Giro d'Italia 2022 Giro d'Italia, Stage 4: Avola – Etna 170 km (Tuesday, May 10th)

[MrTea1976]

Yates likes to win stages. I think he'll take it and hope not to explode later on.

 

[SHAD0W93]

What makes you think this? Or are you joking? I don’t recall Lopez ever doing well on a climb like this. Not steep enough or high enough?

I am tipping Yates but not with any confidence.

He’s got one really good and bad performance in him and I’m giving his good performance on this stage to increase that hype for him.

 

[Savant12]

Yates to go supervolcanic or fall dormant.

 

[tobydawq]

He’s got one really good and bad performance in him and I’m giving his good performance on this stage to increase that hype for him.

He has also often gained an impressive amount of time on quite shallow climbs where the other favourites didn't separate from each other.

 

[wheresmybrakes]

If Yates is going for GC then he needs to learn his lesson and not go all in at the beginning of the race only to collapse towards the end. It's a long race. Yes, stage wins are nice, but try and leave them for towards the end. Saying that, BE may be expecting him to have a really bad day so getting all the stage wins in early gives them some good vibes.

Fortunato for the win.

 

[Frankschleck]

If I was lotto jumbo I would send Bouwerman in the break. They won't outclimb him in the break with a headwind and the guy is fast. Moreover you get the pink jersey and a good start to the race.

 

[Pinot's goat]

If Yates is going for GC then he needs to learn his lesson and not go all in at the beginning of the race only to collapse towards the end.

This has happened exactly once, it is not the recurring cause of his bad days.

 

[Mayomaniac]

This should be a mountain TT. Perfect mountain and road for that. Would have produced beautiful pictures. Would have made the race a lot more interesting, as well.

That would have been interesting. I've also always said that a climb with lots of hairpins, but shallow gradients and lack of action like Montevergine should be used as a MTT. On such a tempogrinder the rouleurs would actually put significant time gaps into the lightweight climbers.

 

[Fantastico]

If Yates is going for GC then he needs to learn his lesson and not go all in at the beginning of the race only to collapse towards the end. It's a long race. Yes, stage wins are nice, but try and leave them for towards the end.

That's a more difficult decision than you make it appear. If you are in excellent form in the beginning of the race and it looks like you could gain significant time on your rivals, is it smarter to keep your energy for the final week where your rivals may be stronger or do you try to capitalize on your advantage? Clearly, there's some trade-off, but it's not like waiting for the final week is always the best thing to do.

 

[Mayomaniac]

That's a more difficult decision than you make it appear. If you are in excellent form in the beginning of the race and it looks like you could gain significant time on your rivals, is it smarter to keep your energy for the final week where your rivals may be stronger or do you try to capitalize on your advantage? Clearly, there's some trade-off, but it's not like waiting for the final week is always the best thing to do.

I agree, we aren't talking about some crazy long range attacks, only abbout striking when the Iron is hot.

 

[Bolder]

An uphill TTT sounds like a Race Design Thread fantasy...but I'm game for it.

I'd also like to see another Criterium International two-fer, with a morning TT and afternoon road stage...

 

[Mayomaniac]

An uphill TTT sounds like a Race Design Thread fantasy...but I'm game for it.

I'd also like to see another Criterium International two-fer, with a morning TT and afternoon road stage...

Well, it's a better idea than a downhill TTT...
The UCI banned half stages in gts or word tour races in general, otherwise I'd like to see a mid length TTT as stage a in the morning to put some fatigue in the legs before a short stage b that is pretty much nothing but hills.

 

[Lequack]

New bike for Carapaz. No gold bike anymore?

 

[Eclipse]

New bike for Carapaz. No gold bike anymore?

Easier for stealth attacks

 

[Ilmaestro99]

New bike for Carapaz. No gold bike anymore?

Why is he running disks on a MTF stage with no descents?

 

[Lequack]

Why is he running disks on a MTF stage with no descents?

Marketing.

 

[gregrowlerson]

New bike for Carapaz. No gold bike anymore?

Little Richie Porte: "I look like such a nerd!"

Little Richard Carapaz: "Hold my lunch money."

 

[Amazinmets87]

Why is he running disks on a MTF stage with no descents?

Why would anyone run discs in a road race with clement weather? And even in inclement weather rim brakes are arguably preferable.

 

[TourOfSardinia]

A shark from the Straits of Messina
to arise out of the Ionia Sea
at Avola and let his pride
drive him up the road
to Mount Etna.

 

[StryderHells]

An uphill TTT sounds like a Race Design Thread fantasy...but I'm game for it.

I'd also like to see another Criterium International two-fer, with a morning TT and afternoon road stage...

The Tour of Tasmania down in Australia used to have a 22 k mountain TTT up Mt Wellington.

 

[greyclouds]

This is the typical stage where no one will win the race, but some might lose it, particularly after a transfer/ rest and so early on the race.

 

[Potomac]

I hate rest days

 

[Sciatic]

I hate rest days

I would guess the riders (except for those crashed and get an extra day of healing) also aren’t thrilled to have so early in the race.

 

[Krzysztof_O]

If Yates is going for GC then he needs to learn his lesson and not go all in at the beginning of the race only to collapse towards the end. It's a long race. Yes, stage wins are nice, but try and leave them for towards the end. Saying that, BE may be expecting him to have a really bad day so getting all the stage wins in early gives them some good vibes.

Fortunato for the win.

If you have form you need to capitalize on that. Obviously attacks from far are very energy consuming especially regarding 3-week race but if Yates can gain 30 seconds by attacking i.e. 3-4 km from the line he should do it.

 

[Netserk]

I hate rest days

Agreed. Bring back no rest days in the Giro.