• The Cycling News forum is looking to add some volunteer moderators with Red Rick's recent retirement. If you're interested in helping keep our discussions on track, send a direct message to @SHaines here on the forum, or use the Contact Us form to message the Community Team.

    In the meanwhile, please use the Report option if you see a post that doesn't fit within the forum rules.

    Thanks!

Giro d'Italia 2023 Giro d'Italia, Stage 3: Vasto – Melfi 216 km (Monday, May 8th)

From @Eshnar's excellent 2023 Giro d'Italia: Stage-by-stage Analysis thread: https://forum.cyclingnews.com/threads/2023-giro-ditalia-stage-by-stage-analysis.38851/#post-2828614

Stage 3: Vasto – Melfi 216 km

Monday, May 8th, 11:45 – 17:10 CEST



iXFeexpjHHXQbBih5aRY_160423-035902.jpg


IuWmS92BGbFcdAGdB5WP_160423-035922.jpg




Technical Overview:

Stage 3 is a long and rather odd medium mountain stage. From Vasto, on the Adriatic coast, the peloton will ride along the sea for the first 50 km, before turning inland, always on flat and straight roads. In fact, for the first 173 km, the only thing of note will be the intermediate sprint of Foggia, at km 107. At 43 km to go, however, the riders will hit the first of two categorized climbs back to back: the first, Valico dei Laghi di Monticchio (GPM3, 6.3 km at 6.4%) is a pretty decent climb, with tough gradients all the way after a gentle start. At the top there is a very short descending false flat section that bring to the start of the second climb, the much shorter Valico La Croce (GPM4, 2.6 km at 7.6%). The top is at 26 km to go, all a long descending false flat on winding roads with very few properly descending sections, and a few ascending sections towards the end in Melfi.

mgEyP8MmYZ2LNx5L469K_160423-035908.jpg




The Climbs:

Valico dei Laghi di Monticchio
: GPM3, 6.3 km at 6.4%

The first serious climb of this Giro, it starts easy but then gets very hard in the middle, including a full km at 9.8% average. Official profile is below.

Valico La Croce: GPM4, 2.6 km at 7.6%

Short and regular at 7-8%. Combined with the previous climb, not bad at all.

toF36C3JVT9VnZLXhOFM_160423-035905.jpg




What to Expect:

A reduced bunch sprint probably, or a breakaway win if the peloton does not care. But with the pink jersey still within reach for many, I would expect them to care.

cWsoNCy.png


Melfi
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Most interesting thing of the race could be the sprint in Rapolla.
How in the world would it be more exciting than the reduced bunch sprint or the two climbs leading up to it?

This is exactly what I want from a 'flat' transition stage. You make it worth watching for the last at least and hour by throwing a couple of climbs in there, and now you don't really know whats going to happen apart from Mark Cavendish and Fabio Quaranta not winning.
 
How in the world would it be more exciting than the reduced bunch sprint or the two climbs leading up to it?

This is exactly what I want from a 'flat' transition stage. You make it worth watching for the last at least and hour by throwing a couple of climbs in there, and now you don't really know whats going to happen apart from Mark Cavendish and Fabio Quaranta not winning.
I know Fabio Quaranta isn‘t winning on any stage because who tf is Fabio Quaranta,
but Ivan Quaranta, or his son Samuele for that matter, aren‘t winning either. I definitely approve of this stage design as well.
 
Jayco will not control it as i have doubts whether Matthews will get over the last two climbs - If ridden hard not even Pedersen will make it over.
Normally Matthews climbs very well (for a sprinter), I think he even won in Mende… But Matthews doesn‘t have his peak climbing shape yet, that was visible in Frankfurt, so I agree… Should be interesting if he survives the climbs tomorrow. :)
 
  • Like
Reactions: Sandisfan and yaco

TRENDING THREADS