Giro d'Italia 2021 Giro d'Italia, Stage 6: Grotte di Frasassi – Ascoli Piceno (S.Giacomo) 160 km

[Bonimenier]

Commas, years and a mountain finish in stage 6

Stage 6: Grotte di Frasassi – Ascoli Piceno (S.Giacomo) 160 km

Thursday, May 13th, 12.35 CEST

Technical Overview:

The first MTF of the Giro comes in a rather short stage that packs a serious punch for being so early in the race. Starting from the famous Frasassi Caves, the stage will head south inland over some rolling terrain, including a few decent ramps but nothing serious. Then, at km 77, the road will go up to the first categorized climb of the day, a very serious one. Forca di Gualdo (GPM2, 10.4 km at 7.4%) is at the edge of being considered a GPM1, and features a very tough first section, featuring some double-digit gradients. Shame that it is so isolated in the middle of the stage. At the top there is a very short descent that includes the small climb to Castelluccio, slightly over 1 km at 7%, and that leads to the second climb of the day, Forca di Presta (GPM3, 4.8 km at 4.2%). This is unfortunately little more than a false flat, as the only hard ramp is the last 500m at 9%. A long, glorious descent will bring everyone to a 32 km long descending false flat, which would probably kill any attempt made in the previous climbs. This false flat ends directly into the town of Ascoli Piceno, which despite being marked as the finish location is still quite far from the finish, which will be up into the mountains again. S.Giacomo (GPM2, 15.5km at 6.1%) is quite a big MTF, the longest of this edition, in fact. It features a first 10 km section at 5.5% average, before ramping up for the last 5 km at 7.6%.



Final Kilometers

The Climbs:

Forca di Gualdo: GPM2, 10.4 km at 7.4%

A deceptively hard climb, with 3.5 km at 9.2% in the first half.

Forca di Presta: GPM3, 4.8 km at 4.2%

Just a false flat with a tough final km. No official profile, so here is Cyclingcols.

S.Giacomo: GPM2, 15.5km at 6.1%

The longest MTF of this Giro, very easy for the first two thirds but quite demanding in the last.

What to expect:

The first MTF usually does not say much, but there is definitely enough terrain to put up a good show. I do not expect anything to happen before the final climb of course.

Grotte di Frasassi

 

[Gigs_98]

The hardest of the week 1 mtf's but unfortunately those week 1 mtf's in the giro tend to suck pretty badly and I have the gut feeling this one will as well. Best case scenario is an all out battle on the last 5 km, worst case is some team neutralizing the gc battle entirely.

 

[ice&fire]

Commas, years and a mountain finish in stage 6

You missed the poll. A yes/no poll would be enough

 

[Samu Cuenca]

You missed the poll. A yes/no poll would be enough

Let's have a poll to decide whether it would actually be enough

 

[hayneplane]

If the weather is bad then there could be splits that stick on the 44km of downhill prior to the final climb.

The steady gradient of the MTF is well suited to an Ineos train effort that would also suit DQS for Remco and guys like Buchmann and Vlasov plus Hindley imo.

 

[Luthor]

Quite long MTF which should suit engines. Probably another selection of GC favorites but I think most guys from the first 2 groups won't lose much.

 

[Red Rick]

The hardest of the week 1 mtf's but unfortunately those week 1 mtf's in the giro tend to suck pretty badly and I have the gut feeling this one will as well. Best case scenario is an all out battle on the last 5 km, worst case is some team neutralizing the gc battle entirely.

It's Etna but not Etna. I think it's fine, it's just seems a little weird to have a 15km MTF at this stage in the race, I reckon 2 to 3km of action if it's not a straight up uphill sprint.

 

[Bonimenier]

You missed the poll. A yes/no poll would be enough

I'll think of a good one soon

 

[roundabout]

only now have I realized that it's not the side used in 2002 that they are doing, so it maybe be an ok stage if the riders want it

 

[Poursuivant]

Landa to attack again, he knows he needs as much time as possible before the TT, I think he will be a big player this year.

 

[Lequack]

Last climb is 6% average so Remco should win this.

 

[BlueRoads]

Looks like some rain here as well?

 

[sir fly]

Looks like some rain here as well?

Taaramae?

 

[Sciatic]

Taaramae?

Yes, let’s continue to have him in breaks and have fun with my favorite quadruple homophone!

 

[Panda Claws]

I love the image of the Grotte being included!

I don't think Landa is actually stronger than Bernal if it comes down to it. But yeah Ineos had so many guys left on tuesday's stage I can just see them controlling this until the end. Curious if Evenepoel will look substantially better on a less steep climb.

 

[wheresmybrakes]

Soler to win! If I say this enough times it may turn out correct. A nice ride away on the Presta, catch the break then break their hearts up the last climb. Christ, I'm starting to sound like a Remco fan.

 

[RedheadDane]

Excuse me! I know how to make polls!

 

[AlfaLum]

Quite sure somebody like Landa will try to test the opposition here again. Whether this then becomes an interesting stage depends on whether all the big favorites can follow. If one of them is not there (like Evenepoel or Yates) i am quite sure that they will ride to distance them.

If none of the bigger favorites gets distanced after the first skirmishes this will become a very boring stage with quite a large group sprinting for some seconds in the last kilometer.

 

[saganftw]

the final climb kinda sucks,44km downhill into not steep enough climb for anyone to attack up untill it starts going over 7%, looks like ineos controlled day if bernal feels well

if the downhill wasnt so long i would fancy Mohoric with Landa trying to escape before that 3rd cat

 

[AlfaLum]

the final climb kinda sucks,44km downhill into not steep enough climb for anyone to attack up untill it starts going over 7%, looks like ineos controlled day if bernal feels well

if the downhill wasnt so long i would fancy Mohoric with Landa trying to escape before that 3rd cat

I'm gonna go with a very attacking Bahrain on that final climb with Tratnik, Mohoric, Valls and Mader setting the tempo initially on the climb. When the final steeper ramp starts Caruso will increase the pace significantly, with Landa giving it a go at about 3 kilometers from the finish.

 

[Samu Cuenca]

Excuse me! I know how to make polls!

Which means that everyone apart from those voting "never" have won the poll.

 

[RedheadDane]

Which means that everyone apart from those voting "never" have won the poll.

No... it means that everyone apart from those voting "before stage 5" has lost the poll.

 

[Samu Cuenca]

No... it means that everyone apart from those voting "before stage 5" has lost the poll.

In what universe is "before stage 5" not also "before the end of the Giro" and "before the end of the year"?

I knew you were probably going to figure it out before the end of the Giro if not before the start of today's stage, considering I had giving you a helping hand, but I decided to play it safe.

 

[BlueRoads]

No... it means that everyone apart from those voting "before stage 5" has lost the poll.

Excuse me? I voted "before the end of the Giro" because that was clearly the safest option, since it contains everything but "never"?!

 

[BigCoward]

Better an average MTF on my birthday than a boring sprint.