2015 Giro Route Rumours

[Eshnar]

...Because why not.

There are already a lot of rumours.

First, the start will be in Italy (!!!), still no clue where. Most likely in the north/north-east. Milan? Venice? Somewhere else?

The route will then head south along the adriatic coast, and then switch to the Tyrrenian coast, probably not souther than Naples. After that, north again. There will be one weekend in the north-east and one in north-west, depending on where the finish will be set.

In the north-east, the following stages are rumoured:
- flat ITT from Treviso to Jesolo, already rumoured for 2014.
- WWI tribute through Grappa, Asiago, Montello and finish on the Piave. This could also feature the sterrato of the Montello, at only a few kms from the finish.
- MTF to Sorgenti del Piave (Piave's Springs)
- Mortirolo from Mazzo, finish in Edolo or Aprica.
- Vivione/Presolana/Monte Pora like 2008

In the north-west:
- ITT from S.Lorenzo a Mare to Sanremo
- From Sanremo to S.Anna di Vinadio, a revival of the sad Giro 2001 stage that never was.
- Finestre/Sestriere
- St.Panthaleon/Cervinia

as of today, a last stage in Turin, after a stage 20 on Sestriere looks like the strongest rumour. If I had to point the most likely stages of those I mentioned, they would be Sorgenti del Piave, Mortirolo and Sestriere.


EDIT: Latest rumoured route:
sabato 9 San Lorenzo al Mare Sanremo (cronosquadre) km 17,6 ***
domenica 10 Albenga - Genova km 173 **
lunedì 11 Rapallo - Sestri Levante km 136 ***
martedì 12 Chiavari - La Spezia km 150 ****
mercoledì 13 La Spezia - Abetone km 152 ***
giovedì 14 Montecatini T.me - Castiglione della Pescaia km 181 *
venerdì 15 Grosseto - Fiuggi km 263 **
sabato 16 Fiuggi - Campitello Matese km 188 ****
domenica 17 Benevento - San Giorgio del Sannio km 212 ****
lunedì 18 riposo a Civitanova Marche
martedì 19 Civitanova Marche - Forlì km 195 *
mercoledì 20 Forlì - Imola km 147 ***
giovedì 21 Imola - Vicenza (Monte Berico) km 190 ***
venerdì 22 Montecchio Maggiore - Lido di Jesolo km 153 *
sabato 23 Treviso - Valdobbiadene (crono) km 59,2 *****
domenica 24 Marostica - Madonna di Campiglio km 165 ****
lunedì 25 riposo a Madonna di Campiglio
martedì 26 Pinzolo - Aprica km 175 *****
mercoledì 27 Tirano - Lugano km 136 *
giovedì 28 Melide -  Verbania km 172 ***
venerdì 29 Gravellona Toce - Cervinia km 236 *****
sabato 30 Saint Vincent - Sestriere km 196 ****
domenica 31 Torino - Milano km 185 *

 

[Libertine Seguros]

+1 for a Valle d'Aosta stage, very underrated.
-1 for Cervinia again. And if they are doing Cervinia again, for Christ's sake use Tze Core! Tze Core is one of my absolute favourite climbs and deserves more cache.

Tze Core-Saint Pantaléon-Champremier-Pila, please. Or Tze Core-Joux-Brusson-Estoul. Or Tze Core-Saint Pantaléon-descent finish in Châtillon.

 

[18-Valve. (pithy)]

- Finestre/Sestriere

as of today, a last stage in Turin, after a stage 20 on Sestriere looks like the strongest rumour.

I hope not. Finestre/Sestriere on the penultimate day will probably mean another snoozefest. It's not 2005 anymore.

 

[BigMac]

Well then... Colle del Nivolet MTF.

 

[Eshnar]

I hope not. Finestre/Sestriere on the penultimate day will probably mean another snoozefest. It's not 2005 anymore.

yeah, better have a Murito right?

What's wrong with you people? In 2011 it was a snoozefest because the gc was already decided. Even so, it was still better than most recent queen stages

 

[roundabout]

2011 was awful. Ok Vasil was in 4x4 mode, but pulling away from the main group from 1/4 way up Finestre to the finish showed how lame it was.

Or put it differently. Murito was the most aggressive rider from the favorites.

 

[Libertine Seguros]

Do not hate on that stage. It was almost perfect. It would have been perfect if Vasya hadn't put his sunglasses on because he was too proud to be seen crying.


(Also, my fantasy Giro team that year had Kiryienka, Rujano, Purito, Betancur and Scarponi, so I won the game outright that day)

 

[roundabout]

He probably would have won anyway the way he was going. But as a GC battle it was booring.

Even Rujano's brave attack did not really look like going anywhere

 

[Eshnar]

Or put it differently. Murito was the most aggressive rider from the favorites.

True. And he didn't attack from 1 km out. I'm not sure why this is a con.

 

[roundabout]

First "long" range attack in his GC rider days?

Probably the longest range attack in his GC rider days?

Ok, enough OT. Moar rumors.

 

[Red Rick]

I have 2016 rumours, it seems it will start in the Netherlands. Thijs Zonneveld better hurry up with his berg so we can host a damn MTF

 

[Netserk]

I have 2016 rumours, it seems it will start in the Netherlands. Thijs Zonneveld better hurry up with his berg so we can host a damn MTF

Netherlands the country with most GT departs recently?

