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

[Lequack]

Oh no. Giulio Ciccone out of Giro d'Italia due to COVID-19 infection

Giulio Ciccone out of Giro d'Italia due to COVID-19 infection

'Giving up the Giro breaks my heart' Italian says after falling ill on Monday

www.cyclingnews.com

 

[Valv.Piti]

Great stuff!

The one thing I dont really like about this route is the many rather hard stages that just get completely flat towards the end. Those kinda stages can deliver, but they can also be super boring to watch..

 

[Devil's Elbow]

Great stuff!

The one thing I dont really like about this route is the many rather hard stages that just get completely flat towards the end. Those kinda stages can deliver, but they can also be super boring to watch..

Are we looking at the same route? There's a whole bunch of MTFs, then stage 4 has the final categorised climb at 3k to go and stage 8 at 6k to go. That only leaves stage 15, and that still has Colle Aperto inside the final 5 kilometres so at least isn't completely flat towards the end. Nothing else qualifies as a hard stage.

 

[Valv.Piti]

Stage 5, 6, 10 and 14. Those are the stages Im referring to

 

[Sciatic]

“Just like the breed of dogs that was born right there, at the hospice at the top of the pass that today marks the border between Italy and Switzerland, this climb is somewhat of a gentle giant, extremely long and with decent ramps but without anything too steep.”

Lovely writing! Thanks for another great Giro route review!

 

[Gratemans]

I agree that last ITT (while undoubtedly spectacular) is dumb and has the potential to paralyse the GC contenders during the many hard stages before it.
Aside from that I see a lot of very interesting profiles though. If I disregard that ITT this is potentially one of the best course designs I've seen the past couple of years.

And thanks for this thorough preview!

 

[Lequack]

Oh no. Giulio Ciccone out of Giro d'Italia due to COVID-19 infection

Giulio Ciccone out of Giro d'Italia due to COVID-19 infection

'Giving up the Giro breaks my heart' Italian says after falling ill on Monday

www.cyclingnews.com

I wonder if it would be prudent to start, since he says he only has mild symptoms and it's still a week to the start. I mean worse case scenario he doesn't show up, but it seems like an overreaction to cancel 1 week before with your biggest GC contender. Maybe the team is worried about him infecting teammates or something, but still seems premature to me.

 

[Devil's Elbow]

Stage 5, 6, 10 and 14. Those are the stages Im referring to

For starters, none of those stages would be GC days if raced in the opposite direction, and probably not if they finished right after the descent of the final climb either (even stage 14, the last time they had a Sempione descent finish - in 2006 - it did literally nothing). Moreover, if all four of those stages had a major climb towards the end in addition to the climbing that's already there, this Giro would probably be harder than 2011, it just isn't realistic. I'd much rather have these stages than handing the sprinters easy opportunities over and over, or having a bunch of extremely obvious breakaway days that are too hard for the ciclamino contenders and too easy for the GC guys.

As it is, we are relying on Jayco - if they try to control these stages (which they need to if Matthews is going for ciclamino), we're going to have a lot of furious chases to try and catch the breakaway akin to stage 19 of the 2021 Vuelta, as well as a lot of sprinter-dropping action like what Bora tried over and over in the 2020 Tour. Both of those were pretty entertaining scenarios, especially for being non-GC days. Moreover, it would also mean we are going to have barely any easy days. The last time a Giro was raced like that was in 2018, and so many GC riders being on their knees in the third week as a result played a big role in that Giro being elevated into the top tier of modern GTs. So I actually think we could be far better off with stages 5, 6, 10 and 14 as they are rather than scrapping the flat after the final descent, which would just turn them into generic breakaway days - and if Jayco aren't interested and they turn out as generic breakaway days anyway, what exactly have we lost with the flats towards the end?

 

[Mayomaniac]

Like always this thread is one of the highlights of the season, thanks @Eshnar
About stage 18. That short descent from Venas right into the steep ramp at the start of Forcella Cibiana is steep and a bit technical, you better don't get caught behind. On a similar note the road on the Cibiana descent also gets clearly more narrow than the one on the ascent from Cibiana, it's a tricky one that can do damage to a bad descender or if you just get caught behind at the start of the descent.

 

[Devil's Elbow]

Like always this thread is one of the highlights of the season, thanks @Eshnar
About stage 18. That short descent from Venas right into the steep ramp at the start of Forcella Cibiana is steep and a bit technical, you better don't get caught behind. On a similar note the road on the Cibiana descent also gets clearly more narrow than the one on the ascent from Cibiana, it's a tricky one that can do damage to a bad descender or if you just get caught behind at the start of the descent.

The entry into Cibiana actually reminds me a lot of the entry into Hazallanas. Could be a great spot for an ambush.

 

[Mayomaniac]

The entry into Cibiana actually reminds me a lot of the entry into Hazallanas. Could be a great spot for an ambush.

I don't think it will be a huge longe rang attack, but I can see a team drilling it, just to see if any of the big names get caught behind and have to waste a decent amount of energy to catch up.

 

[Tricycle Rider]

Positano, Costiera Amalfitana

I've seen and been wanting to get a jigsaw puzzle with this scene, unfortunately the puzzle usually comes in 1000+ pieces, which I'm too lazy for. (500 pieces is ideal, 750 is pushing it.)

