Giro 2017, stage 17: Tirano - Canazei 219 km

[dick the quick]

Breakaway time!

STAGE 17: Tirano – Canazei 219 km

START TIME: 11.15 CEST

Technical Overview:
Long transitional stage in the middle of the Alps. From the town of Tirano, the riders will have to climb immediately the hardest climb of the day, the west side of Aprica (GPM2, 12.3 km at 6.3%), a pretty serious climb that will define the breakaway of the day. Following said climb the peloton will descend (very easily, through the usual side of Aprica) to Edolo, where they will begin a long drag that will lead them to Ponte di Legno, the start of Passo del Tonale (GPM2, 11 km at 5.7%), from the same side of the final MTF of the 2010 edition. The descent is again very fast and straightforward, and it is followed by a long stroll in the Val di Non, more than 50 km of descending false flat. The final climb of the day starts with 88 km to go. Giovo (GPM3, 5.9 km at 6.8%) will bring the peloton into the Val di Fassa. Here, they'll face a 70+ km ascending false flat, with very few easy ramps, all the way to the top of the valley, the town of Canazei, that hosts the finishing line.

The Climbs:
Aprica GPM2
From this side its very consistent and regular.

Passo del Tonale GPM2
This is the easier side of the Tonale, with pretty much the same gradient as the other, but shorter.

Giovo GPM3
Short with a pretty steep first ramp.

What to expect:
This is the typical kind of stage that ends with the breakaway winning and the peloton holding hands 20 minutes later. Especially considering the rest of the week. Anything happening gc-wise would be exceptional.

 

[GraftPunk]

I doubt breakaway, the main players will probably ride it harder than even today. Time gaps have dropped and everyone seems to be twitchy and intent on forcing a race of attrition on TD and Sunweb.

 

[Netserk]

Breakaway stage and gc restday.

 

[RattaKuningas]

I don't know who to pick. Bob Jungels maybe.

 

[May0maniac]

They should ride hard for the first 60km to make it really hard for Dumoulin, don't let him recover after such a hard effort.

 

[DFA123]

Re:

I doubt breakaway, the main players will probably ride it harder than even today. Time gaps have dropped and everyone seems to be twitchy and intent on forcing a race of attrition on TD and Sunweb.

I think it's hard enough that even 'soft pedalling' it's going to grind down Dumoulin and Sunweb, ready to finish them off on stage 18. I make it about 3800m of climbing in that 220km. That alone is going to be another six hours in the saddle.

 

[Gigs_98]

I find it a bit lame to use the Fedaia in a stage before a series of mountain stages and I also have to say that I think there are way more interesting options to finish a Fedaia stage than a simple downhill finish. Wait...they finish a stage in Canazei but don't use Fedaia? Well thank there is at least another dolomites stage one day later where they can do so...

 

[Son of Amsterhammer]

Not sure what to expect. Gut feeling is that the GC teams will want a break.

 

[barmaher]

I don't have a clue who is going to win this race. I really doubt that it will be raced hard, but who knows?

 

[SafeBet]

If I'm Movistar I go full gas the first couple of climbs just to test Dumoulin recovery.

 

[Red Rick]

So how hard is the descent of the Tonale? seems like a place to try and create something out of nothing

 

[RattaKuningas]

Re:

If I'm Movistar I go full gas the first couple of climbs just to test Dumoulin recovery.

That's what I am thinking as well. Just make the first part of the race as difficult as possible and then back off and let other teams do their thing.

 

[DFA123]

Re: Re:

If I'm Movistar I go full gas the first couple of climbs just to test Dumoulin recovery.

That's what I am thinking as well. Just make the first part of the race as difficult as possible and then back off and let other teams do their thing.

Or get Amador in the break again, so that Sunweb have to control the gap all day.

 

[Baldinger]

Re: Re:

If I'm Movistar I go full gas the first couple of climbs just to test Dumoulin recovery.

That's what I am thinking as well. Just make the first part of the race as difficult as possible and then back off and let other teams do their thing.

Or get Amador in the break again, so that Sunweb have to control the gap all day.

I'm not so sure Dumoulin needs any recovery. When he had to stop for a dump last year in the Tour, he came back and won the following stage. He'll be fine.

 

[Lexman]

false flat just the right terrain to make someone suffer real hard and let him break maybe more psychologically/mentally than fysical...

 

[dick the quick]

A model 15-20 men breakaway for this stage should include:

- Wilier: Pippo Pozzato. If not him, then Koshevoy;
- random 2 Bardiani riders;
- random 1 Gazprom guy;
- CCC: Ponzi or Paterski or Schlegel;
- BMC: TJvG (because why not?)
- Lotto-Soudal: Marczynski;
- Dimension Data: Omar Fraile (KoM), obviously;
- Sky: Puccio (lightweight option) or Rosa (middleweight option). Landa could also go for KoM points if he cares about blue jersey;
- Cannondale: Rolland (or Woods, maybe);
- UAE: Rui Costa, or Polanc (KoM), or Petilli;
- a Bora rider, just to remind that they are still in the race. Konrad or Muehlberger, most likely;

Plus one or two fast-finishing guys who feel able to go through the climbs at the beginning of the stage. Mezgec, Rojas or someone like these two.

 

[hfer07]

breakaway to make it OR sprint among the top 5. Pinot may try something

 

[Dukerojo]

Dumoulin morale is down, Nairo and Nibali should make him work a lot on the next stage to frustrate him and break him

 

[Zinoviev Letter]

Sam Bennett's race diary is consistently pretty funny. The latest instalment has theBora team staying in a hotel that appears to double as a brothel or some kind of swingers club http://www.independent.ie/sport/other-sports/cycling/all-the-guys-could-hear-me-cursing-from-the-next-room-35744426.html

 

[carton]

Re: Re:

Or get Amador in the break again, so that Sunweb have to control the gap all day.

That might work. Bu if I was Movistar's DS I'd be calling LottoNL. "Look guys, I swear, we'll pull him to the line. We can do it this time."

 

[Netserk]

Re: Re:

If I'm Movistar I go full gas the first couple of climbs just to test Dumoulin recovery.

That's what I am thinking as well. Just make the first part of the race as difficult as possible and then back off and let other teams do their thing.

Or get Amador in the break again, so that Sunweb have to control the gap all day.

Why would they have to do that? He is 11½ minutes down and other teams will chase him as well. He is no longer a threat.

 

[Laplaz]

Movistar should go brutal on the first two climbs and see what happens. If its all together, it was still worth to try, because every day now can be the right one to crack Dumoulin. But honestly i think the break will take it and the GC guys take a rest day.

 

[Escarabajo]

50 riders to go in the breakaway!!

 

[alexix7]

Sbaragli for sure !

 

[Orbit501]

Re: Re:

If I'm Movistar I go full gas the first couple of climbs just to test Dumoulin recovery.

That's what I am thinking as well. Just make the first part of the race as difficult as possible and then back off and let other teams do their thing.

Or get Amador in the break again, so that Sunweb have to control the gap all day.

Why would they have to do that? He is 11½ minutes down and other teams will chase him as well. He is no longer a threat.

Exactly. Hasn't that particular Amador card been played already, and it lost.