Giro d'Italia 2021 Giro d'Italia, Stage 14: Cittadella – Monte Zoncolan 204 km

[Red Rick]

The steep part of the Zoncolan in a descent would be really risky, those narrow tunnels near the top are pretty unsave downhill, you can't really use that descent.
The easier side on the other hand isn't a dangerous descent, the lack of cars is the only problem, but an ambulance could wait at the ski station after the first 3km of the descent.

Aren't those 3km too crazy for a descent?

 

[Mayomaniac]

Aren't those 3km too crazy for a descent?

The corners aren't too technical, they have done worse in recent history (the descent before Madonna di Campiglio in 2015 for example is a lot more dangerous).

 

[DoYouEvenRideBruh]

So everybody is understandably talking about the final climb, but damn, the starting town of Cittadella looks awesome. I love medieval walled cities.

 

[railxmig]

As for the stage itself. Considering the Vuelta-esque severity of the last 3k it will most likely be a Skineos (Astana?) grill up to the 3k and then everybody on their own. Maybe Nibali will go ahead and test the waters before the last steep part but that's it. On paper Carthy and Yates showed the best tolerance to such high % on a big climb. I wonder if Bernal will lose a couple of seconds to the GC guys winner as a break may go to the finish if the weather condition is treacherous.

So everybody is understandably talking about the final climb, but damn, the starting town of Cittadella looks awesome. I love medieval walled cities.

It looks like an Italian "perfect" Reinassance city started by the little Tuscan town Pienza. Maybe it's older though. it does look like a "perfect" cittadella. Considering there were a lot of wars between Veneto and Trento maybe that's why it was founded.

 

[Red Rick]

The corners aren't too technical, they have done worse in recent history (the descent before Madonna di Campiglio in 2015 for example is a lot more dangerous).

Sounds good. Zoncolan doesn't really need it though. I think a climb like Col de Loze needs to be used as a pass way more.

 

[Mayomaniac]

For the stage, I hope Trek finally use Mollema as a domestique and have him and Brambilla drill it on the Zoncolan (if Ciccone is feeling good), just to see how good the Ineos train is on an actual climb.
Bora could do the same with Großschartner and Fabbro.
I expect a heavier guy like Foss to loose some time on a stage like this.

 

[Mayomaniac]

Sounds good. Zoncolan doesn't really need it though. I think a climb like Col de Loze needs to be used as a pass way more.

Zoncolan from Ovaro has the advantage of the final 2kms being easier and the middle part being so hard, so action will happen before the final.

 

[SafeBet]

There's snow on the Stelvio.

Yeah on Everest too.

 

[Red Rick]

Yeah on Everest too.

Stelvio is just Everest minus the corpses

 

[roundabout]

There is a video if the 2003 climb on youtube.

Around 14'30'' for Gibo for the hard bit in 2003. A bit over 12 minutes from the start of attack to the finish. 4'33'' last km. Climb itself about as uninteresting as I remembered from 18 years ago.

Edit: if anything GC relevant happens before the hard(er) part, it will be a bonus

Edit 2: 14' for the hard bit, not 14'30''

 

[Pantani_lives]

Predictable scenario: Ineos train controls, Bernal takes some extra time on Vlasov in the final 3 km.

The question is whether Bernal also wants the stage and the bonus seconds. Otherwise it can go to the break again, with possibly Bennett or Mollema for the win.

 

[Blanco]

Ineos will dictate the climb. They're strong, but not super strong (with Sivakov they would be..). Serious attacks could happen before the last part, and the suspects are Buchmann, Ciccone, Bardet, and maybe even Evenepoel. The likes of Carthy, Yates, Vlasov and Bernal will keep their powder dry for the last 3km though.

 

[Rollthedice]

Descent from Monte Rest, maybe somebody will have some creative ideas.

 

[Escarabajo]

Descent from Monte Rest, maybe somebody will have some creative ideas.

I hit the link and a pregnant woman showed up!
That was very creative!!!

 

[Logic-is-your-friend]

For the stage, I hope Trek finally use Mollema as a domestique and have him and Brambilla drill it on the Zoncolan (if Ciccone is feeling good), just to see how good the Ineos train is on an actual climb.
Bora could do the same with Großschartner and Fabbro.
I expect a heavier guy like Foss to loose some time on a stage like this.

Not sure Foss is that heavy. Well, not counting his head obviously.

 

[Bonimenier]

Descent from Monte Rest, maybe somebody will have some creative ideas.

I doubt it. It's way too long to the Zoncolan and people will be too scared of the Zoncolan to burn energy beforehand.

 

[Escarabajo]

There is a video if the 2003 climb on youtube.

Around 14'30'' for Gibo for the hard bit in 2003. A bit over 12 minutes from the start of attack to the finish. 4'33'' last km. Climb itself about as uninteresting as I remembered from 18 years ago.

Edit: if anything GC relevant happens before the hard(er) part, it will be a bonus

Edit 2: 14' for the hard bit, not 14'30''

I saw the climb a couple of days ago as well. The climb was not very exciting if it wasn't for the Pantani surge!!
But the kilometers before the final 3 kilometers will be used to shred the group of GC contenders. That's it. This is a monoclimb stage anyway.

 

[Lequack]

The main question is, how many sprinters will not start tomorrow? All of them, bar Sagan?

 

[will-10]

I'd expect Nizzolo, Cimolai and Viviani will stick around too.

 

[Rollthedice]

The main question is, how many sprinters will not start tomorrow? All of them, bar Sagan?

Groenewegen is already on his way home.

 

[titan31]

The main question is, how many sprinters will not start tomorrow? All of them, bar Sagan?

The battle for the points jersey is close enough that I think Nizzolo, Cimolai and Gaviria hang on tbh. Stages 15,17 and 20 offer strong possibilities to battle for intermediate sprint points and 18 is possible if sprinters teams want to control (Sagan and Gaviria would make it anyway in that finale). Viviani isn't in that battle so I'll assume he'll call it unless being Italian he wants to stay and I'd be shocked if Groenewegen didnt

 

[memyselfandI]

Bellino said there's snow in an interview with Eisel today so I'm guessing there's snow somewhere.

Yes there's plenty of snow up there and forecast is rain water/sleet for the final climb, this info from a team car staff..

 

[Logic-is-your-friend]

The battle for the points jersey is close enough that I think Nizzolo, Cimolai and Gaviria hang on tbh. Stages 15,17 and 20 offer strong possibilities to battle for intermediate sprint points and 18 is possible if sprinters teams want to control (Sagan and Gaviria would make it anyway in that finale). Viviani isn't in that battle so I'll assume he'll call it unless being Italian he wants to stay and I'd be shocked if Groenewegen didnt

Groenewegen and Dekker to DNS

 

[Gigs_98]

Heard Sutrio is too far north and the raods will be blocked by snow, so they must reach Zoncolan by another road.

That was a joke right? The reactions after this reply of people fearing whether the stage would even take place were way too serious so I became uncertain whether I or the other people were the ones not getting it.

 

[Red Rick]

That was a joke right? The reactions after this reply of people fearing whether the stage would even take place were way too serious so I became uncertain whether I or the other people were the ones not getting it.

Poes law strikes once more