2016 Strade Bianche, March 5th, 176 km, 1.HC

[Valv.Piti]

I think everyone would be a little annoyed if those were the comments posted regularly in your favourite's thread. Imagine the comments from the, at times, fanatic Contador-fans.

 

[Ruudz0r]

Tiesj Benoot!

 

[Walter Morgan]

The final small climb is too hard for Cancellara. Unless he goes alone will be really hard he survive there.

 

[Eshnar]

Re:

The final small climb is too hard for Cancellara. Unless he goes alone will be really hard he survive there.

Sure. Point is, he can go alone. And he did that already, as a matter of fact.

 

[Rollthedice]

Re:

The final small climb is too hard for Cancellara. Unless he goes alone will be really hard he survive there.

He won this race twice so he knows what it takes and how to do it. No question, Canc is one of the favorites.

 

[Walter Morgan]

Re: Re:

The final small climb is too hard for Cancellara. Unless he goes alone will be really hard he survive there.

He won this race twice so he knows what it takes and how to do it. No question, Canc is one of the favorites.

I didn't said he isn't a favourite, obviously he is. But if he reaches the final climb included in a group, with guys like Sagan, Valverde, Stybar, I can't see he win. Just this.

To win Cancellara has to attack relatively far. And I think he can do it, he's really strong.

 

[TMP402]

Re: Re:

The final small climb is too hard for Cancellara. Unless he goes alone will be really hard he survive there.

He won this race twice so he knows what it takes and how to do it. No question, Canc is one of the favorites.

I didn't said he isn't a favourite, obviously he is. But if he reaches the final climb included in a group, with gays like Sagan, Valverde, Stybar, I can't see he win. Just this.

To win Cancellara has to attack relatively far. And I think he can do it, he's really strong.

 

[Cance > TheRest]

Re: Re:

The final small climb is too hard for Cancellara. Unless he goes alone will be really hard he survive there.

He won this race twice so he knows what it takes and how to do it. No question, Canc is one of the favorites.

I didn't said he isn't a favourite, obviously he is. But if he reaches the final climb included in a group, with gays like Sagan, Valverde, Stybar, I can't see he win. Just this.

To win Cancellara has to attack relatively far. And I think he can do it, he's really strong.

It depends on how much power he has left and how much those he arrive with have left. Valverde and Sagan have both blown on the last climb the last 2 years. Whereas Cancellara has won the race on a super steep gravel climb in 2012.

 

[Buffalo Soldier]

Can I find a more detailed profile of the sectors and final climb?

 

[Eshnar]

Re:

Can I find a more detailed profile of the sectors and final climb?

The sectors, no. The finale, yes.

I'll put it in the OP as well.

 

[Buffalo Soldier]

Still very hard to read. I think I can see the final climb is 16% max. Any idea abouth average en length?

edit: improved quality (2014 course)

 

[Eshnar]

Re:

Still very hard to read. I think I can see the final climb is 16% max. Any idea abouth average en length?

Something like 500m at 11-12% iirc.

 

[Eshnar]

OMG
RCS just entered the XXI century!
We have an actual website for each of their races now.
Here's the Strade Bianche:
http://www.strade-bianche.it/

EDIT: you can find a very big graphic there Too big to post it here.

 

[Gigs_98]

Can anyone explain why the famous montalcino climb from the giro 2010 has never been used in this race. They even use montalcino as a climb, but instead of the epic gravel ascent they use a tarmaced street and I just don't get why. The route would be hardly longer but harder and it would probably get more difficult without giving climbers a big advantage because the climb would come at the end of the first third of the race.

 

[Eshnar]

I don't want this race to get any harder from the climbing point of view tbh.

 

[Brullnux]

I just want it to get longer. Another 50km would do.

 

[lemon cheese cake]

Re:

I just want it to get longer. Another 50km would do.

Of Sterato? Yes please!

 

[Valv.Piti]

When will the race realistically get promoted to WT and is it even something they want? I just want to see points at stake here given how epic a race it is.

 

[Gigs_98]

Re:

I don't want this race to get any harder from the climbing point of view tbh.

I have to admit that my post was written extremely badly but actually that was exactly what I meant. The race would generally get harder but not really more climbers friendly because the climb is so far away from the finish that its only effect would be that some domestiques might already drop. Moreover the ascent would replace another climb to Montalcino so the number of climbs stays the same while the number of gravel sections would get higher. One also shouldnt forget that the second half montalcino climb in the giro 2010 was more or less flat and only the first one ascending.
So I think the race would only benefit from this climb and it wouldnt cause big problems for riders like Cancellara who can win the strade bianche although they aren't the best climbers.

 

[Brullnux]

Re:

When will the race realistically get promoted to WT and is it even something they want? I just want to see points at stake here given how epic a race it is.

The racing might get crap if they move it WT. Too much money is then at stake for the teams and they might race conservatively for 12th place instead of trying to win.

 

[Eshnar]

Re: Re:

I don't want this race to get any harder from the climbing point of view tbh.

I have to admit that my post was written extremely badly but actually that was exactly what I meant. The race would generally get harder but not really more climbers friendly because the climb is so far away from the finish that its only effect would be that some domestiques might already drop. Moreover the ascent would replace another climb to Montalcino so the number of climbs stays the same while the number of gravel sections would get higher. One also shouldnt forget that the second half montalcino climb in the giro 2010 was more or less flat and only the first one ascending.
So I think the race would only benefit from this climb and it wouldnt cause big problems for riders like Cancellara who can win the strade bianche although they aren't the best climbers.

The non-climbers will definitely feel the climb. Even if it's far from the finish, they'll waste much more energies than the climbers. I'm all for making this race harder, but definitely not climbing-wise. The balance reached with the last 2 editions was awesome. But it's still to verify that it holds this year too, with the new changes.

 

[TMP402]

Re: Re:

When will the race realistically get promoted to WT and is it even something they want? I just want to see points at stake here given how epic a race it is.

The racing might get crap if they move it WT. Too much money is then at stake for the teams and they might race conservatively for 12th place instead of trying to win.

In terms of the organisation of the race, the sixth monument should stay as it is, it attracts fewer contenders but those contenders have to win in an exciting and individual way. I'd be more interested in it becoming widely regarded as a classic or indeed the sixth monument despite being a young race.

 

[Kwibus]

Re:

I don't want this race to get any harder from the climbing point of view tbh.

Indeed. The amount of climbing is enough the way it is now.
Like others said the length needs to be longer. Extra white roads would be nice, but not neccesary if they add the extra kms in the first part of the race.
The final 100km obviously needs to stay the way it is.

 

[jens_attacks]

Rain rain rain rain rain!

 

[dacooley]

nibs to confirm his ambitious giro plans and take a great victory.