Giro d'Italia 2023 Giro d'Italia, Stage 7: Capua - Gran Sasso d'Italia (Campo Imperatore), 218 km (Friday, May 12)

[Lequack]

Copying the info from the very extensive 2023 Giro d'Italia: Stage-by-Stage Analysis by @Eshnar

Giro d'Italia - 2023 Giro d'Italia: Stage-by-Stage Analysis

The Giro is back! And with it, my traditional route analysis. The 2023 Giro is definitely a step in the right direction compared to the last two years: finally a good amount of flat ITT before the mountains, lots of road stages with a solid length, and three proper mountain stages, as well as a...

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Stage 7: Capua – Gran Sasso d’Italia 218 km

Friday, May 12th, 11:15 – 17:10 CEST

Technical Overview:

The first mountain top finish of the race starts in Capua and heads north-west all day in the heart of the Appennines. Despite this headline, however, the route is pretty straightforward: the peloton will ride on flat roads most of the time, with the first climb of the day coming only at km 67, the uncategorized partial climb to Rionero Sannitico (14.6 km at 4.5%). After a very brief descent, the riders will find the intermediate sprint of Castel di Sangro and the climb to Roccaraso (GPM2, 6.9 km at 6.5%). From here, a false flat and then a gentle descent will slowly lead to the foot of the highest mountain of the Appennines, coming just after the second intermediate sprint of Bussi sul Tirino. For the last 46 km the road will be almost always pointing upwards. At first it will be the climb to Calascio (GPM1, 13.5 km at 6%), with its long and regular slopes, topping at 32 km to go. After that, the road will keep climbing towards the Gran Sasso d’Italia (GPM1, 26.4 km at 3.4%) in a much more irregular manner, on a road that is high, exposed, and often very windy. Only the last 4.5 km have steep gradients, and they will most likely decide the winner.

The Climbs:

Roccaraso: GPM2, 6.9 km at 6.5%

A pretty tough climb whose average gradient is brought down by its last 2 km. Profile by Cyclingcols.com

Calascio: GPM2, 13.5 km at 6%

Long and very regular, always at 5-7%. Ridden last time in 2018, again to finish on Gran Sasso.

Gran Sasso d’Italia: GPM1, 26.4 km at 3.4%

Very irregular, the only tough part is at the end, with 4.5 km at 8.2%. The false flat sections are also very exposed, so wind might discourage action until the final ramp.

What to Expect:

A selected GC group sprinting for the win and for bonus seconds. Perhaps a few gaps if someone really goes for it, but nothing too significant.

Marco Pantani attacking on Gran Sasso, Giro 1999

 

[Lequack]

In the interview with the French, Evenepoel is outpolic about his competitors at Jumbo-Visma and especially Primoz Roglic. “I think Roglic is nervous. He knows he’s 44 seconds behind,” the world champion said. “They’re also nervous in the peloton. They push a lot, that is the style of Jumbo.
“We will see tomorrow if he will try to get closer, after the time trial and the stage of the day before. I think I’m the strongest right now,” thought Evenepoel. “For us, this is the ideal scenario. I was behind in Catalonia, now it is the other way around. We have no stress, for Jumbo-Visma it is different.”

Giro d’Italia | Remco Evenepoel na etappe 6 - “Heb de indruk dat Roglic nerveus is” - Eurosport

Na de helse dag met twee valpartijen kwam Remco Evenepoel etappe 6 door zonder problemen. Bij de Franse show ‘Rois de la Pédale’ keek de Belg vast naar morgen.

www.eurosport.nl

 

[CyclistAbi]

Woohoo!

 

[Rackham]

In the interview with the French, Evenepoel is outpolic about his competitors at Jumbo-Visma and especially Primoz Roglic. “I think Roglic is nervous. He knows he’s 44 seconds behind,” the world champion said. “They’re also nervous in the peloton. They push a lot, that is the style of Jumbo.
“We will see tomorrow if he will try to get closer, after the time trial and the stage of the day before. I think I’m the strongest right now,” thought Evenepoel. “For us, this is the ideal scenario. I was behind in Catalonia, now it is the other way around. We have no stress, for Jumbo-Visma it is different.”

Giro d’Italia | Remco Evenepoel na etappe 6 - “Heb de indruk dat Roglic nerveus is” - Eurosport

Na de helse dag met twee valpartijen kwam Remco Evenepoel etappe 6 door zonder problemen. Bij de Franse show ‘Rois de la Pédale’ keek de Belg vast naar morgen.

www.eurosport.nl

Evenepoel is obsessed with Rogla.

He spent last month in Tenerife sharing a hotel (& bar) with Rog, now he's with him in Italy riding around in the sun & rain.

I feel a real bromance is brewing here.

 

[Krzysztof_O]

@Lequack the wind won't be a factor as it will be weak (and rather cross- than head-). This uphill drag at the end is monstrous. Obviously it's not steep enough for most part but if one or two teams decide to set a strong tempo from Calascio then there could be moderate gaps on the last steep section (due to fatigue) when somebody attacks hard. JV and maybe another strong team will try something tomorrow (considering that there will be no mountain stage for the next few days).

