2019 Giro d'Italia Stage 13: Pinerolo - Lago Serrù 196 km

[Laplaz]

Let's get ready to rumble!

Stage 13: Pinerolo - Ceresole Reale (Lago Serrù) 196 km

Friday, May 24th

START TIME: 11.30 CEST

FINISH TIME: ~17.15 CEST

Technical Overview:
The first MTF of this edition comes quite late, only on stage 13, but it's a big (and high) one. From where they finished yesterday, Pinerolo, the riders will face three really hard categorized climb. At the start, however, they will find a small uncategorized one, Colletta di Cimiana (3.5 km at 7%), which will host the first attacks for the break of the day, which will likely continue on the short descent and the rough terrain that follows, as the mountains approach. At km 35 the first GPM of the day begins: Colle del Lys (GPM1, 14.9 km at 6.4%) is a very tough and constant climb, besides 2 km of false flat in the middle. You might remember the name from last year's stage to Jafferau, as it was climbed from the side we are descending today. That side (today's descent, I mean) is very irregular and quite technical at times. It is followed by some very rough and twisty roads for around 25 km, ending at around km 102. The next 10 km are flat and much more regular, and lead to a short but steep ramp of roughly 2.5 km at 6% that brings to the official start of the second climb of the day. Pian del Lupo (GPM2 (lol), 9.4 km at 8.7%), never featured before in the Giro, is a really hard climb, all on a narrow road with a very steep middle section. Its descent is also narrow and very technical, and brings back to the bottom of a long valley that the riders will have to reach the top of. We head towards another new climb, but unlike Pian del Lupo, this one is very famous between cycling fans: Colle del Nivolet, with all its 2615m of glorious and immaculate scenery, in the middle of the national park of the Gran Paradiso (literally, the Great Heaven). Today we will not climb all the way to the top however, but only up to Lago Serrù (GPM1, 20.3 km at 5.9%), at 2247m of altitude. It's unfortunate... but it's something nevertheless, and hopefully this will pave the way to a finish at the top in the near future. The climb itself begins much before the offical start in the town of Noasca, as the riders will be climbing increasing gradients pretty much from the very beginning of the valley, at 45 km to go. At 30 km to go, the road will start looking more like a climb than a false flat, although on very wide and gentle roads. At 18 km to go the rider will depart from the main road to avoid a long tunnel, and they will climb the old road instead, which has been resurface for the occasion. This is the first steep section of the climb, with 3 km at 8.7%, and ends reconnecting with the main road just before entering the town of Ceresole Reale. Here there is a long false flat section, mostly ascending, that lasts 8.5 km, after which the road gets narrower and the final steep section begins. The final 6 km of this climb are at almost 9%, and combined with the fatigue and the altitude they will likely wreak havoc in the GC.

The Climbs:
Colle del Lys, GPM1, 14.9 km at 6.4%
All in all, a tough climb of a kind the riders have not faced yet in this Giro.

Pian del Lupo, GPM2, 9.4 km at 8.7%
The hardest GPM2 of all time...?

Lago Serrù, GPM1, 20.3 km at 5.9%
A long climb with some very hard ramps at a decent altitude. It finishes at 6 km from the top of the Nivolet (for logistical issues, apparently), which is a bit of a shame.

What to expect:
The first all-out battle between GC contenders, with hard pace all day but without big favourites attacking until the final climb, unless a team goes crazy on Pian del Lupo.

Colle del Nivolet. Lago Serrù is the lake in the background.

 

[Cance > TheRest]

Finally it is here. For me Nivolet is the most awaited MTF of the year, even if they don't go to the top.

But how on earth is Pian del Lupo cat 2? Isn't it comparable with the Montoso climb from today?

 

[Mayomaniac]

Sosa will probably try something, breakaway or long range attack. Nivolet used to be his training climb durning the Androni days, so he should be really motivated.

 

[Son of Amsterhammer]

Re:

Finally it is here. For me Nivolet is the most awaited MTF of the year, even if they don't go to the top.

But how on earth is Pian del Lupo cat 2? Isn't it comparable with the Montoso climb from today?

Just noticed that too. Ridiculous!!

I’m not sure I expect anything before the last climb here. But it’s bound to be entertaining!

 

[Salvarani]

Roglic isolated and some early attacks on the penultimate climb would be nice.

 

[fuiers]

Majka wanted to go already today. I´ll pip him to win this one with Yates close second. Roglic to Struggle and Nibali to gain back some time with Landa and Lopez.

 

[Pantani_lives]

Once again the Giro is proving to much more interesting than the Tour. I think the real favourites will wait until the final 6 km, but then we'll find out for sure who the best climbers are in this race. I wonder how much Polanc will lose. I expect him to stay in pink for at least one more day. It's remarkable that two Slovenians are currently on top of the GC.

 

[luckyboy]

It's a shame they don't carry on to the Nivolet.

Here's what it looks like up there now (road on the left heads up to Nivolet, road down below is the finish - the hut on the left side specifically)

https://ceresolereale-glaciomuseo.panomax.com/

 

[jaylew]

Re:

Once again the Giro is proving to much more interesting than the Tour. I think the real favourites will wait until the final 6 km, but then we'll find out for sure who the best climbers are in this race. I wonder how much Polanc will lose. I expect him to stay in pink for at least one more day. It's remarkable that two Slovenians are currently on top of the GC.

