2019 Giro d'Italia, stage 5: Frascati - Terracina 140km

[Laplaz]

Again very high chance of rain.

Stage 5: Frascati - Terracina 140 km

Wednesday, May 15th

START TIME: 13.55 CEST

FINISH TIME: ~17.15 CEST

Technical Overview:
After the very long stage of yesterday, we get a short a relatively easy stage. You would not tell that by looking at the start though. From Frascati, where they arrived yesterday, the peloton will immediately begin to climb the first hill of the day, the uncategorized climb of Rocca Priora (9.5 km at 4.5%). Its fast descent leads to the second (and hardest) climb of the day, Rocca di Papa (5.5 km at 6.2%), still uncategorized (why???). You might recognize these climbs if you followed the (now defunct) Roma Maxima editions of a few years ago, that featured this two climbs in the finale (although Rocca di Papa was called Campi di Annibale and would top 100m higher). While in that race these climbs were enough to force some selection and decide the group disputing the victory, here they are more than 100 km to go, so they will just decide the break of the day, which nevertheless does have some chances to dispute the victory. After the descent of Rocca di Papa the terrain becomes flat and pretty uninteresting up until the last (...and only, officially) climb of the day, Sezze (GPM4, 3.9 km at 5.2%), which is followed by another small hill of 2.5 km at 4%. Overall, not a tough climb situated about 50 km to go, the last 40 being completely flat all the way to the final circuit (only one lap to be made) in Terracina.

The Climbs:
Sezze, GPM4, 3.9 km at 5.2%
Nope, no profile here either.

What to expect:
Big struggle to form the breakaway at the beginning, which will probably be futile because the peloton should not have big problems catching it in the end.

Terracina

 

[Nirvana]

I wonder if tomorrow someone will try to go hard at the beginning to see if there can be some casualities.

 

[RedheadDane]

Love those two non-mountain mountains at the beginning.

 

[Robert5091]

We'll find out who's suffering from the stage 4 crashes as the stage starts uphill. Expecting a fast start to the day.

Looks like the last 35 km are dead flat so ... baring crashes, sprint finish seems likely. The last 9 km loop back to the finish has plenty of 90 degree corners but according to the official website there are wide roads.
Rain showers forecast at the finish - which might cause problems, though what caught my attention was (from the website again)

In the central part of the route, the roadway is narrowed and very worn out at points.

Potholes? different road surfaces? Punctures galore? More crashes?

 

[Robert5091]

Re:

Love those two non-mountain mountains at the beginning.

Expect Jumbo to go full gas with a few guys at the front just to see who's suffering.

 

[Red Rick]

Biggest event of the stage will obviously if Dumoulin starts

If he starts, then the biggest news will be if he finishes.

 

[sir fly]

Re:

Love those two non-mountain mountains at the beginning.

Already in the mood for the stage, RhD...
How about shape? Would you be able to roll over those bumps?

Biggest event of the stage will obviously if Dumoulin starts

If he starts, then the biggest news will be if he finishes.

There's not that much k's... He might finish the stage even in front of the schedule.

 

[RedheadDane]

Re: Re:

Love those two non-mountain mountains at the beginning.

Already in the mood for the stage, RhD...
How about shape? Would you be able to roll over those bumps?

I'm referring to the fact that they don't actually give point for the KoM.
And the mountain that does doesn't give points at the actual top... go figure.

 

[sir fly]

Re: Re:

Love those two non-mountain mountains at the beginning.

Already in the mood for the stage, RhD...
How about shape? Would you be able to roll over those bumps?

I'm referring to the fact that they don't actually give point for the KoM.
And the mountain that does doesn't give points at the actual top... go figure.

They don't reward at the beginning, but it will be felt at the end, possibly.

 

[RedheadDane]

Re: Re:

Love those two non-mountain mountains at the beginning.

Already in the mood for the stage, RhD...
How about shape? Would you be able to roll over those bumps?

I'm referring to the fact that they don't actually give point for the KoM.
And the mountain that does doesn't give points at the actual top... go figure.

They don't reward at the beginning, but it will be felt at the end, possibly.

Of course they'll be felt - along with everything else - but you'd think they would at least be cat 4 climbs.

