2016 Giro Field Discussion

[May0maniac]

I just realized that Pirazzi and Txurruka will probably both ride the Giro, that's just too much awesomeness!

 

[Valv.Piti]

Dayer Quintana will also participate, one of the rider who boggles me the most. Sometimes, he can ride cobbles and be up there in the Eneco Tour, sometimes he can be in the finales of MSR and sometimes he can even win a big race like San Luis, but is insanely inconsistent and I have no clue what to make of him.

Watch Dayer finish top-30 in Roubaix tomorrow and realise he forgot how to climb in the Giro.

 

[Nirvana]

Some stages still have the original profile in the site, i hope they could make some little changes in these stages, for example a little harder finale for stage 7, the uphill finish of last year Tirreno in stage 8, some more kms in the ITT.

 

[Eshnar]

Re:

Some stages still have the original profile in the site, i hope they could make some little changes in these stages, for example a little harder finale for stage 7, the uphill finish of last year Tirreno in stage 8, some more kms in the ITT.

Stage 8 will have the finish of last year's Tirreno, the profile is just not updated.

 

[Eshnar]

Re: Re:

Some stages still have the original profile in the site, i hope they could make some little changes in these stages, for example a little harder finale for stage 7, the uphill finish of last year Tirreno in stage 8, some more kms in the ITT.

Stage 8 will have the finish of last year's Tirreno, the profile is just not updated.

Here it is

 

[Valv.Piti]

This stage suddenly look a lot worse. How hard is that final climb, gradients-wise and how hard is that sterrato?

 

[Eshnar]

Re:

This stage suddenly look a lot worse. How hard is that final climb, gradients-wise and how hard is that sterrato?

Well I did list it in the "bad news" changes, didn't I.

 

[Valv.Piti]

You sure did, I didnt dispute that

Why did they change it? Couldn't they have found another climb? Hopefully we will see the GC at stake anyways.

 

[Eshnar]

Bad road surface on the original climb, apparently. Yes, ofc they could've found a better climb. It's Italy, not the Netherlands

 

[Valv.Piti]

Please dont remind me that the Giro start in NL. PLEASE.

 

[Eshnar]

Re:

Please dont remind me that the Giro start in NL. PLEASE.

It ain't so bad. Granted, they could've designed better stages there too.
At least there'll be a lot of people (me too)

 

[Valv.Piti]

Re: Re:

Please dont remind me that the Giro start in NL. PLEASE.

It ain't so bad. Granted, they could've designed better stages there too.
At least there'll be a lot of people (me too)

Im still having nightmares about Ireland, forgive me.

 

[CheckMyPecs]

The Netherlands have been hosting so many GT starts recently it's losing its specialness.

 

[Gigs_98]

I seriously think the route this year is underrated. The longer I look at it the more I like it. Even the first week which I really disliked at the the beginning doesnt even seem that bad to me anymore because 4 sprint stages really aren't that bad. The two stages in the Netherlands are lame but the rest could be quite entertaining. Moreover from stage 8 to the end there are 14 stages and only 3 of those are boring sprint stages and still the route isnt ridiculously unbalanced (still unbalanced though) because there aren't that many super hard mountain stages with one super hard climb at the end. This giro is just full of stages which have the potential to be extremely epic and instead of a mtf fest like in 2014 we have only one single 1st category mtf and lots of stages with a downhill finish and many of these downhills are very technical which makes it even better.

There is of course also the danger that the race will be boring especially if Nibali is completely dominant because in that case downhill attacks will be completely useless but right now I just can't imagine a boring race. The route isnt quite as good as last year but IMO still one of the best gt routes of the last decade.

 

[Valv.Piti]

I seriously think the route this year is underrated. The longer I look at it the more I like it. Even the first week which I really disliked at the the beginning doesnt even seem that bad to me anymore because 4 sprint stages really aren't that bad. The two stages in the Netherlands are lame but the rest could be quite entertaining. Moreover from stage 8 to the end there are 14 stages and only 3 of those are boring sprint stages and still the route isnt ridiculously unbalanced (still unbalanced though) because there aren't that many super hard mountain stages with one super hard climb at the end. This giro is just full of stages which have the potential to be extremely epic and instead of a mtf fest like in 2014 we have only one single 1st category mtf and lots of stages with a downhill finish and many of these downhills are very technical which makes it even better.

There is of course also the danger that the race will be boring especially if Nibali is completely dominant because in that case downhill attacks will be completely useless but right now I just can't imagine a boring race. The route isnt quite as good as last year but IMO still one of the best gt routes of the last decade.

If you would be able to switch the stages (especially 13,14 and 15) its a better race IMO, but what do I know.

 

[pastronef]

Konig (who was supposed to ride the Giro) is not racing since Volta Valencia. he crashed and recovered at home, and trains but does not race.
he posted a pic of himself in London a few days ago (maybe he went there for some health checks)
he's not on Teide now with Froome and co.

