Giro 2012 in Denmark?

[Eshnar]

How a small, Danish, boring town can beat bids by Monaco and Washington DC is difficult to understand though.

Don't know about Monaco, but the start in Washington DC is officially "delayed", in order to solve "logistic problems".

 

[roundabout]

unfortunately the North American Plate is moving away from the Eurasian Plate so the start in Washington might be delayed indefinitely

 

[Hugo Koblet]

HIlls? In Denmark?

Susan

Denmark is a very mountainous country!

One of the largest "mountains" is actually called Himmelbjerget (The Heaven Mountain). It's no less that 147 meters!

 

[mortand]

Yeah, and we've got none less than the "Alpes of Zealand", too. I'm sure that the Ledreborg Alle (West) climb at a whopping 62 meters would create havoc! Unfortunately the peloton won't quite be in that area. What a shame.

 

[Cimber]

Yeah, and we've got none less than the "Alpes of Zealand", too. I'm sure that the Ledreborg Alle (West) climb at a whopping 62 meters would create havoc! Unfortunately the peloton won't quite be in that area. What a shame.

The climbs in Vejle are only about 50m high but hight is not equal to length and they might be very steep.

Fx the climb at Kiddesvej in Vejle is very decisive for the outcome of Tour of Denmark each year and its only 50m high, 500 long, 11,1% on average but peaks at 21%. That one always rip the peloton apart. they can make it rather interesting if they place some of those steep climbs close to the finish line.

 

[Christian]

Zomegnan kissing some major Riis *** with this decision. Probably returning the favour for Bertie's participation this year

 

[Jamsque]

Zomegnan kissing some major Riis *** with this decision. Probably returning the favour for Bertie's participation this year

I doubt that very much, Zomegnan has basically come out and said that he'd rather not have Contador ride the Giro while still under investigation but his hands are tied because he signed a deal last year.

 

[Eshnar]

Zomegnan kissing some major Riis *** with this decision. Probably returning the favour for Bertie's participation this year

I'm pretty sure Zomegnan actually hates Riis (and vice-versa) so I don't think so.

 

[El Pistolero]

I doubt that very much, Zomegnan has basically come out and said that he'd rather not have Contador ride the Giro while still under investigation but his hands are tied because he signed a deal last year.

I bet he's just saying that for PR, but is very happy Contador is still there.

 

[ergmonkey]

Rain + Wind + narrow roads + start of Grand Tour = lots of crashes.

I hope these stages are exciting without eliminating any big names early via crashes.

 

[RedheadDane]

Well... as a Dane I think it's cool!

But, it could have been in Århus!

Me no like my local politicans!

 

[ulrikmm]

Some pictures from Kiddesvej in Vejle:

 

[Libertine Seguros]

Well, it's not Montelupone, Mammolshain, Huy, Valdepenas de Jaén or Aia... but I can see some time gaps being opened up on that beauty. A finish for the climbers in Denmark - who'd have imagined that?

 

[craig1985]

It would seem a waste of time going to Denmark and not putting the run into Vejle as a stage finish with the Kiddesvej as the tough uphill finish. I must admit, I've never been there, but couldn't they start in Herning, have a route where they ride out (maybe 80-100km), before having several laps of a circuit in Vejle, and each time they go over the Kiddesvej, and they then finish the stage on the Kiddesvej?

 

[luckyboy]

Can't imagine the Giro not using that if it's there

 

[Kazistuta]

No doubt it would be in the spirit of Il Giro to put Kiddesvej in... don't they have a small, steep, road in Horsens as well??

 

[mortand]

They have Purhøj, but that's probably too much even for the Giro organisers. Besides, it's not exactly in Horsens, but rather 7-8 kilometers away.

It's an interesting area for a bike race, though. Shortly after the top of the Purhøj climb there's a stretch of gravel road, some twisty, narrow farm roads and the highway leading to Horsens is fairly open, which would make the wind an important factor.

I don't really know this area myself - thank God for Google Maps - but 10 laps taking in the hilly terrain in and around Vejle (Munkebjerg, Grejsdalen) with the start and finish in Horsens would probably make for some quite demanding racing. I'm thinking an Amstel Gold Race'ish stage - 200 kilometers of short, steep hills with some wind and gravel roads thrown in to make the riders even more happy

 

[Eshnar]

Gazzetta today wrote that the stage in Horsens will finish with 2 kms at 5% and a 600m descent. Maybe with this info you could identify the climb they meant.
Plus it wrote that the 2013 Giro will start somewhere in Italy and for 2014 there are bids from London, Bratislava and Florence.