Stage 12: Imola – Vicenza (Monte Berico) 190 kms
From Eshnar's analysis.
Start time: 12:35, May 21st
Analysis:
If in the previous stage the best part was the first half, here we have the opposite. Starting from Imola, the peloton goes north for 130 completely flat kms. The last 60, however, make up for an excellent Ardennes-like stage. The first "cote" is the GPM4 Castelnuovo (5.4 kms at 5%), which will serve as a nice warm up. After a very irregular descent and 15 kms of flat terrain, the pack will tackle the GPM3 Crosara (3.7 kms at 9.1%), already climbed in the 2013 stage finishing in Vicenza, but from a different side. This one is a very tough wall, whose average gradient is lowered by the last kilometer, which is little more than false flat. Basically its first 2 kms or so have a 12.7% average, with a full km above 14%! The descent is the same of 2013, but as soon as the riders hit the bottom, they take a detour that after 5 flat kms brings them to another climb, the uncategorized climb to Perarolo (2.8 km at 7%). After another irregular descent, 7 kms of flat entering the town of Vicenza, where the riders will face an uphill sprint. The road to the sanctuary of Monte Berico (GPM4, 1.1 km at 7.1%) is not very difficult at first, with 500m at 5.6%, but the last 500m are at 10.6%.
It looks like a stage for the puncheurs. Gilbert, Gerrans, Ulissi, Betancur (?).. maybe Matthews and Felline. But I'm sure we will see some GC action similar to this stage: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qnfHGjAWAaA
It's a stage that an in-form Aru can win in order to take the jersey from Contador. What do you think?
From Eshnar's analysis.
Start time: 12:35, May 21st
Analysis:
If in the previous stage the best part was the first half, here we have the opposite. Starting from Imola, the peloton goes north for 130 completely flat kms. The last 60, however, make up for an excellent Ardennes-like stage. The first "cote" is the GPM4 Castelnuovo (5.4 kms at 5%), which will serve as a nice warm up. After a very irregular descent and 15 kms of flat terrain, the pack will tackle the GPM3 Crosara (3.7 kms at 9.1%), already climbed in the 2013 stage finishing in Vicenza, but from a different side. This one is a very tough wall, whose average gradient is lowered by the last kilometer, which is little more than false flat. Basically its first 2 kms or so have a 12.7% average, with a full km above 14%! The descent is the same of 2013, but as soon as the riders hit the bottom, they take a detour that after 5 flat kms brings them to another climb, the uncategorized climb to Perarolo (2.8 km at 7%). After another irregular descent, 7 kms of flat entering the town of Vicenza, where the riders will face an uphill sprint. The road to the sanctuary of Monte Berico (GPM4, 1.1 km at 7.1%) is not very difficult at first, with 500m at 5.6%, but the last 500m are at 10.6%.
It looks like a stage for the puncheurs. Gilbert, Gerrans, Ulissi, Betancur (?).. maybe Matthews and Felline. But I'm sure we will see some GC action similar to this stage: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qnfHGjAWAaA
It's a stage that an in-form Aru can win in order to take the jersey from Contador. What do you think?
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