 

[Berniece]

I don’t expect much until those last 4.5km. Due to that flat section there aren’t many riders that dare to go before that section. So there won’t be big differences.

 

[Red Rick]

Uphill sprint I reckon

 

[Lequack]

Cany anyone beat the uphill sprint specialist, Remco?

 

[topcat]

Remco will win the stage and people will say that’s unsportsmanlike

 

[Gargamel35]

In the interview with the French, Evenepoel is outpolic about his competitors at Jumbo-Visma and especially Primoz Roglic. “I think Roglic is nervous. He knows he’s 44 seconds behind,” the world champion said. “They’re also nervous in the peloton. They push a lot, that is the style of Jumbo.
“We will see tomorrow if he will try to get closer, after the time trial and the stage of the day before. I think I’m the strongest right now,” thought Evenepoel. “For us, this is the ideal scenario. I was behind in Catalonia, now it is the other way around. We have no stress, for Jumbo-Visma it is different.”

Giro d’Italia | Remco Evenepoel na etappe 6 - “Heb de indruk dat Roglic nerveus is” - Eurosport

Na de helse dag met twee valpartijen kwam Remco Evenepoel etappe 6 door zonder problemen. Bij de Franse show ‘Rois de la Pédale’ keek de Belg vast naar morgen.

www.eurosport.nl

Maybe he should think more about himself riding straight then acusing others of being nervous. Many others talk mostly about themselfs. He talks about others all the time.

 

[SHAD0W93]

Evenepoel and Roglic to finish together, Almeida to win the stage and gain 20 seconds.

 

[Bonimenier]

Leknessund and Paret-Peintre should try to get in the break again.

 

[Bolder]

Maybe he should think more about himself riding straight then acusing others of being nervous. Many others talk mostly about themselfs. He talks about others all the time.

I think he’s right, actually. All he has to do is follow wheels; if he loses 10-20 seconds,no worries. Any serious contender who can take more time than that on him tomorrow is going to regret going so deep, if he’s in the shape he seems to be in…I’m most interested in how Ineos play this; I don’t think Roglic has the team to take the fight to him this week.

 

[Jagartrott]

Many others talk mostly about themselfs. He talks about others all the time.

It's compensated by all the Evenepoel talk here though, so, no need to talk about himself anymore.

Stage: The main contenders will only move in the last 2 km I think. Ineos train in full swing, until Thomas cracks.

 

[Tricycle Rider]

Magnus will not win this race! (Trying some reverse psychology here, predicting he will win or at least do well has not had favorable results so far.)

 

[Cookster15]

This stage is very long as well as finishing at well over 2,000 metres. It will be a big test of the GC favorites.

If I was Roglič , I'd just keep to Remco's wheel and try to counter punch if he attacks. This early in the Giro Remco isn't going to drop Roglič off his wheel even on a steep climb. Anyhow, Remco will have his eyes on Sunday.

 

[Gigs_98]

In theory this stage (or rather this finish) should suit Roglic better than any other this Giro. But then Remco looked so good in the TT I think he's the favorite anyway.

I'm looking forward to the first mountain test but tbh I'm not expecting much action for this stage.

 

[Andy schleck]

Another boring and bad designed stage. If something happens it will be in last 2 or 3 kms.

 

[peterfin]

This stage is very long as well as finishing at well over 2,000 metres. It will be a big test of the GC favorites.

If I was Roglič , I'd just keep to Remco's wheel and try to counter punch if he attacks. This early in the Giro Remco isn't going to drop Roglič off his wheel even on a steep climb. Anyhow, Remco will have his eyes on Sunday.

Remco will probably keep Roglic's wheel. He has no reason to attack. Maybe they go in circles if both are trying to sit in the wheel of the other 😉

 

[Cookster15]

Remco will probably keep Roglic's wheel. He has no reason to attack. Maybe they go in circles if both are trying to sit in the wheel of the other 😉

Its a three week race and fatigue accumulates.

 

[Lequack]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1656745865703219201

View: https://twitter.com/AlternativaCol/status/1656745865703219201?s=20

 

[Jagartrott]

I'm guessing the bad weather and nervousness of the first days will leave some marks, at least on some riders. I'm quite curious how QS will be - if Evenepoel gets isolated quickly, then something may happen sooner, but with these gradients, I do not expect that to happen (unless in the final few km).

 

[Berniece]

Its a three week race and fatigue accumulates.

Sure, but why would Remco attack if Roglic only follows? He's in the lead... Roglic needs to drop Remco.

 

[VayaVayaVaya]

Sure, but why would Remco attack if Roglic only follows? He's in the lead... Roglic needs to drop Remco.

Can you explain this to the Remco fans that criticized Roglic in Catalonia for not attacking while in the lead?

 

[Berniece]

Can you explain this to the Remco fans that criticized Roglic in Catalonia for not attacking while in the lead?

There's a difference between sitting in the wheel and not doing any work, and rotating with someone. We'll see if Remco will just suck wheel the whole stage. He said that he won't attack himself, and his focus is on the TT of Sunday. So I guess he'll just follow, and maybe try to win the sprint if there are bonus seconds to gain?