Giro di Lombardia Route Change?

[Lupetto]

According to an article in "La Provincia di Como" there will be a very interesting change in the finale of the race.

Since 2004 it was Madonna del Ghisallo, Civiglio and San Fermo, who decided the race. In 2010 this could be changed into Madonna del Ghisallo, Colma di Sormano and San Fermo.
The Sormano Climb starts after 6 km of the descent from Ghisallo. And of course there could be "Il Muro", which is a cruel way to shorten this climb.
Then the race will take a real difficult descent on narrow roads with lots of hairpins. Made for racers like Samu or Nibali...but extremly difficult for the rest. Afterwards they'll return to the lakeside and have 15k to go to Como. Then San Fermo and the finish.

The start could also be transferred to Milano. This would change the first part of the race completely.

Look at this wall. They did it back in the 60ies. Then it disappeared from the race. I really hope for this.

 

[Cobblestoned]

According to an article in "La Provincia di Como" there will be a very interesting change in the finale of the race.

Since 2004 it was Madonna del Ghisallo, Civiglio and San Fermo, who decided the race. In 2010 this could be changed into Madonna del Ghisallo, Colma di Sormano and San Fermo.
The Sormano Climb starts after 6 km of the descent from Ghisallo. And of course there could be "Il Muro", which is a cruel way to shorten this climb.
Then the race will take a real difficult descent on narrow roads with lots of hairpins. Made for racers like Samu or Nibali...but extremly difficult for the rest. Afterwards they'll return to the lakeside and have 15k to go to Como. Then San Fermo and the finish.

The start could also be transferred to Milano. This would change the first part of the race completely.

Look at this wall. They did it back in the 60ies. Then it disappeared from the race. I really hope for this.

THis...wall.

Is great. Please add it.

 

[Izzy eviel]

Picture not loading for me.

If it's what I think it is - Ouch.


Edit: It is now.

 

[auscyclefan94]

The route changes would be a great addition to a great race

 

[Barrus]

This could not only create havoc in the peloton, but more specifically in team cars. No way once this starts any car can get anywhere close to the front. If the descent is on similarly small roads, it would mean a long, long wait if anyone gets a mechanical. But it will absolutely make for good racing

 

[El Pistolero]

Gilbert can descend pretty well, so I don't mind.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yISN7pgfCtY

 

[Lupetto]

Change of route is official now.

http://www.gazzetta.it/Speciali/GiroLombardia/2010/it/index.shtml

 

[Ferminal]

Course looks harder... More climbing and almost 20km longer.

However, the Colma di Sormano is further away from the finale, with 20km of flat before San Fermo.

It will make things harder for Gilbert, that's for sure.

 

[roundabout]

They moved the start from Varese to Milan, that's where some of the extra distance comes from.

 

[theyoungest]

Gilbert can descend pretty well, so I don't mind.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yISN7pgfCtY

He'll need to descend like a madman, because I don't expect him to be in the front group when they cross the Sormano... this might be a bit too much for him.

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

???
Last year Gilbert survived the Madonna di Ghisallo without problems. And this new climb isn't that much harder than the Civiglio.
Ah good Gilbert will definately be there. You are underestimating him a lot now.

 

[Ferminal]

???
Last year Gilbert survived the Madonna di Ghisallo without problems. And this new climb isn't that much harder than the Civiglio.
Ah good Gilbert will definately be there. You are underestimating him a lot now.

It looks significantly harder than the Civiglio to me and comes straight after the descent of Madonna di Ghisallo.

Of course he can still do it, but this makes it a bit harder.

New Profile

New Map

Old Profile

 

[roundabout]

It's about 3 times longer than Civiglio with the same gradient and comes straight after Madonna del Ghisallo. Don't underestimate it.

 

[Lupetto]

We'll see if Gilbert will be at the start with good form after the Worlds. The traveling to australia and back, the racing there, the time difference and the different season there will cost lots of form for sure. Guys like Andy Schleck, Samu Sanchez or Robert Gesink (etc.) will have a big advantage over the world road race starters. In best shape Gilbert can win it, but I'm not sure he will have this form like 2009.

