2015 Giro Route Rumours

[TheGreenMonkey]

I don't think so, not in this case. I also suspect that if they were planning a double Mortirolo, we would have heard of that by now.

I do not think it is happening either.

I am disappointed that it seems they will be climbing from the south even with this new road being used. They route is looking worse with every rumor. No Plan de Corones, no Mortirolo from Mazzo. All it needs now is for them to do Cervinia, Abetone and Finestre with no prior climbs.

 

[Matt92]

I was just kidding, I don't believe double Mortirolo is possible either

 

[icefire]

It would be good.



Is that yellow road on the map really raceable?

If so they could climb up the pink/ purple to the yellow, then descend the yellow, go climb something else to get to the other side then do the Mortirolo properly from Mazzo and Aprica finish.

However with the stage starting in Pinzolo and going over the Croce Domini it makes the stage over 280km if you try and do the Gavia in between the two Mortirolo climbs, so not possible.

Who needs Gavia? Have the race going up and down over a short closed loop several times and sell tickets as UCI does with the Worlds

 

[ILovecycling]

It would be good.



Is that yellow road on the map really raceable?

If so they could climb up the pink/ purple to the yellow, then descend the yellow, go climb something else to get to the other side then do the Mortirolo properly from Mazzo and Aprica finish.

However with the stage starting in Pinzolo and going over the Croce Domini it makes the stage over 280km if you try and do the Gavia in between the two Mortirolo climbs, so not possible.

no problemo

 

[May0maniac]

I fear we could get a lackluster Giro with a boring Route, for Giro standarts, and nobody challenging Contador, if Nibali only rides the Giro. The only thing that could save that race would be the return of the the hero of my adolescence

 

[hfer07]

no problemo

you read my mind

With Contador participating in it & perhaps few more stars too, there is no doubt that Zomegnan should be the man to design the perfect parcours for the occasion

 

[Miburo]

I fear we could get a lackluster Giro with a boring Route, for Giro standarts, and nobody challenging Contador, if Nibali only rides the Giro. The only thing that could save that race would be the return of the the hero of my adolescence

In which team will this guy ride next year? yea

 

[jens_attacks]

basso could make the podium though if he goes the tinkov way. i would love that

anyway, it's pretty clear nibali won't be there.

 

[The Hitch]

I fear we could get a lackluster Giro with a boring Route, for Giro standarts, and nobody challenging Contador.

which is what we have got last couple of years anyway.

 

[barmaher]

Yeah, I find it hard to say for sure, as I don't know the geography or the climbs as well as I know France.

But to me, it looks quite promising.

And as the Hitch says, we have had a few years of quite poor routes. So there is lots of scope for improvement.

 

[ILovecycling]

which is what we have got last couple of years anyway.

at least AC will be 'fresh' for attempting the double

but yeah, youve got the point,GT's are poor last few years

 

[Arredondo]

Yeah, I find it hard to say for sure, as I don't know the geography or the climbs as well as I know France.

But to me, it looks quite promising.

And as the Hitch says, we have had a few years of quite poor routes. So there is lots of scope for improvement.

I don't know if Hitch is referring to the crappy routes or the crappy racing of the past years.

 

[Eshnar]

I had lots of RL work to do these days so I couldn't comment properly the rumours about the Mortirolo stage.
First of all, yes now it really looks like Marca was right (kinda strange).
I keep believing they'll reach Edolo through the Croce Domini. Technically speaking there's room to throw the Vivione in (the overall length would go around 230 kms) but... ehm... forget about it. From Edolo they'll climb the new Mortirolo south road and then decend most likely towards Grosio, even if the descent of Mazzo has already been used in 1991 without apocalyptic scenes. That makes a little less than 15 kms of false flat to the start of the next climb. Here I'd say there are 3 main hypotesis to reach Aprica, all roughly of the same length:
- Climb Piscina and then Aprica west (recommended by me, as it favours long range attacks)
- Climb Piscina and S.Cristina, then descend to Aprica like the 1994 stage (here I don't see any big gun attacking before S.Cristina)
- Climb Trivigno north and descend directly to Aprica. (this is a proper HC so you get it I guess... the only good side is that it's very hard only at the beginning and it flattens out progressively)

We're talking about 190ish kms overall.

 

[Netserk]

I think Contador will attack on his section no matter the route if he is head and shoulders above the rest.

