Looking back, your first statement was that Matthews won't keep the jersey.

What do you say we make a bet that if Matthews keeps the jersey, I write a signature for you to keep untill the end of the Giro and of course if he doesn't keep it, you can write a nice signature for me?

DEAL!! Let´s do it.

 

[Hugo Koblet]

DEAL!! Let´s do it.

Cool, I better start thinking of something then

 

[trevim]

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).

He can say whatever he likes but he hasn't shown the engine for monument distances yet. Nevertheless, EBH has won a long stage in the Giro back in 2009 and we're all still expecting that he top10 a monument.

 

[Butterhead]

Cool, I better start thinking of something then

Think I already got yours. It´s not so bad

 

[pattycake88]

predictions on pink for the end of the stage?