Civglio is 3k with 7%. Colma di Sormano has nearly 10k with 6,5% and it is right after Ghisallo. Ghisallo will be done harder with Sormano right to follow.
The decent is for mad men and the flat to Como isn't that flat at all. After Ghisallo and Sormano it will hurt.

 

[theyoungest]

???
Last year Gilbert survived the Madonna di Ghisallo without problems. And this new climb isn't that much harder than the Civiglio.
Ah good Gilbert will definately be there. You are underestimating him a lot now.

No I'm not. But the route change certainly isn't in his favour. This new climb is 10 kms long, and follows immediately after the Ghisallo. This really seems to be one for the pure climbers. If they want to drop Gilbert on the Sormano, they're likely to succeed. He might return on the descent though.

BTW, did you actually take a look at the profile? It's quite obvious that the Sormano is harder than the Civiglio

 

[Jamsque]

The route change doesn't write Gilbert off, but it does make it a lot harder for him.

Dan Martin will be licking his chops, though, especially since he's skipping worlds to focus on Lombardia.

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

No I'm not. But the route change certainly isn't in his favour. This new climb is 10 kms long, and follows immediately after the Ghisallo. This really seems to be one for the pure climbers. If they want to drop Gilbert on the Sormano, they're likely to succeed. He might return on the descent though.

BTW, did you actually take a look at the profile? It's quite obvious that the Sormano is harder than the Civiglio

I overestimated the average % of the Civiglio, I thought it was steeper (short and steep).

I still think a top Gilbert would have no problem with this change though. But he'll probably won't be as good as last year with him going to the worlds after all.
Also don't forget there is 18km of 'flat' between this new climb and the San Fermo, which is quite quite long...

The route change doesn't write Gilbert off, but it does make it a lot harder for him.

Dan Martin will be licking his chops, though, especially since he's skipping worlds to focus on Lombardia.

Gesink is reported to have cried tears of happyness with this change

 

[El Pistolero]

I don't even think Gilbert will enter this year's Lombardia if he wins the worlds.

But I just don't see anyone dropping Gilbert on that climb while he's in top form. Even if they drop him there's still the descend and the 18km flat part. Time enough for him to get back on if he gets dropped. And we all know Gilbert can and will totally r*pe the field on the final climb.

Gilbert is imo even showing better form then last year.

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

I don't even think Gilbert will enter this year's Lombardia if he wins the worlds.

But I just don't see anyone dropping Gilbert on that climb while he's in top form. Even if they drop him there's still the descend and the 18km flat part. Time enough for him to get back on if he gets dropped. And we all know Gilbert can and will totally r*pe the field on the final climb.

That's what I think too.
But yeah, we won't see it this year probably.

 

[El Pistolero]

I

New Map

LOL, those dirty Italians.

 

[skidmark]

wow, I like like LIKE the changes... agreed that Gesink, Samu, ASchleck, Martin will have a good advantage of focus, but who knows at the end of the season? On a 10km climb with like 50km to go, that opens alot of possibilities. If the descent is as tricky as it's made out to be, the Schlecks or Gesink may have trouble keeping any gains they made on the climb.

But that's what's awesome about seeing these guys take on the 1-days, they don't care and have to go for it. It's like the stage of the Tour to Pau if it was a classic - there would be none of the soft-pedalling crap we saw.

Should be a good end to the season.

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

Side note. When Gesink or Fränk/Andy Schleck have actually done a downhill before (reconnasaince), they usually do fine.
Gesink reported on twitter he has done the climb (+downhill) a lot in training last year (and intends to do again)

 

[Mellow Velo]

Side note. When Gesink or Fränk/Andy Schleck have actually done a downhill before (reconnasaince), they usually do fine.
Gesink reported on twitter he has done the climb (+downhill) a lot in training last year (and intends to do again)

I remember a Lombardy, 4 or 5 years ago where Frank Schleck just fell off going through town, on the flat.

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

Well ofcourse they remain riders who have the certainty of going down at unexpected places at least 5 times a year.

But that doesn't mean they can do a good downhill and stay on the bike more than often

 

[la.margna]

Giro di Lombardia 2010 - new route

i like it a lot. but will definitely make it difficult for Spartacus to achieve the 5 monuments if the route is not changed during the next few years again...