 

[sir fly]

Re: Re:

Love those two non-mountain mountains at the beginning.

Already in the mood for the stage, RhD...
How about shape? Would you be able to roll over those bumps?

I'm referring to the fact that they don't actually give point for the KoM.
And the mountain that does doesn't give points at the actual top... go figure.

They don't reward at the beginning, but it will be felt at the end, possibly.

Of course they'll be felt - along with everything else - but you'd think they would at least be cat 4 climbs.

I agree. Should've been classified.

 

[RedheadDane]

Especially because… wouldn't they possibly make people try to attack early? To get those points?

 

[Valv.Piti]

What the *** is up with the weather in Italy??

The two climbs could make for a potentially good break, but it will most likely obviously be a sprint.

 

[sir fly]

Especially because… wouldn't they possibly make people try to attack early? To get those points?

Yes, and I suppose there would be enough fresh legs to try to stay ahead all the way to the finish.

 

[movingtarget]

Re:

Biggest event of the stage will obviously if Dumoulin starts

If he starts, then the biggest news will be if he finishes.

My guess is that he pulls out and saves himself for the June stage races and the Tour otherwise he hangs around and tries to win a TT stage and aims for a top five or ten but why would he do that when he can start the Tour in good condition ? The start of the next stage won't help him depending on how much pain he's in.

 

[SafeBet]

Re:

What the **** is up with the weather in Italy??

The two climbs could make for a potentially good break, but it will most likely obviously be a sprint.

You tell me, bro. It's been a month I haven't seen two consecutive sunny days and the wind is blowing strong. Feels like Flanders.

It won't get much better according to the forecasts.

 

[Robert5091]

Re: Re:

What the **** is up with the weather in Italy??

The two climbs could make for a potentially good break, but it will most likely obviously be a sprint.

You tell me, bro. It's been a month I haven't seen two consecutive sunny days and the wind is blowing strong. Feels like Flanders.

It won't get much better according to the forecasts.

Nibali's voodoo working with the weather gods ...Bernal, done. Dumoulin, done.

 

[Laplaz]

JUST NO CRASHES PLEASE

 

[The Barb]

It's unlikely, but I'd love to see Lottto-Jumbo, Bahrain or Astana go full gas on the first climb to see if Yates is hurting more from the crash yesterday than he's letting on.

 

[Mayomaniac]

Re: Re:

What the **** is up with the weather in Italy??

The two climbs could make for a potentially good break, but it will most likely obviously be a sprint.

You tell me, bro. It's been a month I haven't seen two consecutive sunny days and the wind is blowing strong. Feels like Flanders.

It won't get much better according to the forecasts.

We had 3 consecutive weekends with snowfall in my hometown...

 

[SafeBet]

Hopefully it gets better by the time they reach the mountains.

 

[Jagartrott]

Re: Re:

You tell me, bro. It's been a month I haven't seen two consecutive sunny days and the wind is blowing strong. Feels like Flanders.

It won't get much better according to the forecasts.

If you really want to know:
https://twitter.com/ScottDuncanWX/status/1127989632409452544

Up here in Flanders, it has been rather cool but sunny for days, by the way.

 

[King Boonen]

I don't see any of the GC teams going hard. The climbs are about 300m or so of easy gradient, no where near enough to cause real damage, and then you have a huge amount of flat where any dangerous break will get reeled in. If Jumbo did try to do that I'd expect the other teams to either shut it down very easily or just let them sit in the wind for hours using up energy, then shut them down at the end of the stage.

My main worry is that circuit, there are some sharp turns outside the neutralised area and all the sprinters know this is likely the last sprint stage for a couple of days at least, possibly until stage 10. GC guys are going to be nervous about losing more time so they'll be pushing for position. Fingers crossed we don't get another crash.

 

[King Boonen]

Re: Re:

You tell me, bro. It's been a month I haven't seen two consecutive sunny days and the wind is blowing strong. Feels like Flanders.

It won't get much better according to the forecasts.

If you really want to know:
https://twitter.com/ScottDuncanWX/status/1127989632409452544

Up here in Flanders, it has been rather cool but sunny for days, by the way.

Been lovely in Scotland too.

 

[Rollthedice]

Koren out suspended by UCI.