Giro 2014 Route Rumours

[Ferminal]

It'd be ok after two laps.

 

[Eshnar]

8(?) MTFs seems too many. 3 in the first 9 days is also unlike the Giri I remember.

2 ITT's look good.

Briancon via Sestriere is rather underwhelming. It must be circa 60km away from the top of Finestre

Agreed on everything. But if the Briancon stage is true at least we have the chance for early attacks I was asking for

tbh if this is the Giro 2014 I'm more than happy with it. Disappointed only by the half Nivolet.

Of the 8 MTFs, the least likely is Aprica (and Oropa, to a certain extent). The stage of the Mortirolo (if there is one) could end somewhere else (Ponte Di Legno?)

 

[Eshnar]

Two days ago a local newspaper stated that the next Giro will retry the Gavia - Stelvio combo. Mortirolo will be back in 2015.
I'm not sure they'll finish in Val Martello though.

 

[Bavarianrider]

A Giro with 4 TTes?

This board would go balistic

 

[Libertine Seguros]

A Giro with 4 TTes?

This board would go balistic

I seem to recall the 2010 Giro being very well received.

 

[Eshnar]

A Giro with 4 TTes?

This board would go balistic

If those two ITTs are confirmed, and so are the rumoured lengths, it would be the most TT heavy Giro of the last ten years. Hence I don't think they'll be both in.

 

[Eshnar]

Rumours from Tuttosport (generally reliable when it comes to Giro's routes)

Basically it confirms the first week as I anticipated, with Prati Di Tivo, Carpegna (still not sure if MTF) and Pian Del Falco (or even above, to Pian Cavallaro). On the second week, it mentions a stage finish in Tuscany, to Ponte A Ema, then confirms Savona, Barolo ITT and Nivolet (it actually mentions the top, not just to Ceresole Reale). No mentions of France whatsoever. For the third week, confirms Val Martello, Plan De Corones (MTT, they say), double Zonc and Trieste. No mentions of the Treviso ITT.

First post updated with the possible route.

 

[Eshnar]

There have been a lot of refutations in these last weeks. And basically no new rumours.

- A local newspaper claimed there won't be any stages in Abruzzo, ruling out both Guardiagrele and Prati di Tivo.
- Nivolet is out of the question, due to snow risks. There will be a (flat) stage finish in that area, in Rivarolo Canavese, and a stage start the next day, in Aglié.
- No news about France at all. Probably the idea has been dropped. I have no idea whatsoever about what are they gonna do on the second last weekend.
- The double Zoncolan project has been dismissed: there will be a MTF on either the Ovaro or the Priola side (likely the latter, which would be new), but not a previous pass. Apparently they just realised those 4 shared kms are a problem
The same article claims there will be a press conference on Sept.13th unveiling the Friulan stages (stage 20 and 21)

 

[Netserk]

There have been a lot of refutations in these last weeks. And basically no new rumours.

- A local newspaper claimed there won't be any stages in Abruzzo, ruling out both Guardiagrele and Prati di Tivo.
- Nivolet is out of the question, due to snow risks. There will be a (flat) stage finish in that area, in Rivarolo Canavese, and a stage start the next day, in Aglié.
- No news about France at all. Probably the idea has been dropped. I have no idea whatsoever about what are they gonna do on the second last weekend.
- The double Zoncolan project has been dismissed: there will be a MTF on either the Ovaro or the Priola side (likely the latter, which would be new), but not a previous pass. Apparently they just realised those 4 shared kms are a problem
The same article claims there will be a press conference on Sept.13th unveiling the Friulan stages (stage 20 and 21)

That makes me sad

 

[Eshnar]

That makes me sad

Me too.
Especially because now I had to put a big ??? black hole on my expected route in post #1
Also I really wonder what's the plan for stage 15.

 

[Netserk]

Tbh I'm glad that they won't do the double Zonc. Too much of a gimmick IMO.

I also think it's fine that they won't do Tivo, as I feel it belongs to T-A atm.

 

[Eshnar]

Tbh I'm glad that they won't do the double Zonc. Too much of a gimmick IMO.

I also think it's fine that they won't do Tivo, as I feel it belongs to T-A atm.

I hope we'll get a few hilly stages instead.

 

[Ferminal]

Chances of a hilly circuit in Trieste are...?

 

[Eshnar]

Chances of a hilly circuit in Trieste are...?

null It'll be a sprinterfest.

 

[Netserk]

Not even a final flat ITT?

 

[barmaher]

Any rumours on the Irish stages yet? I will be up in Belfast for that weekend, and down in Dublin for Stage 3.

I guess it will be flat TTT, hopefully a hilly ride around Belfast followed by a flattish run from Armagh to Dublin.

There have been rumours of visiting the Giant's Causeway from Belfast. That limits the hills they could visit.

 

[Eshnar]

Not even a final flat ITT?

no, the final stage will be a road stage and if Kronplatz is indeed a MTT there won't be other TTs. Only hope is that it may still be a MTF, that would give a chance to have the ITT in Treviso which was rumoured a while ago.

Any rumours on the Irish stages yet? I will be up in Belfast for that weekend, and down in Dublin for Stage 3.

I guess it will be flat TTT, hopefully a hilly ride around Belfast followed by a flattish run from Armagh to Dublin.

There have been rumours of visiting the Giant's Causeway from Belfast. That limits the hills they could visit.

The first stage in Belfast should be an individual prologue. The TTT will be held in Italy.

 

[barmaher]

OK thanks, I didn't realise that, Eshnar.

 

[Eshnar]

OK thanks, I didn't realise that, Eshnar.

no problems.
I don't know much else about the Irirsh stages anyway

 

[Eshnar]

However I'm really happy that in just a week they'll unveil the Zonc stage They'll probably throw a couple of new climbs in there.

 

[Netserk]

However I'm really happy that in just a week they'll unveil the Zonc stage They'll probably throw a couple of new climbs in there.

I'll give it a quick try with some new climbs: (I mapped it with the Sutrio side as that is easier)

 

[Ferminal]

Boo, I made an awesome one too.

I've sort of come to the realisation that the conventional wisdom is misguided. Hilly stages are usually in the first half of a GT as a way to ease into the heavy stuff in the final week. Yet because riders aren't interested in taking risks early on there is no incentive to race. Luckily in the Giro there is a chance of horrific weather and bad descending to make something happen (Abruzzo this year, Montalcino 2010), although you have to be careful otherwise it might get Fabianised. Without these random occurrences you get terrible stages like Firenze this year or the Rubiano breakaway last year. I guess the key if you're going to have one early is to have an interesting descent (Vuelta 2011, Hesjedal this year in the Giro) which can at least make it interesting if not genuinely selective.

Bottom line, put a hard hilly stage after all the mountains/time trials and you might see some caution-to-the-wind racing. The Giro is the only GT which can really do this.

 

[barmaher]

I wouldn't get too excited about the Irish stages.

They could do quite a bit in some hills south of Belfast (or south of Dublin).

But if they are going up to the Causeway, it is more or less 200km there and back, so not much scope to divert via hills. They could do a little, but not a lot.

Same story with the route from Armagh to Dublin.

 

[Eshnar]

this would be awesome indeed

 

[Afrank]

- The double Zoncolan project has been dismissed: there will be a MTF on either the Ovaro or the Priola side (likely the latter, which would be new), but not a previous pass. Apparently they just realised those 4 shared kms are a problem

Boo! I wanted to see a double Zoncolan! Hopefully they put a number of hard climbs before it.

If I was in charge of the route design, I would send them up Zoncolan 3 times! And if people complained I would just direct them to rule 5.