2016 Giro d'Italia - Stage 6 Ponte – Roccaraso 157 km MTF

[Jancouver]

STAGE 6: Ponte – Roccaraso (Rif. Aremogna) 157 km MTF

Stage start: 12.50 CET, 12 May

Technical Overview:
The first of the two MTFs of the race, quite a short stage with two serious climbs, for a change. After the first slightly ascending 35 km, including also the first intermediate sprint, the peloton hits the first GPM2 of the Giro: Bocca di Selva (18 km at 5.6%, GPM2) is a damn good climb, for a starter. A pretty technical 20 km long descent will bring the riders to the start 50 km section featuring rolling terrain, with ascending and descending false flats all over it. At roughly 34 km to go, the road starts to pick up more decisely, with 6.7 km at 4.6%, after which a short descent will bring the riders to Castel di Sangro, where the last intermediate sprint is placed. After just one more km, the final climb starts: the road to Rifugio Aremogna (16.75 km at 4.6%, GPM2) is a very irregular climb, made of two steps. The first ramp measures 5 km at 7.5%, and is followed by an false flat of 5 km, first ascending at 4% and then slightly descending, after reaching the proper town of Roccaraso. At 6.6 km to go another serious ramp begins, with almost 3 km at 7.4%. This stretch finishes at 3.8 kms to go, the first 2.8 of which are mostly flat. The final km is uphill, with increasingly higher slopes, as the final 500m have an average of 8.4%.

The Climbs:

Bocca di Selva GPM2
The first 2nd category of the Giro features a solid first section at 6.6%, before a weaker central stretch, followed by a short descent and the final, 6.5 km at 7.1%.

Rifugio Aremogna GPM2
This one features some pretty serious gradients, but they are scattered here and there. The climb is very irregular, with a few flat sections too. Aremogna has been raced in the Giro only once before, in 1976, the winner was Fabrizio Fabbri, with Gimondi in pink.

What to expect:
The first minor clash between the GC contenders, with a selected group of 10-15 riders sprinting in the last km. Of course, the breakaway also has a huge chance to take this, if the GC guys are not interested in the bonuses.

 

[staubsauger]

The renaissance of the little prince!

First MTF. Normally a group stays away. 2x KOM judgments. Seriously this stage has Cunego written all over it if he's in great shape!

 

[Valv.Piti]

Balaverde the clear favourite. Here to hope that the likes for Amador, Visconti or maybe even Betancur can step up and help controlling the climb for Valverde and the last kilometre.

Hoping Astana goes *** tho, there are opportunities to catch some people off guard in the bottom and why not try? Fuglsang and Nibali both seems ready.

 

[Hakkapelit]

Astana going full Vino?

 

[Brullnux]

Ulissi.

 

[imarru]

The russian cyborg will win, Go ilnur!!

 

[Jancouver]

Poll added ...

Voted Landa ... just because I think this is how SKY likes to do things. Drop the hammer on first MTF and just control the race from there.

 

[Brullnux]

Who's quicker over an 8% final kilometre, Ulissi or Valverde? Ulissi wince beat Gerrans in Australia in an uphill sprint so he is very fast. Those two to have a couple of seconds gap over Nibali and Landa who are dropped a bit in the final 100m in the sprint. I expect a very similar stage to Montecopiolo in 2014.

 

[Valv.Piti]

Re:

Who's quicker over an 8% final kilometre, Ulissi or Valverde? Ulissi wince beat Gerrans in Australia in an uphill sprint so he is very fast. Those two to have a couple of seconds gap over Nibali and Landa who are dropped a bit in the final 100m in the sprint. I expect a very similar stage to Montecopiolo in 2014.

It seems much easier than in 2014 IMO.

I think Valverde is the quickest, but Im not really sure. Valverde has also beaten Gerrans a couple of times if memory serves. He should be the definite favourite since you never know how Ulissi climbs, but if he is there with 1 km to go, its very much into the air, 50/50, but he spent a lot yesterday, so Valverde for me.

 

[TMP402]

Re:

Poll added ...

Voted Landa ... just because I think this is how SKY likes to do things. Drop the hammer on first MTF and just control the race from there.

But when was the last time they did that routine for anyone other than Wiggins/Froome? When it's not the Tour they seem to be much less well organised.

