Giro d'Italia 2022 Giro d'Italia: Stage-by-stage Analysis

[Põhja Konn]

The way this route is set up means that Blockhaus stage in the real opening round for GC battle, everything before is just a warm up. Blockhaus is hard enough to make natural selection between the haves and have-nots among GC riders even without a big attack like that of Quintana did five years ago. Right now we don't even know how close in level the main GC riders really are.

But If tomorrow doesn't manage to really open up the gaps between the favourites, then we really could be in for 2012 scenario. What even a mid-lenght TT earlier in the first week would do is to offer a lot more certain way to avoid this.

 

[Netserk]

The way this route is set up means that Blockhaus stage in the real opening round for GC battle, everything before is just a warm up. Blockhaus is hard enough to make natural selection between the haves and have-nots among GC riders even without a big attack like that of Quintana did five years ago. Right now we don't even know how close in level the main GC riders really are.

But If tomorrow doesn't manage to really open up the gaps between the favourites, then we really could be in for 2012 scenario. What even a mid-lenght TT earlier in the first week would do is to offer a lot more certain way to avoid this.

Which is why they should have had an ITT today. Either flat and medium length out and back to Napoli or a long one along the Amalfi coast (Salerno -> Sorrento).

 

[Red Rick]

Which is why they should have had an ITT today. Either flat and medium length out and back to Napoli or a long one along the Amalfi coast (Salerno -> Sorrento).

Gimme that 62km Cinque Terre TT

 

[Remy55]

You can criticize the lack of ITT or the placement of the stages ecc.
But I really enjoyed the last three stages, really good stage designs.

On the other hand, WTF are those next four stages?
The change of the Genua stage really hurts now.

 

[Big Doopie]

defensive riding as expected.

riders fear going into the red and losing a few seconds that may drop them 6 places in the top ten.

most exciting stage of the vuelta last year was because bernal was far enough behind that he was forced to do an audacious attack.

and check out the makeup of that top ten. and people thought 2020 was a weak field...

despite that i have stated years ago that bardet should really never be able to contend for a GT win, i like him, and in this mockery, he might as well be the winner. so go bardet!

 

[Big Doopie]

Crazy bad.

backloading just means you got to wait two weeks for any action.

and since all the contenders have exactly the same strengths: absolutely no reason to attack.

Oy.

 

[Kaptain Kool]

That's why my daffodilic grandfather was always a strong advocate for Invisible Sprints. Place 10 points along each stage that give a 1 minute time bonus but nobody knows where they are until the end of the stage. Then the GC riders have an incentive to be at the front of the race at all times and you can't let anyone up the road unless you're comfortable gifting them up to 10 minutes.

 

[zlev11]

this race could've been so much better if 13 was a TT and 15 was like 50km longer with one more climb

 

[Valv.Piti]

Yeah well, we all knew there was only one really hard stage of the first 15 stages..

 

[Red Rick]

Yeah well, we all knew there was only one really hard stage of the first 15 stages..

Pretty much. I think some breakaways have been better than expected but that's not much.

Medium mountain stages in the first 2 weeks just don't deliver if the climbs aren't very close to the finish. I think it's possible to backload the Giro in terms of biggest stages and climbs, but you put the majority of MTFs in the first two weeks.

I think the problem here is just that there's not that many places in the Appenines interested in hosting a MTF. But then I'm also not sure why a place like Vesuvius hasn't been back in the Giro as we've gone back to Napoli plenty of times.

But then we only need to look at the Genova stage to see the current organisers really try their darndest to not get gaps before the final week

 

[SafeBet]

I think the problem here is just that there's not that many places in the Appenines interested in hosting a MTF. But then I'm also not sure why a place like Vesuvius hasn't been back in the Giro as we've gone back to Napoli plenty of times.

Three times in the last 25 years.
Which is three times more than the Vesuvio but hardly plenty of times.

There's a lack of interest and a lack of resources.

 

[KZD]

This Giro is a good example of how not to make a Grand Tour and the worst part is that I don't think RCS realises that.

 

[Netserk]

Pretty much. I think some breakaways have been better than expected but that's not much.

Medium mountain stages in the first 2 weeks just don't deliver if the climbs aren't very close to the finish. I think it's possible to backload the Giro in terms of biggest stages and climbs, but you put the majority of MTFs in the first two weeks.

I think the problem here is just that there's not that many places in the Appenines interested in hosting a MTF. But then I'm also not sure why a place like Vesuvius hasn't been back in the Giro as we've gone back to Napoli plenty of times.

But then we only need to look at the Genova stage to see the current organisers really try their darndest to not get gaps before the final week

2015 had the hardest MTF in the first week (where they also finished on Abetone and had two GC relevant middle mountain stages). Until the ITT there was no stage where you could win the Giro, but plenty where the GC riders had the opportunity to race.