 

[Nirvana]

Re: Re:

Some stages still have the original profile in the site, i hope they could make some little changes in these stages, for example a little harder finale for stage 7, the uphill finish of last year Tirreno in stage 8, some more kms in the ITT.

Stage 8 will have the finish of last year's Tirreno, the profile is just not updated.

Here it is

They add the uphill finale but before the sterrato was better the original with the climb of Rassinata.

 

[staubsauger]

Re: Re:

Please dont remind me that the Giro start in NL. PLEASE.

It ain't so bad. Granted, they could've designed better stages there too.
At least there'll be a lot of people (me too)

Me 2. Maybe I'll even go by bike there. It ain't far away from Enschede at all.
Still thinking about Arnhem and / or Nijmegen though.

Regarding König I guess that Landa finally gets Kennaugh and Froome gets a fresh and recovered König instead. Win win situation for both of them.

Otherwise the tractor is just gonna labor on and on in his premiere season!

 

[Ryo Hazuki]

Re:

The Netherlands have been hosting so many GT starts recently it's losing its specialness.

maybe to you but not here. man the giro is coming to my hometown (nijmegen) and I can't wait for it. I visit all the gt starts here in the netherlands

 

[Arredondo]

Re: Re:

Please dont remind me that the Giro start in NL. PLEASE.

It ain't so bad. Granted, they could've designed better stages there too.
At least there'll be a lot of people (me too)

Me 2. Maybe I'll even go by bike there. It ain't far away from Enschede at all.
Still thinking about Arnhem and / or Nijmegen though.

Regarding König I guess that Landa finally gets Kennaugh and Froome gets a fresh and recovered König instead. Win win situation for both of them.

Otherwise the tractor is just gonna labor on and on in his premiere season!

Me too. A 2 hour ride isn't bad i suppose

 

[Brullnux]

I seriously think the route this year is underrated. The longer I look at it the more I like it. Even the first week which I really disliked at the the beginning doesnt even seem that bad to me anymore because 4 sprint stages really aren't that bad. The two stages in the Netherlands are lame but the rest could be quite entertaining. Moreover from stage 8 to the end there are 14 stages and only 3 of those are boring sprint stages and still the route isnt ridiculously unbalanced (still unbalanced though) because there aren't that many super hard mountain stages with one super hard climb at the end. This giro is just full of stages which have the potential to be extremely epic and instead of a mtf fest like in 2014 we have only one single 1st category mtf and lots of stages with a downhill finish and many of these downhills are very technical which makes it even better.

There is of course also the danger that the race will be boring especially if Nibali is completely dominant because in that case downhill attacks will be completely useless but right now I just can't imagine a boring race. The route isnt quite as good as last year but IMO still one of the best gt routes of the last decade.

If you would be able to switch the stages (especially 13,14 and 15) its a better race IMO, but what do I know.

I agree, but it is still possibly my favourite route of the year. Different from other years but I like it. Loads of medium-mountain stuff, which has the potential to be great

 

[staubsauger]

If Squallo, Landani, Zaka, Valverde & Tom all arrive in great shape this route could easily generate a 2005 like race.

And then we ain't talked about the sprinters, punchers etc.

 

[Gigs_98]

Re:

If Squallo, Landani, Zaka, Valverde & Tom all arrive in great shape this route could easily generate a 2005 like race.

And then we ain't talked about the sprinters, punchers etc.

Definitely. Btw, I'm very curious how the gc will look like after the Chieti TT. The first week definitely favors Nibali with two ITT's and a sterrato stage so even if he isnt the best climber of the race he might have a decent lead over Landa at that point. And then maybe Landa doesnt even have the choice if he wants to attack on the stage before the MTT.

 

[May0maniac]

Re: Re:

If Squallo, Landani, Zaka, Valverde & Tom all arrive in great shape this route could easily generate a 2005 like race.

And then we ain't talked about the sprinters, punchers etc.

Definitely. Btw, I'm very curious how the gc will look like after the Chieti TT. The first week definitely favors Nibali with two ITT's and a sterrato stage so even if he isnt the best climber of the race he might have a decent lead over Landa at that point. And then maybe Landa doesnt even have the choice if he wants to attack on the stage before the MTT.

That would be pretty cool.
Even if Nibali has a decent lead the medium mountain stages should be interesting because of Valverde, he has a great chance to gain some time, win stages and to get some bonus seconds, so he could be the one who animates those stages.
I want Zakarin to go full Berzin in the ITTs.

 

[ingemann1996]

We have been talking about the GC rider, but how about the sprinters? Who's going?

Modolo and Nizzolo for sure, probably Demaré too and Kittel right? Who else and how do you rate the Giro-sprinters?