 

[Eshnar]

I think Contador will attack on his section no matter the route if he is head and shoulders above the rest.

And if he isn't?

I do expect a big selection on that stretch, but there's a big chance that all comes together on the false flat.

 

[Netserk]

If he isn't then I doubt he'll attack there. However if his main opponents will be Aru, Pozzovivo, Uran(?) and Purito(?) I don't see why he shouldn't be head and shoulders above them.

 

[Eshnar]

If he isn't then I doubt he'll attack there. However if his main opponents will be Aru, Pozzovivo, Uran(?) and Purito(?) I don't see why he shouldn't be head and shoulders above them.

Well aren't you guys saying that the plan is to be short on form in order to be at 100% at the Tour? Plus, if that's the competition (maybe Valverde in, and I still think Nibali will come in the end, but whatever) he'll be already leading because of the ITT, so he won't need to move an inch.

 

[Netserk]

Well aren't you guys saying that the plan is to be short on form in order to be at 100% at the Tour? Plus, if that's the competition (maybe Valverde in, and I still think Nibali will come in the end, but whatever) he'll be already leading because of the ITT, so he won't need to move an inch.

Am I a group or an individual? Have I posted that anywhere?

It's not like he only followed wheels after Etna in '11...

 

[Eshnar]

Am I a group or an individual? Have I posted that anywhere?

Dunno, it was directed to the majority of the audience, not to you.

It's not like he only followed wheels after Etna in '11...

And indeed the plan didn't go well later at the Tour...

 

[Eshnar]

Here are the 3 options I was referring to:
- Piscina and Aprica

-Piscina and S.Cristina

- Trivigno

 

[18-Valve. (pithy)]

And indeed the plan didn't go well later at the Tour...

Yeah, Riis will try to keep him on a short leash, I guess. I don't expect any long range solo attacks by a major contender. Maybe a small elite group in one or two stages that falls apart close to the finish line. That would be good.

Well aren't you guys saying that the plan is to be short on form in order to be at 100% at the Tour?

Contador was the strongest rider in a bunch of races while being short on form.

The first two weeks are likely to be among the softest in recent GT history, anyway. Granted, there's a long TT rumored late into the second week, but it's likely to be a partially hilly one yet again, and Contador doesn't have to be in great form to do very well in those.

If he hits good to very good form after the second rest day it will probably enough to win the Giro comfortably.

I don't see how the rumored route would favor Nibali, BTW. Nibali might best Contador in a medium to long flat TT. Other than that, just in super hard hilly classics-like stages, I think.

Besides, does Nibali make that call? This year Astana forced him to ride P-N instead of T-A...

 

[Eshnar]

The first two weeks are likely to be among the softest in recent GT history, anyway. Granted, there's a long TT rumored late into the second week, but it's likely to be a partially hilly one yet again, and Contador doesn't have to be in great form to do very well in those.

The second week is the softest in ages, but the first week doesn't look bad at all (although it depends on many factors we don't know yet). But in any case I do expect AC to be in the lead after the ITT in any case, save there's Nibali.

I don't see how the rumored route would favor Nibali, BTW. Nibali might best Contador in a medium to long flat TT. Other than that, just in super hard hilly classics-like stages, I think.

well, it doesn't favour Nibali if we expect AC to better than him in any scenario. But I'd say that a good number of hilly stages as rumoured, a descent finish and in general all mountain stages open to tactical moves make a reasonably good route for Nibali.

Besides, does Nibali make that call? This year Astana forced him to ride P-N instead of T-A...

And he will skip Lombardia for a useless race in Kazakhstan.
I don't know, but there's also the chance that he's been compromising in order to get his say next year.

 

[ILovecycling]

Valverde nor Nibali won't ride imo, so the biggest rival should be Murito ( if miracle happens someone of NQ,CF)
Like Valve and Eshnar said AC should ride defensively and conserve his fitness.OTOH I expect at least 1 big attack.( and then defense)

I like the second option eshnar btw.

 

[Matt92]

I expect Contador to ride a Quintana-like Giro: very quiet for 2 weeks, going full gas only in the TT, and then (if he needs it) a big attack in the queen stage (so the Aprica stage, probably).

 

[Eshnar]

Giro d'Italia ‏@giroditalia 4 h
In 7 days the route of the Giro 2015 will be unveiled. We have a surprise coming for you tomorrow! #giro2015presentation