 

[Netserk]

- From Sanremo to S.Anna di Vinadio, a revival of the sad Giro 2001 stage

Totally unrealistic: I'd love if they did Colle di Lombarda from south and then descented halfway down and finished on the last part of S.Anna di Vinadio. Would be an awesome combo imho. But coming to Isola from SE would probably be too much in France, and Bonette from W would not be possible in May (I guess. On the other hand it is more to the south than Stelvio, and I guess warmer, so maybe it could be possible?), and since the Tour won't finish there, the combo of Bonette(W)-Lombarde(/i)(S)-S.Anna di Vinadio will probably never be used

 

[Eshnar]

Totally unrealistic: I'd love if they did Colle di Lombarda from south and then descented halfway down and finished on the last part of S.Anna di Vinadio. Would be an awesome combo imho. But coming to Isola from SE would probably be too much in France, and Bonette from W would not be possible in May (I guess. On the other hand it is more to the south than Stelvio, and I guess warmer, so maybe it could be possible?), and since the Tour won't finish there, the combo of Bonette(W)-Lombarde(/i)(S)-S.Anna di Vinadio will probably never be used

ofc not.
But I hope to see Fauniera finally

 

[18-Valve. (pithy)]

yeah, better have a Murito right?

What's wrong with you people? In 2011 it was a snoozefest because the gc was already decided. Even so, it was still better than most recent queen stages

A classic Dolomites stage is much more likely to deliver.

If they have to finish in Turin, a Fauniera - Sampeyre - descent finish would be much better, too. Of course Sestriere has money, which is the real problem. Probably not too many financially viable options in that area but Sestriere.

Any stage that is more likely to create gaps among the top contenders is better. As played out as a Zoncolan stage is (no it's not the best option, not even close), at least there is close a 100 percent chance that significant gaps will be created, versus a minute chance that something big will happen in a freaking Sestriere stage. False flat is not where it's at.

 

[Netserk]

Yeah, surely nothing will ever happen on the false flat of Aprica. Why ever have a stage finish there....

 

[Eshnar]

at least there is close a 100 percent chance that significant gaps will be created.

There's also 100% chance that no one will ever move from before the last climb.

 

[Libertine Seguros]

There's also 100% chance that no one will ever move from before the last climb.

Bring in Crostis!

(That probably wouldn't help, just mean that legs are more tired pre-Stelvio).

Or pave the descent from the Col Basset to Sestriere. That will silence the complaints about Sestriere.

But seriously, we've had two stages to Sestriere. One was one of the best stages of any race in the last decade, and the other was a bit disappointing but still a memorable win. Remember that in 2005 they'd already done a bunch of climbing when they started Finestre and in 2011 they hadn't, too. Have them do the version of Moncenisio they did in 2009 leading into Finestre, could be fun.

The descent would take us almost straight to Finestre.

I'd like a stage in the Ligurian/south Piemontese Alps, a stage in the Valle d'Aosta... no, TWO stages in the Valle d'Aosta, and Fedaia. It has been three Fedaia-less years.

Fedaia!

 

[Netserk]

Bring in Crostis!

(That probably wouldn't help, just mean that legs are more tired pre-Stelvio).

Longest stage ever?

 

[Libertine Seguros]

Longest stage ever?

Oops, forgot Zomegnan's not in charge anymore.

My dreams of a stage from Tolmezzo to Sulden over Zoncolan, Crostis, Cimasappada, Passo Sant'Antonio, Tre Croci, Giau, Fedaia (Fedaia!), Costalunga, Lavazè, Mendola, Tonale, Gavia and Stelvio must wait...

 

[l.Harm]

At least show us a profile of that stage

 

[Libertine Seguros]

At least show us a profile of that stage

 

[The Hitch]

yeah, better have a Murito right?

What's wrong with you people? In 2011 it was a snoozefest because the gc was already decided. Even so, it was still better than most recent queen stages

Looking back through the gts this decade - would Finnestre Sestrieres on the last day (instead of whatever last mountain stage there was that weekend) have been a snoozefest

2013 Vuelta - no
2013 Tour - yes
2013 Giro - in every way imaginable
2012 Vuelta - no
2012 Tour -
2012 Giro -
2011 Vuelta - No
2011 Tour - No (cos of Contador)
2011 Giro - Ummm
2010 Vuelta - No
2010 Tour - No
2010 Giro - If its after Mortirolo hell yes. If its instead of Mortirolo - GOAT stage.

So I have 5 times it would be boring 6 times it would be good and one maybe, though I was maybe a bit generous on the ones that could work out.

so around half a chance of good half a chance of boring.

Which is what the original sample of 2005 vs 2011 told us to begin with.

 

[The Hitch]

Oops, forgot Zomegnan's not in charge anymore.

My dreams of a stage from Tolmezzo to Sulden over Zoncolan, Crostis, Cimasappada, Passo Sant'Antonio, Tre Croci, Giau, Fedaia (Fedaia!), Costalunga, Lavazè, Mendola, Tonale, Gavia and Stelvio must wait...

You are my 1 true soulmate.

 

[The Hitch]

They have Giau and Marmolada as Cat1? In a world where Luz Ardiden is hors cat?