2014 Giro to start in Ireland?

[happytramp]

Looks as though there's a serious joint bid going in from Belfast and Dublin. I'd love to see it but surely we'd be looking at the mother of all transfers....

http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/local-national/northern-ireland/crossborder-bid-for-cycling-event-16230639.html

 

[Mad Elephant Man]

It is an awful terrible idea. It would add nothing to the race. The Giro should stay in Italy

 

[orangerider]

Agreed. Adds significant costs for the teams, gives the riders fatigue, and gives little added value for a race that is strongly identified by Italian culture. If anything, have them host a post-crit race or something.

 

[sbbefc]

6 days is too much but I dont have a problem with 2 or 3

 

[Eshnar]

It would be incredibly lame, I hope this will end like the bid by Washington DC.

 

[happytramp]

6 days is too much but I dont have a problem with 2 or 3

From what I heard it's a prologue and two stages. Starting in Belfast and ending in Dublin. I'm not going to complain too much though, since I'd actually get to see a couple stages of the race.

 

[RedheadDane]

It wouldn't fit very well with the recent talk about making the Giro more Rider Friendly, with shorter transfers and such.
Not to mention that I think it might be a bit overkill to start far abroad every other year.

From what I heard it's a prologue and two stages. Starting in Belfast and ending in Dublin. I'm not going to complain too much though, since I'd actually get to see a couple stages of the race.

Bit my problem too! I can't really argue against faraway starts, I wasn't exactly complaining about the start this year...

 

[Eshnar]

It wouldn't fit very well with the recent talk about making the Giro more Rider Friendly, with shorter transfers and such.

Lol did you see the 2013 route?

 

[RedheadDane]

I'm only repeating what I heard from the organization.
Besides; from some of the stories I've heard it can only get better...
Who knows? Maybe the organization will actually do something to make sure riders won't have to battle rush-hour.

 

[Eshnar]

I'm only repeating what I heard from the organization.

I know, but I highly doubt they really meant it, as shown by next year's route.

 

[RedheadDane]

Do you have a link to next years route? On a map...
My lack of knowledge of Italian geography means I doesn't really know what the distances are.

 

[Eshnar]

Do you have a link to next years route? On a map...
My lack of knowledge of Italian geography means I doesn't really know what the distances are.

 

[RedheadDane]

Thanks. I can see what you mean about the long transfers to get from north to south (or from south to north...), but I also notice that a lot of the race is packed together in the northern part of the country, + that it appears that on several occasions a stage starts where the previous ended.
Nor should it be forgotten that the roads themselves play a major role; if the roads to be used on the longer transfers a major highways (which are perhaps closed for the public) then a transfer of around 100K isn't that bad.

Besides; it's a helluvalot shorter than getting the race from Ireland to Italy! (Or from Denmark to Italy...)


Another point about the problems with the idea of starting on Ireland: How the **** are they gonna get the entire race-circus to Italy?
Here the riders, and other people, are actually the least problem. They can be put in a plane and flown, but all the stuff that'll need to be driven? From what I heard they pretty much spent the rest day driving down through Europe, unless there's a tunnel, or a rather big ferry, from Ireland to GB which I don't know about I can see a bit of a problem here... same from GB to the mainland.

 

[element]

I think it's the best idea ever, but maybe because Belfast is my hometown.

There are large ferries that go from just south of Dublin to northern France overnight, then it would just be a straight drive down France.

 

[happytramp]

It's a colossal amount of stuff to fly back to Italy in order to make the start of stage 3. (nearly 400+ road and TT bikes alone). It's likely they'll need two full sets of equipment, sending one by boat and then land while one waits for them at the start of the race in Italy. Not sure it's ever been done before.

Also, someone mentioned that they've done Prologue's on road bikes before. It might cut the mustard in Qatar or wherever not sure it'd fly at a grand tour.

 

[noddy69]

Why not take all the money and try and plan a serious event in Ireland that would attract big riders. Although I would love to see the Giro it would be in Italy and I think it takes away from the races to try to do starts elsewhere.

 

[The Hitch]

It's a colossal amount of stuff to fly back to Italy in order to make the start of stage 3. (nearly 400+ road and TT bikes alone). It's likely they'll need two full sets of equipment, sending one by boat and then land while one waits for them at the start of the race in Italy. Not sure it's ever been done before.

Also, someone mentioned that they've done Prologue's on road bikes before. It might cut the mustard in Qatar or wherever not sure it'd fly at a grand tour.

Make the prologue uphill. Then it can fly

 

[Zinoviev Letter]

Make the prologue uphill. Then it can fly

I take it you've never been in Dublin or Belfast? If Cork was involved you could have a city centre prologue featuring St Patrick's Hill, but Dublin and Belfast are basically flat, unless you go way out past the Southern suburbs of Dublin.

 

[The Hitch]

I take it you've never been in Dublin or Belfast? If Cork was involved you could have a city centre prologue featuring St Patrick's Hill, but Dublin and Belfast are basically flat, unless you go way out past the Southern suburbs of Dublin.

I did not think that bit through.

 

[El Pistolero]

In the Merckx era the Giro often started in a different country. Perhaps they're trying it again. Although those different countries were small states like Monaco and the Vatican City. I guess they're trying to up the ante now they have better technology.

 

[apmfbs]

Starting in Ireland is strange, but the important thing of next year Giro is that is supposed to be a Giro in honour of Marco Pantani ( 20 years since Merano and Aprica 94, and 10 years he died).

I think Stelvio-Mortirolo-Aprica-ST Cristina-Aprica will be one of the stages, Cesenatico could be part of it and at least anotheR reference to Marco ( Oropa, Val Gardena, Pampeago,Montecampione or his last great climbs Zoncolan and Cascata del Tocce)

 

[element]

In Belfast there's a km long steep hill running up to our Parliament buildings at Stormont. It's only a few kms out of the city centre, and they use it as the prologue for the Tour of the North every year - You could easily lengthen it and finish with the climb, and it's pretty spectacular:

 

[The Hitch]

I think Stelvio-Mortirolo-Aprica-ST Cristina-Aprica will be one of the stages.)

OMG !!!.
why would they do.aprica again at the end though?. Didnr the original finish on.st christina ?

 

[phanatic]

It would be incredibly lame, I hope this will end like the bid by Washington DC.

I was really hoping for the DC start. I still wish they could visit New York, and do a TTT along the marathon route.

 

[Eshnar]

OMG !!!.
why would they do.aprica again at the end though?. Didnr the original finish on.st christina ?

The finish was in the town of Aprica, straight after the descent of S.ta Cristina.