Giro del Lazio returns

[Cult Classics]

According to the cyclingnews article, the Giro del Lazio may be returning as an early March race. It looks as though RCS has it down for the Saturday after Omloop, with the Strade Bianche being moved to the Sunday.

Nice to see Lazio return, and I'm a particular fan of the Rome region - I like the sound of going over the Appia Antica cobbles. Those things are so big they make Roubaix cobbles look like little stones.

That said, is moving Strade Bianche to the Sunday a good thing? I'm not sure. I love that race and it's just started getting TV coverage. It will now be going head to head with Paris-Nice. Given the choice between Strade Bianche and Paris-Nice opening stage, I'd pick Strade Bianche every time, and I won't be alone on this forum on that one - but will the TV companies see it that way? Somehow I doubt it. Strade Bianche won't miss out on riders because of this but we as fans might be the losers.

 

[gerundium]

According to the cyclingnews article, the Giro del Lazio may be returning as an early March race. It looks as though RCS has it down for the Saturday after Omloop, with the Strade Bianche being moved to the Sunday.

Nice to see Lazio return, and I'm a particular fan of the Rome region - I like the sound of going over the Appia Antica cobbles. Those things are so big they make Roubaix cobbles look like little stones.

That said, is moving Strade Bianche to the Sunday a good thing? I'm not sure. I love that race and it's just started getting TV coverage. It will now be going head to head with Paris-Nice. Given the choice between Strade Bianche and Paris-Nice opening stage, I'd pick Strade Bianche every time, and I won't be alone on this forum on that one - but will the TV companies see it that way? Somehow I doubt it. Strade Bianche won't miss out on riders because of this but we as fans might be the losers.

if that is an actual pic of the road they are talking about it would be ridiculous. those are carriage tracks you see worn out in the stones, it would be an absolute deathtrap with all the crashes.

 

[Cult Classics]

if that is an actual pic of the road they are talking about it would be ridiculous. those are carriage tracks you see worn out in the stones, it would be an absolute deathtrap with all the crashes.

That is the same road (it's a long road, an old Roman road), but I don't know how much of the road they would ride or whether that specific bit above. The photo's just one I found on a well-known encyclopaedic website.

 

[El Pistolero]

I think most of the road has those carriage tracks though. Fascinating to see. Beautiful road. You'd probably need Roubaix bikes to ride this race if true. Or at least for that part of the race.

 

[pastronef]

actually the race parcours DID use parts of this Appia road, with those huge stones, but I can't find any pictures (I think they used it until 93 or 95)

 

[Cult Classics]

I walked along a few kilometres of that road and it was painful enough, never mind doing it on a bike!

Is nobody else down about Strade Bianche moving to Sunday (and so probably not getting on TV outside Italy as broadcasters choose Paris-Nice)?

 

[Dazed and Confused]

I walked along a few kilometres of that road and it was painful enough, never mind doing it on a bike!

Is nobody else down about Strade Bianche moving to Sunday (and so probably not getting on TV outside Italy as broadcasters choose Paris-Nice)?

SB conflicting with P-N is a problem. The race has real potential way beyond Italy and could generate excitement to fans outside the niche online stream hunters.

Cycling needs to get the stuff that really works in focus.

 

[Cult Classics]

SB conflicting with P-N is a problem. The race has real potential way beyond Italy and could generate excitement to fans outside the niche online stream hunters.

Cycling needs to get the stuff that really works in focus.

Agree. Meanwhile expect 2 hours of coverage on flat stages of the Tour of Poland.

 

[Gloin22]

Agree. Meanwhile expect 2 hours of coverage on flat stages of the Tour of Poland.

Well TdP in 2012 was possibly most exciting stage race along TdS and Tirreno. So if you didn't watch it, don't post bull**** statements.

On other hand, would be great to see this race on.

 

[Eshnar]

if that is an actual pic of the road they are talking about it would be ridiculous. those are carriage tracks you see worn out in the stones, it would be an absolute deathtrap with all the crashes.

There are a few sections of the road that look like that, but most of it is in nice little cobbles very similar to the PR ones (but probably in better conditions). They could very well take other roads to avoid those bad sectors. Or just leave them as they are and have fun
Depending how they'll design this it could be VERY challenging. The cobbles sector would be various kms long, and the Via Appia ends in Rome itself, so the finishing line wouldn't be far. I'd say 5 kms at most. I'm bumping this thread because I think this will be the race to be held on the Friday before MSR, as RCS hinted.

 

[Eshnar]

from Streetview

 

[Dazed and Confused]

from Streetview

Significant potential.

 

[Afrank]

Time to break out the CX and Mountain bikes .

There are a few sections of the road that look like that, but most of it is in nice little cobbles very similar to the PR ones (but probably in better conditions). They could very well take other roads to avoid those bad sectors. Or just leave them as they are and have fun
Depending how they'll design this it could be VERY challenging. The cobbles sector would be various kms long, and the Via Appia ends in Rome itself, so the finishing line wouldn't be far. I'd say 5 kms at most. I'm bumping this thread because I think this will be the race to be held on the Friday before MSR, as RCS hinted.

What! Where's the fun in that! I propose we start petitioning them to find the worst road with the biggest cobbles and put them in the route. Maybe even create some cobble roads with some really big cobbles and make the course a loop. 200 km of riding over cobbles the size of the ones in the picture. Or maybe even bigger...hmm
And of course they would have to put a few climbs in. Imagine going over cobbles that size up hill!

 

[Dazed and Confused]

Time to break out the CX and Mountain bikes .



What! Where's the fun in that! I propose we start petitioning them to find the worst road with the biggest cobbles and put them in the route. Maybe even create some cobble roads with some really big cobbles and make the course a loop. 200 km of riding over cobbles the size of the ones in the picture. Or maybe even bigger...hmm
And of course they would have to put a few climbs in. Imagine going over cobbles that size up hill!

15 teams of 5 each. Lets go.

 

[Cult Classics]

I'm bumping this thread because I think this will be the race to be held on the Friday before MSR, as RCS hinted.

I think they will put this on the Saturday before Strade Bianche (already moved to a Sunday) and then move Tirreno-Adriatico back a day so it ends on a Wednesday - it also means T-A has one less day head-to-head with Paris-Nice.