Giro d'Italia 2021 Giro d'Italia, Stage 9: Castel di Sangro - Campo Felice (Rocca di Cambio) 158 km (Sunday May 16)

[wheresmybrakes]

I agree, as well as needing to gain time before the ITT (if it may be needed) i think Bernal likes to attack and make a race excitable for the fans. As he says, he ain't afraid to lose the race by attacking. I hope Evenepoel does something at some point along this race apart from sitting behind waiting for the end stage. He may end up winning the race that way but it would be nice for his fanboys to get excited once in a while. I think we may start to see the reemergence of Yates soon, then they all may have to wake up and play ball.

Edited, to follow the post by spalco

 

[Red Rick]

If i were Ineos, i would absolutely not drill this stage. The profile fits Evenepoel a lot more than Bernal. Say they did drill this stage, burn the likes of Moscon, Ganna, Castro & Narvaez, hoping to wear down Evenepoel and they get in the final of this stage with Bernal not having 2 big motors by his side, Bernal could get a beating. Best case, Bernal takes a few seconds on the line, he gets pink and Ineos have to work every day. Worst case, he loses a lot more and wore the team down for nothing.

And i think Evenepoel is not going to do anything, unless maybe Ineos throw it in his lap. Which they'd be doing by drilling it, imho. Had this stage been in the last week, and Evenepoel needed the time, then i think he would go for it. But at this moment, it would be stupid of him to set up a raid... unless maybe Ineos throw it in his lap.

100% agree. I'd probably try to hit the final 2km 30 minutes down on the break and keep it as anaerobic as possible.

If I wanted shenanigans I would attack and not pace.

 

[SafeBet]

as a molisano neighbour I absolutely love the entire Val di Sangro-Marsica area and Parco Nazionale d'Abruzzo-Lazio-Molise, probably one the most fascinating area in the Appenines along with the more northern and famous Gran Sasso area (I'm doing a bit of advertising ).
Of course, the cycling culture is not comparable to the Alpine-Dolomitic area but if people like to enjoy trekking-cycling surrounded by more rurality and peace this is the choice (and let's not forget "i tratturi")! It's also not far from Rome.

this is the tiny village of "Opi" (near Pescasseroli), a drawing by the dutch Maurits Cornelis Escher (1929?)

Opi
I remember once we visited there and found ourselves in a huge procession through the whole town. So we just followed with no idea about what was going on and we were offered wine from women outside their houses. Stunning place!

Now I'm a bit sad they're not going through Marsica.

 

[Breezy1985]

Bardet is actually very good at hard, hilly one day races.

I know but someone is gonna slip up today and I have an awful feeling it will be him. Seems like a Bardet thing to do

 

[Hugo Koblet]

Bardet is a good shout for the stage.

He's just 1'14 down in GC. I don't see how he's ever going to win this stage.

 

[spalco]

I hope Evenepoel does something at some point along this race apart from sitting behind waiting for the end stage. He may end up winning the race that way but it would be nice for his fanboys to get excited once in a while.

Right. Evenepoel's/DQS's tactics until now have been completely understandable and reasonable in the Giro. But in the end, I don't want Remco to win reasonably, I want him to win in an outrageous way!

 

[jflemaire]

I hope Evenepoel does something at some point along this race apart from sitting behind waiting for the end stage. He may end up winning the race that way but it would be nice for his fanboys to get excited once in a while.

I would say that given the circumstances Evenepoel's fanboys have plenty to be exited about already. Who would have bet in February on him being doing so well?

 

[Jagartrott]

For those hoping for De Gendt: he's hampered by knee pains apparently. This is not a Ewan joke, by the way.

 

[Twice.]

For those hoping for De Gendt: he's hampered by knee pains apparently. This is not a Ewan joke, by the way.

Did he say that in the Belgian media or something? Asking for a friend's cycling prediction game

 

[roundabout]

Bernal will certainly attack on the sterrato, and I mean literally near 100% unless he has a very bad day and try to distance Evenepoel the others, and he may succeed but not gain more than 20-30 seconds max I think.

20-30 seconds would be a huge gain in 1600 meters or less (yes, I know you wrote max)

 

[Red Rick]

Weather, starting time?

 

[Jagartrott]

Did he say that in the Belgian media or something? Asking for a friend's cycling prediction game

I heard it from someone on another forum, but he has some inside knowledge, so I trust this. In any case, he's been invisible so far, which is weird if nothing would be wrong.

 

[GuntherL1]

I expect Yates to perform today. He's still within a minute in the GC and he lost time on bad weather days.

 

[frisenfruitig]

I heard it from someone on another forum, but he has some inside knowledge, so I trust this. In any case, he's been invisible so far, which is weird if nothing would be wrong.

He was doing a lot of work for Ewan though, shouldn't be underestimated.

 

[SafeBet]

Weather, starting time?

Mostly cloudy, chances of light rain in the afternoon,

 

[GuntherL1]

Weather, starting time?

12:25h
High probability of rain this afternoon in l'Aquila (closest city to the finish)

 

[starlord]

Yeah. He has wasted a lot of his career trying to be a good GT rider.

Well it did bring him good results, didn't it?

 

[Red Rick]

20-30 seconds would be a huge gain in 1600 meters or less (yes, I know you wrote max)

It's likely very similar to Roccaraso last year, with only a handful of seconds between the best, although rain and road surface might make it a little worse.

 

[frisenfruitig]

Well it did bring him good results, didn't it?

Not better than if he had won a couple of classics IMO.

 

[roundabout]

Bardet has something like 7 wins, I think, in over 9 years as a pro. I doubt that focusing more on classics would have turned him into a significantly more prolific winner.

And I think he has had a very good career, both as a stage racer and in the classics. Certainly much better than I thought he would have 10 years ago.

 

[gregrowlerson]

Bardet has probably overachieved imo, but many people on this forum do not value podiums highly, regardless of what race they are achieved in.

 

[gregrowlerson]

Regarding tonight's stage, that final 1600 metres is annoying. For without it the stage is easy enough, but at the same time still mountainous enough, to possibly encourage a long range attack from someone of significance, given that its before the rest day.

But that gravel section discourages that.

 

[Red Rick]

Bardet has something like 7 wins, I think, in over 9 years as a pro. I doubt that focusing more on classics would have turned him into a significantly more prolific winner.

And I think he has had a very good career, both as a stage racer and in the classics. Certainly much better than I thought he would have 10 years ago.

Yeah. He coudl've just tried the Ardennes every year, but he's not gonna win Liege when it was a glorified uphill sprint, Ardennes aren't mutually exclusive with riding the Tour anyway, and lastly maybe he could've snatched a Lombardia win in the Civiglio days but it's kinda hard to see as well.

I think he's overperformed a lot with getting a 2nd, 3rd at the Tour and getting a WC podium. Maybe he underachieved from 2018 onwards trying to focus on the Tour still and he could've snatched like a Giro or Vuelta podium but very likely no wins.

 

[Red Rick]

Regarding tonight's stage, that final 1600 metres is annoying. For without it the stage is easy enough, but at the same time still mountainous enough, to possibly encourage a long range attack from someone of significance, given that its before the rest day.

But that gravel section discourages that.

I think 1600m at 8% isn't prohibitive, it's just that what comes before is too frigging easy.

 

[Rollthedice]

And the race is on.