- Feb 20, 2012
- 49,357
- 35,760
- 28,180
Might be a weird thing to say, but now that the Giro has been decided, it's time for the mountains to start
What I expect? Not too much, everyone to ride for second place, Contador to enjoy the landscape, get bored, and maybe take the stage win to show them who's boss.
Stage 15: Marostica – Madonna di Campiglio 165 kms MTF
Start time: 12:30, May 24th
Analysis:
In cycling, there are places that have achieved an immortal fame between fans. Places that, just hearing their name can provoke all sort of emotions to those who love this sport. Madonna di Campiglio is definitely one of them.
But in a negative way.
Just hearing this name ruins the day of any Italian cycling fan. It's not by chance that this town has hosted only one Giro stage in history. That one... that one was definitely enough. It was the day Italian (and arguably world) cycling changed forever.
Sixteen years later, we will try to watch a stage finish in this town (actually, a little higher than the town itself, as you'll see), without thinking too much about that sad day.
We start in the town of Marostica, heading straight into the Trentino region through the first difficulty of the day, GPM2 La Fricca (11.3 at 5.1%). After its descent and some bumpy terrain, the bunch will hit a very demanding climb, the GPM1 Passo Daone (8.4 kms at 9.2%), short and steep. The descent of Daone is quite tricky, and leads to the Valle Rendena, where the riders will face 7 kms of false flats before the final climb of the day, the GPM1 Madonna di Campiglio (15.5 kms at 5.9%). The proper town is actually at 3 kms to go, where the 1999 stage finished. This year however the riders will tackle an additional ramp of 3 kms at 6.7%, with some serious slopes at the beginning.
Expectations:
This stage comes after a terrible ITT and before a rest day, so I expect it to deliver much more than the profile suggests. I don't expect anything serious to happen on the Daone, but it will surely add to the fatigue, and the last climb should be fun. A solo winner and one of the favourites bonking and losing minutes.
What I expect? Not too much, everyone to ride for second place, Contador to enjoy the landscape, get bored, and maybe take the stage win to show them who's boss.
Stage 15: Marostica – Madonna di Campiglio 165 kms MTF
Start time: 12:30, May 24th
Analysis:
In cycling, there are places that have achieved an immortal fame between fans. Places that, just hearing their name can provoke all sort of emotions to those who love this sport. Madonna di Campiglio is definitely one of them.
But in a negative way.
Just hearing this name ruins the day of any Italian cycling fan. It's not by chance that this town has hosted only one Giro stage in history. That one... that one was definitely enough. It was the day Italian (and arguably world) cycling changed forever.
Sixteen years later, we will try to watch a stage finish in this town (actually, a little higher than the town itself, as you'll see), without thinking too much about that sad day.
We start in the town of Marostica, heading straight into the Trentino region through the first difficulty of the day, GPM2 La Fricca (11.3 at 5.1%). After its descent and some bumpy terrain, the bunch will hit a very demanding climb, the GPM1 Passo Daone (8.4 kms at 9.2%), short and steep. The descent of Daone is quite tricky, and leads to the Valle Rendena, where the riders will face 7 kms of false flats before the final climb of the day, the GPM1 Madonna di Campiglio (15.5 kms at 5.9%). The proper town is actually at 3 kms to go, where the 1999 stage finished. This year however the riders will tackle an additional ramp of 3 kms at 6.7%, with some serious slopes at the beginning.
Expectations:
This stage comes after a terrible ITT and before a rest day, so I expect it to deliver much more than the profile suggests. I don't expect anything serious to happen on the Daone, but it will surely add to the fatigue, and the last climb should be fun. A solo winner and one of the favourites bonking and losing minutes.
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