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

[Jancouver]

Re: Re:

I'm sure there are other climbers around that dont like short, high pace climbs (Hesjedal ??).

Hesjedal was once very good on short climbs (he finished 2nd in Amstel in 2010 and had some good placings in Canadian classics), but as he got older, he actually doesn't seem to cope with accelerations very well.

I think taller/heavier climbers like Hesjedal or Dumoulin may struggle a bit with accelerations. How many times did Domoulin got dropped last year at the Vuelta and then used his TT skills and steady pace to slowly come back or limit the losses?

 

[Anderis]

Re: Re:

I think taller/heavier climbers like Hesjedal or Dumoulin may struggle a bit with accelerations.

You might be right. Wiggins and Van Garderen are another riders who seem to struggle with accelerations and they are both quite a bit taller than the average of climbers.

Although Talansky is not very tall, yet he seems to be kinda simillar type of rider as well. As were many American climbers from previous generation like Vande Velde or Danielson. I can't recall if Leipheimer too, because I didn't pay attention.

 

[Mr.White]

Re: Re:

Common guys. It is the first MTF and not even that hard. As we all know, everybody can climb the first day so we should all expect a big bunch with minimal time losses. That being said, there may be a few riders that may not enjoy the high pace, short stage. When the big mountains hit, the losses will be measured with a calendar, so this stage is far from being decisive.

I have to disagree. Oftentimes the first foray in to the mountains results in some contenders not performing up to expectations. As an example, the Courcheval stage of the 2005 Tour where Valverde, Armstrong, Rasssmussen and Mancebo dropped everyone and Basso, whom everyone thought would be the primary opposition to Armstrong, lost more time than anyone could have anticipated. It's been shown that it takes some riders that first mountainous stage to loosen their climbing legs while others it doesn't.

Sure, it could be the case here as well. Basso was never an explosive climber and longer climbs were better suited to his style. I'm sure there are other climbers around that dont like short, high pace climbs (Hesjedal ??).

Either way, even if you lose a minute tomorrow, there may be 30 minutes between the winner and 10th place at the end.

That Courchevel climb is 22km long..

 

[SeriousSam]

Lance was very good with accelerations.

 

[Valv.Piti]

Courchevel 2005, first mountain stage I really remember and still my best memory. Watching all of T-Mobiles riders drop like flies, the supposedly main contenders, and Rasmussen and Valverde casually riding in Armstrong's wheel, then Basso dropping... From that day, the Tour was over, but it was one helluva stage!

Anyways, I think he is referring to his diesel-motor, getting better along the way, just like Hesjedal, but in Hesjedal's case, its much more extreme. Probably the most extreme example I can remember.

 

[May0maniac]

Re: Re:

I think taller/heavier climbers like Hesjedal or Dumoulin may struggle a bit with accelerations.

You might be right. Wiggins and Van Garderen are another riders who seem to struggle with accelerations and they are both quite a bit taller than the average of climbers.

Although Talansky is not very tall, yet he seems to be kinda simillar type of rider as well. As were many American climbers from previous generation like Vande Velde or Danielson. I can't recall if Leipheimer too, because I didn't pay attention.

Some guys are good TT riders who are a bit heavier and basically ride a TT on a climb and don't follow the accelerations, but there are also guys who are just diesel climbers who don't like those short, very intense efforts.
Major Tom is rather unique, he seems to be better on the short, really steep stuff and not so great in the high mountains.
I don't expect fireworks, but maybe we'll get a decent breakaway and some attacks from guys like Firsanov.

 

[Mr.White]

I've got a feeling Astana will go hard on the final climb. Landa looked vulnerable on stage 4, they will certainly want to try.

 

[SafeBet]

Re:

I've got a feeling Astana will go hard on the final climb. Landa looked vulnerable on stage 4, they will certainly want to try.

It depends on how Nibali is feeling, but I tend to agree.
First 7 km of Roccaraso are a good test.

 

[May0maniac]

Re:

Courchevel 2005, first mountain stage I really remember and still my best memory. Watching all of T-Mobiles riders drop like flies, the supposedly main contenders, and Rasmussen and Valverde casually riding in Armstrong's wheel, then Basso dropping... From that day, the Tour was over, but it was one helluva stage!

Anyways, I think he is referring to his diesel-motor, getting better along the way, just like Hesjedal, but in Hesjedal's case, its much more extreme. Probably the most extreme example I can remember.

That's a cool first mountain stage to remember, my first memory of watching a mountain stage is 1998 Les Deux Alpes, but the first stage that I still remember very well as a whole is the 2000 Ventoux stage.

 

[trevim]

This is the kind of stage I can see Battaglin winning from a breakaway. I have no idea about his shape though...