 

[Red Rick]

2015 had the hardest MTF in the first week (where they also finished on Abetone and had two GC relevant middle mountain stages). Until the ITT there was no stage where you could win the Giro, but plenty where the GC riders had the opportunity to race.

I do wonder to what extent that 2015 Giro wasn't just also 2015 Astana being 2015 Astana.

 

[Big Doopie]

This Giro is a good example of how not to make a Grand Tour and the worst part is that I don't think RCS realises that.

it’s unreal, frankly.

right now this is by far the very worst GT I have ever followed.

only the Girmay story was a bit of a saving grace.

two weeks in. Top ten separated by seconds perhaps but seriously who could care when no one is encouraged to actually race. GTs should be about EXPLOITS!!

and just look at that top ten. Third tier GT contenders (apart from Carapaz perhaps) and a bunch of septuagenarians.

designing a route that superficially keeps it close is absolutely pointless and just makes it unbelievably dull.

 

[SafeBet]

it’s unreal, frankly.

right now this is by far the very worst GT I have ever followed.

You must have stopped following cycling in the mid 2010s. Check the Tours in the Froome era.

 

[Devil's Elbow]

it’s unreal, frankly.

right now this is by far the very worst GT I have ever followed.

only the Girmay story was a bit of a saving grace.

two weeks in. Top ten separated by seconds perhaps but seriously who could care when no one is encouraged to actually race. GTs should be about EXPLOITS!!

and just look at that top ten. Third tier GT contenders (apart from Carapaz perhaps) and a bunch of septuagenarians.

designing a route that superficially keeps it close is absolutely pointless and just makes it unbelievably dull.

The Tour literally did this on various occasions in the 2010s, most notably in 2017. And those routes had little to compensate in the final 8 stages.

 

[roundabout]

I think the lack of ITT separation possibilities is the obvious issue.

I am guessing that it's rather unlikely for a GC contender to gain more than 1 minute in the last TT against any other GC rider.

 

[Netserk]

But even with a proper ITT already ridden, I don't think Blockhaus, Etna or Potenza would be ridden all that differently, even if I agree with the point especially so for this weekend.

 

[Big Doopie]

You must have stopped following cycling in the mid 2010s. Check the Tours in the Froome era.

actually 2013 was pretty great because there were his dominant performances (exploits!) and the belief for most of the tour that contador was a real rival. There were also the bad days twice on l’alpe during those years giving Quintana an opening. Quintana was forced to attack because he had lost time. Making it exciting.

the Tdf that I remember starting this trend was 2016(?) when they put the only major TT at the very end in order to keep it close. Uran second and Bardet third. Bunch of riders within a minute or so for most of this totally forgettable tour. Aru even took yellow. But the result was never in doubt and virtually no attacks that I can remember. That route design was the beginning of the end. Trying to give Froome competition they just made all the riding defensive.

 

[Big Doopie]

I think the lack of ITT separation possibilities is the obvious issue.

I am guessing that it's rather unlikely for a GC contender to gain more than 1 minute in the last TT against any other GC rider.

particularly since they all suck equally at it.

only almeida, tho he wasn’t too hot in the “prologue”.

 

[Big Doopie]

Daniel Friebe of cycling podcast just said that the GC race is completely divorced from most of the racing. He specifically said that NO ONE is desperate. That is exactly why u have to have more TT.

 

[Red Rick]

Daniel Friebe of cycling podcast just said that the GC race is completely divorced from most of the racing. He specifically said that NO ONE is desperate. That is exactly why u have to have more TT.

You're starting to sound like a broken record.

Amount of ITT probably contributes less than 10% of action to road stages, although more balanced routes are certainly nicer.

 

[Kaptain Kool]

I can't think of any GT with great stages in the first 2 weeks outside of of pave/gravel stages or stages effected by weather.
The main issue with this year's Giro has been stages 10 to 13. Stage 14 is good and Stage 15 OK enough.
IMHO the 2016 Giro was great with 4 stages where GC riders were all over the road. But it actually wasn't very interesting until Stage 14.

 

[Netserk]

I can't think of any GT with great stages in the first 2 weeks outside of of pave/gravel stages or stages effected by weather.
The main issue with this year's Giro has been stages 10 to 13. Stage 14 is good and Stage 15 OK enough.
IMHO the 2016 Giro was great with 4 stages where GC riders were all over the road. But it actually wasn't very interesting until Stage 14.

I take those 4 stages to be Corvara, Andalo, Risoul and Sant'Anna di Vinadio.

Where they all 4 really better than the stages to Cortals d'Encamp? Formigal? Stage 4 and 9 in the 2015 Giro? Grand Bornand last year? Lago Serru? Was Blockhaus in 2017 or Pierre Saint-Martin 2015 any worse than Andalo or Sant'Anna di Vinadio?