I'd say so far it's been much less interesting than the Tour but that could change.

I think Roglic is going to get dropped by the best climbers tomorrow and his team looks super weak so hopefully things will start to get more interesting

 

[Cookster15]

What a stage. All of a sudden Roglic looks vulnerable. A massive GC stage. Lopez to excel closely followed by Nibali. If Roglic finishes with Nibali he is the real deal.

 

[Rollthedice]

Everybody and their mother in the break plus Conti who will take the pink jersey back. Roglic to get dropped on Pian del Lupo. Have no idea who will win the stage but Nibali and Majka will finish first from the group of GC contenders to prove that Tour of the Alps was harder to win than Romandie.

 

[del1962]

The mythical Landani to take the stage

 

[Laplaz]

Formolo, Jungels, Masnada and Cattaneo to get in the break.

 

[Valv.Piti]

Me looking at the stage and thinking thats a decently hard MTF.

Then me reading that there's +5200 altitude gain.... damn. This stage reminds me of the stage Landa won in 2015 to Campiglio, but harder stage overall. Daone was a tard harder than Lupo, but the finishing climb today is much harder and its a longer stage. On that stage, Porte and Urán cracked on Daone If I remember correctly, 2 out of the 4 biggest favorites. We won't see something similar tomorrow tho.

 

[hayneplane]

The early rolling terrain looks good for a battle royale to form the break of the day and it would be no surprise to see the maglia Rosa try to get a head start by going in the break especially as nobody will mark him and try to stop it as a priority.

With 45km of constant uphill anyone on a real bad day could tumble completely out of top 10 contention. That it is not super harsh gradients allows for more tactical plays and Roglic will be on his own barring a miracle unless he was so confident today that big gaps were not an issue that he instructed his domestiques to save their legs for future battles.

I think the last quarter of the stage being almost exclusively uphill will make it almost impossible for a breakaway to survive and emerge with the stage win.

 

[Robert5091]

This is a lonnnnng stage - nearly 200 km. Roglic should hold his own on the first two climbs, though he's probably without team mates, but the last climb ... could see for example Yates & Chaves or Majka going away at the first steep section, then all hell breaking lose. Expecting some good ol' fashioned yoyo-ing. Roglic again happy to let the break go and let others chase.

Weather seems ok, but those in the gruppetto will suffer. As we're finishing at over 2,000 meters it could be a day for the South Americans - Sosa, Carapaz, Superman etc.

 

[topcat]

Yates and Roglic to crack tomorrow.

 

[Koronin]

This is a stage for the climbers to show themselves. It's one that Landa can win, but he's only the only climber here.

 

[HelloDolly]

Diego Ulissi to get pink in a 20 minute break

No seriously Landa , Yates and MAL need to test Roglic early and not leave for the last few KM...need to get rid of his team on 2nd last climb and go for it

Trek must not help Roglic chase !!!

If they cannot take serious time back on Roglic he will hang tough and they wont break him ( not tomorrow but ) not in the stages to come...he is super strong...Its going to take a few stages to try and get to him

 

[The Barb]

Re: 2019 Giro d'Italia Stage 13: Pinerolo - Lago Serrù 196 k

I don't think Roglic is as vulnerable as some seem to think. Yes his team is weak but he remains super strong and rode Stage 12 beautifully. I wouldn't even be surprised if he attacks.

Having said that, I think this stage is for the break and, for me, everything points to Sosa. He showed good form today, is half an hour down on GC, suited to high altitude, and has total team freedom. I would be very surprised if he doesn't get into the break and if he does he is likely to be the strongest in it.

 

[HelloDolly]

Re:

This is a stage for the climbers to show themselves. It's one that Landa can win, but he's only the only climber here.

??

MAL is a climber as is Yates

BTW how fantastic is Pavel Sivakov ...just 21 and already up with the best ..real deal GT rider

 

[jaylew]

Re:

Yates and Roglic to crack tomorrow.

That would not surprise me at all. I don't think it's Yates' year.

 

[Red Rick]

I would be very surprised if this stage goes to the break. There are lots of breakaway compositions somebody is gonna be unhappy with.

 

[Poursuivant]

Miguel Angel Lopez will win tomorrow, Roglic to be dropped by others on final climb but grind his way back to limit losses, Nibali to go well too.

 

[More Strides than Rides]

Re: 2019 Giro d'Italia Stage 13: Pinerolo - Lago Serrù 196 k

I don't think Roglic is as vulnerable as some seem to think. Yes his team is weak but he remains super strong and rode Stage 12 beautifully. I wouldn't even be surprised if he attacks.

Not very vulnerable is still pretty vulnerable with 8 decisive stages still to ride.

Yate's TT throws questions about his form at the moment. I think Roglic will survive this stage, but the way he carries through everything with poise, it will be a mystery if anything was taken out of him from later stages.

I think a super break will get away, and several far-down riders will want to regain time (or even take pink?) on what seems to be a reluctant Roglic.