 

[markene2]

Small group to come together to the finish, Astana to set a 2006 pace to test Landa. Tom will be able to defend the overal lead. Pozzovivo to struggle.

Oh and Fuglsang will be top 5 in the GC when the Giro is over. He is on fire!

 

[staubsauger]

Re: Re:

Courchevel 2005, first mountain stage I really remember and still my best memory. Watching all of T-Mobiles riders drop like flies, the supposedly main contenders, and Rasmussen and Valverde casually riding in Armstrong's wheel, then Basso dropping... From that day, the Tour was over, but it was one helluva stage!

Anyways, I think he is referring to his diesel-motor, getting better along the way, just like Hesjedal, but in Hesjedal's case, its much more extreme. Probably the most extreme example I can remember.

That's a cool first mountain stage to remember, my first memory of watching a mountain stage is 1998 Les Deux Alpes, but the first stage that I still remember very well as a whole is the 2000 Ventoux stage.

My first ever cycling race was Pantani's last ever stage win at Courchevel.

The first mountain stage I still remember has to be the second stage win from Perez Cuapio of the 2002 Giro. Marc Lotz out in front. Kessler leading the bunch to protect the then pink jersey Jens Heppner. Perez Cuapio went on the final col and Heppner lost the jersey to Evans.

The reason Basso really dropped at Courchevel back in 2005 must be the same why chicken struggled even before the final tt: “Make sure you don't steal the race, pal!“

I don't see Movistar working all day to bring back the break, just because Valverde wants to win the uphill sprint for bonus seconds. This ain't 2009, LPR & Di Luca after all.

 

[Taxus4a]

Re:

Small group to come together to the finish, Astana to set a 2006 pace to test Landa. Tom will be able to defend the overal lead. Pozzovivo to struggle.

Oh and Fuglsang will be top 5 in the GC when the Giro is over. He is on fire!

I dont think Pozzovivo struggle if the weather is good, he use to be good at the begining of the Giro, and maybe he now can keep 3 weeks...

it is a difficult stage to predict, lot of unknows to resolve.

 

[MikeTichondrius]

Hard to look past Bala on this one really.

 

[HelloDolly]

How did the poll...missed the riders who will be in top 3

 

[The Barb]

Re:

Hard to look past Bala on this one really.

If it's a reduced group of GC contenders then, yes, plainly he will be the fastest. I don't think that's a very likely outcome, however. Not sure that Movistar is particularly strong.

Very good chance for a lesser climber to win from the break. I'll say Riccardo Zoidl.

 

[MikeTichondrius]

Re: Re:

Hard to look past Bala on this one really.

If it's a reduced group of GC contenders then, yes, plainly he will be the fastest. I don't think that's a very likely outcome, however. Not sure that Movistar is particularly strong.

Very good chance for a lesser climber to win from the break. I'll say Riccardo Zoidl.

I see your point and I do agree. I might have been thinking more along the lines of Valverde at least stealing a few seconds from everyone else on this one. But I do believe it might be a win for him as well, if things come together and the break isn't particularly strong (think Pirazzi-style baroudeurs instead of mid-upper level climbers like Birdsong or Amador).

 

[Jancouver]

Re:

Lance was very good with accelerations.

Yeah, but Lance is "just" 5'10" shorty compared to 6'2" Hesjedal and 6'3" Wigo

 

[staubsauger]

Lance ain't that heavy by pre anorexia drugs standards. In fact light climbers like Hampsten weighted like 62 Kilos at 1.75 Meters.

Riders like Rasmussen and Pantani really were special buildings before ~2009!

 

[Publicus]

I had forgotten about the Courchevel stage, so of course I had to go back and watch (at least part of it). I forgot how dominant Lance was back then. The Chicken has his mouth wide open, Basso is hanging on for dear life until he lets go, Valverde is a wall of pain. Lance . . . either has the best poke face ever, or was not on the limit at all. He was the king of [clinical reference]!

 

[Escarabajo]

Valverde- Ulissi- Landa

 

[shalgo]

This stage seems like the kind of first-week stage in which Hesjedal could be expected to lose minutes. If he manages to avoid that outcome, it bodes well for him.

 

[hfer07]

I'm going to nominate the following names, thinking "outside the box" :

Stefano Pirazzi (Ita)
Davide Formolo (Ita)
Alexandr Kolobnev (Rus)
Roberto Ferrari (Ita)

 

[whittashau]

Ferrari? The sprinter? There is outside the box, and then is there is Levante winning La Liga

 

[blaxland]

Estaban Chaves to win over Nibali and Landa about 25 seconds...otherwise small group about 10 riders together.