 

[Brullnux]

Re: Re:

Who's quicker over an 8% final kilometre, Ulissi or Valverde? Ulissi wince beat Gerrans in Australia in an uphill sprint so he is very fast. Those two to have a couple of seconds gap over Nibali and Landa who are dropped a bit in the final 100m in the sprint. I expect a very similar stage to Montecopiolo in 2014.

It seems much easier than in 2014 IMO.

I think Valverde is the quickest, but Im not really sure. Valverde has also beaten Gerrans a couple of times if memory serves. He should be the definite favourite since you never know how Ulissi climbs, but if he is there with 1 km to go, its very much into the air, 50/50, but he spent a lot yesterday, so Valverde for me.

The climb is a bit easier but it follows a similar pattern, if you include the 'Villagio del Lago' checkpoint too: stretch averaging about 7%, here it is actually 7.5%, but a couple of km shorter, then a descent, here a flat section, then a 3km section of about 7.5% (at Montecopiolo it was 7.8% and more irregular, with stretches of over 11%), then eases up for here 3k but at Montecopiolo just 500m. Then a kilometre at 8%, or 500m at 10%. The main differences are the regularity, distance of flat between last long fairly hard section and final kick up, and amount of proper steep pitches. This climb has very few, and hence is easier. Still, I expect it to play out in a similar way, just with smaller gaps. I don't expect the guy in 10th to lose like 20 seconds.

 

[Nirvana]

I voted Valverde but i think Ulissi could be another great favourite, the climb is irregular and pretty easy so a small group (15/20) sprint.

In my opinion Ulissi climbing is underrated, if he has the 2014 shape could also go for a top 10 in the GC.

 

[Jspear]

Valverde is the safe bet, however I'm hoping Chaves can sneak away for a stage win.

 

[saganftw]

dumoulin to attack on flatter parts and win in MR

 

[Geraint Too Fast]

Rybalkin ftw.

 

[May0maniac]

Firsanov FTW (he'll attack before the false flat and not a single one of the big guys will follow his move)!
I think that Staubsauger might be right, this one could go to the breakaway, a Cunego win could be awesome, Koshevoy could also win from the breakaway.

 

[Mr.White]

Ulissi should be in the poll, he's one of the biggest favorites for this stage

 

[Cannibal72]

Re: 2016 Giro d'Italia - Stage 6 Ponte – Roccaraso 157 km MT

Pozzovivio and Kruijswisk both seem to be on good form, and will probably try something. Astana to try and control the race, Dumoulin to make an attack on the climb; he could well stay away. Movistar need to send Amador or Betancur up the road, I think, otherwise Valverde's getting marked to extinction.

 

[Gigs_98]

Re: 2016 Giro d'Italia - Stage 6 Ponte – Roccaraso 157 km MT

Preidler ftw

 

[classicomano]

 

[classicomano]

No but seriously. Firsanov will put 2 minutes on his main rivals here.

 

[Gigs_98]

Re:

This will be Dumoulin's reaction after seeing that his teammate Georg Preidler won and took the pink jersey

 

[Mr.White]

Re: 2016 Giro d'Italia - Stage 6 Ponte – Roccaraso 157 km MT

Pozzovivio and Kruijswisk both seem to be on good form, and will probably try something. Astana to try and control the race, Dumoulin to make an attack on the climb; he could well stay away. Movistar need to send Amador or Betancur up the road, I think, otherwise Valverde's getting marked to extinction.

Dumuolin's attack would not be allowed by the "heads of the state", Nibali and Valverde will mark that personally!

 

[saganftw]

Re: 2016 Giro d'Italia - Stage 6 Ponte – Roccaraso 157 km MT

Pozzovivio and Kruijswisk both seem to be on good form, and will probably try something. Astana to try and control the race, Dumoulin to make an attack on the climb; he could well stay away. Movistar need to send Amador or Betancur up the road, I think, otherwise Valverde's getting marked to extinction.

Dumuolin's attack would not be allowed by the "heads of the state", Nibali and Valverde will mark that personally!

nope,nibali will mark him...but once he notices valverde on his wheel,he will stop

 

[DNP-Old]

Pretty meh stage.