Okay, back to the Giro now - thank you for doing these stage-by-stage write-ups, Eshnar!

 

[Mayomaniac]

I wonder if it would be prudent to start, since he says he only has mild symptoms and it's still a week to the start. I mean worse case scenario he doesn't show up, but it seems like an overreaction to cancel 1 week before with your biggest GC contender. Maybe the team is worried about him infecting teammates or something, but still seems premature to me.

He already rushed back from sickness for the Giro last year and despite his stage win he was below his best. So far he has been at his highest level ever this year, going toe to toe with Remco and Roglic on MTFs and even winning one. They probably don't want to rush him back to ruin his for and rather have him stagehunt at the Tour and ride the Vuelta for the gc (the Vuelta being his gc goal was the initial plan anyway). Not to mention that this is the 3rd time that he tested positive for Covid and the last 2 times it took a decent amount of time for him to recover, so the team is probably taking a more conservative approach. Segafredo is probably not too pleased, but what can you do.

 

[houtdffan]

I don't see stage 19 as the queen stage

It's stage 13. If we have big long range moves, it's likely to be there. Could easily see one of the second tier GC riders losing 10 minutes that day if it is raced hard

 

[YavorD]

Giro mood 100% on. Thanks for the great preview.



@Eshnar, do I have your permission to use your analysis (translated) to hype the Giro fans ina a FB group? As simply your work is outstanding and no one can make it better.

 

[Eshnar]

Giro mood 100% on. Thanks for the great preview.



@Eshnar, do I have your permission to use your analysis (translated) to hype the Giro fans ina a FB group? As simply your work is outstanding and no one can make it better.

Sure!

 

[yaco]

You are promising a false dawn if you think Jayco are going to ride for Matthews to win the Cyclammino jersey - I am still unsure of his shape, although we will find out more tomorrow in the Frankfurt race.

 

[Armchair Cyclist]

I've seen and been wanting to get a jigsaw puzzle with this scene, unfortunately the puzzle usually comes in 1000+ pieces, which I'm too lazy for. (500 pieces is ideal, 750 is pushing it.)

Okay, back to the Giro now - thank you for doing these stage-by-stage write-ups, Eshnar!

I recently downloaded a jigsaw puzzle app on my phone (I don't think I have ever done a physical one as an abult), and ever since every vaguely scenic photo I see I grade by how good or tricky a puzzle it would make.

 

[Red Rick]

Don't wanna brag, but I still like to believe I memed Croix de Coeur into happening.

Fantastic thread as always, @Eshnar, thanks for the great read.

 

[nightowl]

Can’t believe the Giro is here already! Here’s hoping it delivers us an epic GC showdown

Also, is it too late to ask for them to swap the Lussari and Zoldo Alto stages? That would make week 3 so much better

 

[Peyroteo94]

Congrats @Eshnar for the best thread of the year. Giro is my favourite race and can't wait to see young Remco in pink. Truly the most beautiful race in the world.

 

[Valv.Piti]

For starters, none of those stages would be GC days if raced in the opposite direction, and probably not if they finished right after the descent of the final climb either (even stage 14, the last time they had a Sempione descent finish - in 2006 - it did literally nothing). Moreover, if all four of those stages had a major climb towards the end in addition to the climbing that's already there, this Giro would probably be harder than 2011, it just isn't realistic. I'd much rather have these stages than handing the sprinters easy opportunities over and over, or having a bunch of extremely obvious breakaway days that are too hard for the ciclamino contenders and too easy for the GC guys.

As it is, we are relying on Jayco - if they try to control these stages (which they need to if Matthews is going for ciclamino), we're going to have a lot of furious chases to try and catch the breakaway akin to stage 19 of the 2021 Vuelta, as well as a lot of sprinter-dropping action like what Bora tried over and over in the 2020 Tour. Both of those were pretty entertaining scenarios, especially for being non-GC days. Moreover, it would also mean we are going to have barely any easy days. The last time a Giro was raced like that was in 2018, and so many GC riders being on their knees in the third week as a result played a big role in that Giro being elevated into the top tier of modern GTs. So I actually think we could be far better off with stages 5, 6, 10 and 14 as they are rather than scrapping the flat after the final descent, which would just turn them into generic breakaway days - and if Jayco aren't interested and they turn out as generic breakaway days anyway, what exactly have we lost with the flats towards the end?

My brother, I don't really know what your problem is. I don't want these stages to be GC days, I would just prefer that when I tune in, there's not just 80 or 50 km or whatever of flat left on every stage. Usually, there's no room for any more spreading of the riders at that point and the race is many times quite stale at that point.

Fine if you disagree, but thats what I prefer and thats that.

 

[BigCoward]

Ha. I was literally just coming on here to say if this thread didn't drop soon I was going to smash the place up.

 

[topcat]

Thanks @Eshnar for your wonderful encyclopaedia of the giro route and thanks for reminding me of Nibali’s epic win on Tre Cime in 2013.
Reading this allows the imagination to take flight. I hope for uncontrolled racing, complete chaos and riders all over the road and I hope Caruso is in top form.

 

[Volderke]

Grazie Eshnar!

You are my main source to decide what stages I will pick and it seems I just filled up my calendar in May!