2015 Giro d'Italia, Stage 3: Rapallo – Sestri Levante 136 km

[gregrowlerson]

Although it's not a bad design for the first week, I don't see much happening on this stage. Not sure if that's because the climbs are too far from the finish or because the stage is 50kms short; probably a combination of both.

Oh, and because stages 4 & 5 are more interesting for the GC riders.

 

[phanatic]

Uran for the win. No rest day for the GC.

 

[Hugo Koblet]

This is a really nice stage design. Could be both a reduced bunch sprint and a breakaway victory.

 

[Velolover2]

Hope for a big breakaway of about 20-30 men from as many teams as possible. Would be nice if Pozzovivo was in it. I hope the peloton will let him.

 

[movingtarget]

GE will try and keep Matthews in the jersey for a couple more stages. He should survive this one.

 

[Sasquatch]

Re:

GE will try and keep Matthews in the jersey for a couple more stages. He should survive this one.

That's what OGE think. Question is, who survives with Matthews?

 

[Sasquatch]

Re: 2015 Giro d'Italia, Stage 3: Rapallo – Sestri Levante 13

Lars Bak to win from a break

 

[TheGreenMonkey]

Re: 2015 Giro d'Italia, Stage 3: Rapallo – Sestri Levante 13

This stage reminds me of the mulhouse stage of last years tour which was won by martin. However I have the fear that it will end in a reduced sprint because orica will try to keep the pink jersey. (Although that would be stupid because there will be so many moves on the last climb on tuesday that Im almost one hundred percent sure that the jersey will change its owner that day)

It certainly is not stupid of Orica to try and keep the jersey for as long as possible. They probably will race for Mathews on stage 4 but when that almost certainly does not work then they will switch to Gerrans and/or Chaves depending on what happens. Then on stage 5 they will probably try and get Chaves into pink if he is not already, or defend it if he is. Chaves could then hold it until stage 8 if everything went well. I really doubt this scenario will happen, but why not try it.

 

[Velolover2]

Let's mention 10 guys who we think will get into the break and see who get's the most right. I'm starting:

Zardini
Pirazzi (yeah both)
Weening (Orica need a second opinion)
Küng
Herrada
Hansen
Gatto
Paterski
Acevedo
Atapuma (maybe too dangerous, I don't know)

 

[LaFlorecita]

Pirazzi
Stortoni
Moinard
Villella
Weening
Paterski
Favilli
Reichenbach
Chavanel
Visconti
My guess

 

[vladimir]

Re: 2015 Giro d'Italia, Stage 3: Rapallo – Sestri Levante 13

Bandiera
Pirazzi
De La Cruz
Roux
Colli
Bak
Monsalve
Belkov
Lindeman
Geschke

 

[May0maniac]

Re: Re:

GE will try and keep Matthews in the jersey for a couple more stages. He should survive this one.

That's what OGE think. Question is, who survives with Matthews?

This looks like one of those TdS or Romandie stages that Albasini always ends up winning, a breakaway would be great, but I think it will be Matthews.

 

[Jagartrott]

Moinard was on holiday until a few days ago. I don't expect him to do anything the next days.
I wonder if that 'technical descent' will cause problems/crashes.

 

[Sasquatch]

Tiziano Dall'Antonia
Jussi Veikkanen
Nicola Boem
Lars Ytting Bak
Sergei Chernetski
Oscar Gatto
Matteo Montaguti
David De La Cruz
Fabio Sabatini
Adam Hansen

 

[The Barb]

A hard, hard day for Orica coming up. There are four or five guys who are straight out faster than Matthews, so they have to work enough to drop them and enough to reel in a potentially strong break. Still, I think they do it ... Bling win.

 

[ILovecycling]

Re:

A hard, hard day for Orica coming up. There are four or five guys who are straight out faster than Matthews, so they have to work enough to drop them and enough to reel in a potentially strong break. Still, I think they do it ... Bling win.

I dont think that will be a problem, that climb is pretty hard imo.

But its not finish for Lobato as others think.

 

[Beacon Hill]

Re: 2015 Giro d'Italia, Stage 3: Rapallo – Sestri Levante 13

Wonder if Adam Hansen will be let off the leash? Would be a good call if Griepel didnt want anything today.

Other than that would love to see Gilbert, Paterski or Pirazzi. Should be an interesting day, especially if raced hard from the gun.

 

[Velolover2]

The climb is hard enough to drop Matthews (and even Gerrans) if some of the other teams really wanted to race it hard, but I don't think so. He would surely get back on the long flat part.

If the climb was a little closer to the finish, we would have seen some GC action.

 

[barmaher]

This should be a cracking stage; really looking forward to the next four days. It is unusual to get four days as good as this so early in a Grand Tour.

All four could be good for differing reasons. This one is least likely to have a shakeup on GC of the next four days, but it could see the most interesting racing.

Like others, I hope for a strong break today, with riders tough enough to stay out until the end. And also a strong pace up the last climb, enough to put the fast men in trouble.

Of course, there are many scenarios for a dull day, but just as many chances of a scorcher.

 

[Midrider]

Does someone agree with me on the following?:

I think this is a perfect stage for team that have a (semi)sprinter but not a clear favourite/contender for the GC.
For example, if LottoNL-Jumbo sends Kruijswijk in the break, other teams have an incentive to chase the break and give Hofland an opportunity for a sprint. If teams don't chase, Kruijswijk (as Lotto's GC man) would stand to gain a bit of time in the GC.
Another example I could think of is Sky with Nieve in the break and Viviani as sprinter.
There's little risk involved because the next stage looks like a breakaway stage/recovery ride for the GC men anyway.

 

[Velolover2]

Re:

Does someone agree with me on the following?:

I think this is a perfect stage for team that have a (semi)sprinter but not a clear favourite/contender for the GC.
For example, if LottoNL-Jumbo sends Kruijswijk in the break, other teams have an incentive to chase the break and give Hofland an opportunity for a sprint. If teams don't chase, Kruijswijk (as Lotto's GC man) would stand to gain a bit of time in the GC.
Another example I could think of is Sky with Nieve in the break and Viviani as sprinter.
There's little risk involved because the next stage looks like a breakaway stage/recovery ride for the GC men anyway.

Viviani will not survive the climb. I'm leaning towards that Hofland will not either.

 

[Jagartrott]

The tempo needs to be hard enough on the climb, otherwise Greipel may survive or get back on.
He was climbing pretty well in Turkey.

 

[DBotero]

Re: 2015 Giro d'Italia, Stage 3: Rapallo – Sestri Levante 13

Hopefully one team will give it a go on that climb,it's hard enough to drop every sprinter if they want.Maybe Katusha or Tinkoff will go gung ho,if not this time Matthews might be up to the task and do better than yesterday.

 

[Netserk]

Start was 5 minutes ago. Four riders up the road currently: Boem, Atapuma, Bongiorno and Owgian(sp?).

Vorobyev didn't start the stage.

edit: ticker says 10 riders up the road.

edit2: @daniellloyd1

Now 35 leaders with 30 second lead. Wish this bit was live. #giro

 

[Kwibus]

Re:

Although it's not a bad design for the first week, I don't see much happening on this stage. Not sure if that's because the climbs are too far from the finish or because the stage is 50kms short; probably a combination of both.

Oh, and because stages 4 & 5 are more interesting for the GC riders.

I'm not counting on the GC riders today. I'm counting on the attackers and this profile is just perfect.

Just impossible to predict, specially because it's early in the race. If it was in the 2nd week it would be a breakaway for sure. Now it's up in the air.