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2018 Giro d'Italia, Stage 1: Jerusalem - Jerusalem ITT 9.7 K

Here it is, the Giro 2018. Weather should be good and very hot.
Eshnar's preview:
Eshnar said:
STAGE 1: West Jerusalem ITT 9.7 km

G18_T01_Jerusalem_alt_jpg.jpg

G18_T01_Jerusalem_ITT_plan_jpg.jpg


Technical Overview:
For the first time in history the Giro starts outside of Europe. The first stage is a short ITT in West Jerusalem and it's an interesting one, quite technical and with some gradients (although the profile is inflated, you can find some 4-5% here and there). All in all is quite a nice prologue, where maybe some significant gaps can be made.

Final km
G18_T01_Jerusalem_ukm_jpg.jpg


What to Expect:
It's just a prologue, but it's not that easy, so GC guys will need to be serious about it. Pure climbers might lose quite some time already.

StiUqfM.jpg

Jerusalem
 
Rohan Dennis is the big favourite imo. I wouldn't be surprised if he wins by 10 seconds or so. The heat (around 33C predicted for Friday afternoon) suits him as well, as he has shown in Utrecht for example. Doesn't mean the others are without a chance though, along the already mentioned favourites I expect good performances by the Trek-youngsters Pedersen and Mullen.
 
This stage is on Friday the 4th. I really appreciate when dates are posted on the forum because this is one of the main sites I use to keep track of what races are coming up. I would have assumed it started on Saturday if I didn't check!

Has a grand tour ever started this far away from the race's country? What is the previous farthest? Maybe Northern Ireland Giro start?

This is Denis's stage to lose. But I don't know what form Dumoulin is in. Van Enden or Campanerts are the only others I see to beat them.

Think a GC contending climber might lose a minute here? Wow, that would be huge. I don't think Lopez will lose more than 40 seconds... ~30s to Dumoulin. Overall for the Giro this might be a Dumoulin Froome battle, with Lopez, Aru, and Pinot fighting for 3rd place.
 
Re: Re:

LaFlorecita said:
SafeBet said:
I'd like Van Emden to win it and take the jersey. Such a hard working guy with very few chances to ride for himself.
With the hills, I doubt he has a real shot. Think it is between Dennis and Dumo with Dennis the fave. Froome could finish as high up as 3rd.
The profile makes it look harder than it really is. It's mostly false flat, but I agree he's kind of a long shot.
 
Re: Re:

SafeBet said:
LaFlorecita said:
SafeBet said:
I'd like Van Emden to win it and take the jersey. Such a hard working guy with very few chances to ride for himself.
With the hills, I doubt he has a real shot. Think it is between Dennis and Dumo with Dennis the fave. Froome could finish as high up as 3rd.
The profile makes it look harder than it really is. It's mostly false flat, but I agree he's kind of a long shot.
Hmm, Dumo said in an interview that after walking along the course it seems up and down all the way, hillier than on the profile. But it might be a different story on the bike of course.
 
Thanks Flo for starting the first Giro 2018 stage thread.

Personally I've decided to take no interest in the Giro
until next Tuesday when we'll have the Italian start
Catania → Caltagirone.

I vow to make no further comment on GIro related thread until then.
That's them told, I guess.
Ciao.
 

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