2016 Giro d'Italia - Stage 9: Chianti ITT, 40.5 km

[Eshnar]

Poll incoming...

STAGE 9: Radda in Chianti – Greve in Chianti 40.5 km ITT

Stage start: 12.35 CET, 15 May

Technical Overview:
The Giro continues its trend of wine-themed time trials with a twisty, rolling ITT set in the Chianti area. With its moderate length and complicated terrain, this TT will help the climbers limit their losses with respect to the specialists. The biggest hamper to the specialists will be the almost complete absence of straights: the course is filled with bends and hairpins, making it look strikingly similar to the first sector of the Saltara 2013 ITT. The terrain is not as hard as it looks however, as the profile has been “doped”, to make it look hillier than it really is, by stretching the altitude axis. Over the whole course there are only a few ramps that go beyond 5%. For example, the final hill measures 4.9 km at an average of 3.6%, with the first 3.5 km at an average of 4.5%... it is quite easy really.. Furthermore, the final ramp of the same hill, the one that ends in Panzano in Chianti, does not exist. I have no clue how they managed, but they messed it up, just look at the altitudes: a gain of 11m over 1.3 km... less than 1%. And before you ask, yes, the altitudes are correct, it is the profile that is wrong. Apart from this geeky remark, the final descent is very gentle but technical just as all the stage is.

What to expect:
The specialists to do their thing, and the best bike handlers between the GC guys to do extraordinarily well (I'm thinking about Nibali and Valverde). Gaps will not be too big, though. The winner will make it in around 55'.

 

[Max Rockatansky]

Uran Uran ftw.

 

[saganftw]

dumoulin to bounce back and win it to further confuse fans and gc contenders alike

 

[damian13ster]

Damn, that's a lot of turns. Unfortunately it means significant time loss for Majka. Nibali and Valverde should do great. Zakarin, Chaves, Lands are a mystery to me. No clue what to expect. Really exciting!

 

[Red Rick]

It's the sort of TT where freshness and bike handling are almost as important as raw tt abililty. I think Valverde or Nibali will grap La Maglia Rosa

 

[bajbar]

Damn, that's a lot of turns. Unfortunately it means significant time loss for Majka. Nibali and Valverde should do great. Zakarin, Chaves, Lands are a mystery to me. No clue what to expect. Really exciting!

I think he will take a bit more risks tomorrow... He can't afford to lose too much time. Hope he somehow finds his 2014 Giro TT form. Then he should be fine...

 

[jsem94]

Re:

dumoulin to bounce back and win it to further confuse fans and gc contenders alike

This x100. Also, Uran to do fantastically well.

 

[LaFlorecita]

Dumo for the stage, Kruijswijk for Pink. Hup hup.

 

[Rollthedice]

Dumo wins the stage obviously and gets the pink. GC podium after tomorrow: 1. Tom, 2. Nibs, 3. Bala.

 

[Carols]

Bala for pink .

Does anyone know if Fabu is feeling better yet?

 

[jens_attacks]

zaka maglia rosa.

 

[Orbit501]

Firsanov to lose lots of time and slide down GC.

Might free him up for some epic attempt at a mountain stage win however.

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

A wild Kruijswijk appeared.

 

[CheckMyPecs]

I voted for Tam Domoulin.

 

[classicomano]

Tommie was awful today, I hope it was a one off otherwise he might not even top 5 this stage.

 

[jens_attacks]

i think stefan kung will win the stage easily. zakarin second. cancellara third.

 

[Cance > TheRest]

Nibali will take maglia rosa. He was best among the GC contenders in a prologue not to his liking - this one is much more suited for him.

Zakarin has lost a bit of his power in the time trials being so skinny, so I doubt he will conquer pink.

 

[SafeBet]

It's really tight for the jersey. Zakarin, Valverde, Nibali, Dumoulin all can get it tomorrow. I also think Kung will win the stage, he has amazing shape according to Oss.

Kruijswijk is my personal outsider for the maglia rosa.

 

[Põhja Konn]

Voted for Valverde to take the pink, but it could as easily go to Nibali. Dumoulin's effort today could well cost him the stage win tomorrow. Also decent TTers and good bike handlers like Bala or NIbali are likely to limit their losses against him quite well and not let him take the maglia rosa again.

Zakarin has this year been much better at climbing than TT-ing, and is not a particularly excellent bike handler. As such I don't believe he ends up in pink tomorrow evening.

 

[jaylew]

Dumo temporarily back in pink.

 

[Nirvana]

Voted for the russian carbon copy of Froome but will be a tought call.
Valverde will be in pink after Sestola.

For the stage i think the likes of Uran, Ulissi and Kruijswik are going to do surprisingly well but Cancellara will win.

 

[ice&fire]

Valverde will ride an ITT in his best TdF style

 

[SeriousSam]

Anyone know what Cancellara has been up to lately?

Still leaning towards Dumoulin

 

[Red Rick]

Re:

Anyone know what Cancellara has been up to lately?

Still leaning towards Dumoulin

A combination of chilling at the back of the peloton, stopping orange guys from attacking when race leaders are taking a piss, and probably thinking about this time trial.

 

[LaFlorecita]

Re:

i think stefan kung will win the stage easily. zakarin second. cancellara third.

I hope so. Grande Zaka! Win this race