Giro d'Italia 2013, stage 18: Oderzo - Val Di Zoldo 161 km

[Gigs_98]

Probably my favorite stage design of this giro. How good the racing will be probably largly depend on Roglic's condition. If he's feeling better I can see him being aggressive. If he struggles on the penultimate climb I can see others being aggressive.

 

[Unterlenkerfahrend]

Roglic has to attack today if he doesn't want to completely bank on the ITT (which he shouldn't as there's no indication he's better than the other two in an ITT right now). There's obviously no statistical significance but I think he slightly underperforms in super long/hard stages so maybe Tuesday wasn't an outlier. Tre Cime stage will be equally tough so I see no benefit on gambling on tomorrow. If the injury is still bothering him I also don't see how that one more day would make a big difference.

This Vuelta style stage is his bread and butter, Coi as the perfect launch pad, he's the better descender than the other two (also more happy to take risks) and he might profit from the fact that they look at each other too much in the last kilometers.

 

[search]

I thought it was a good day for van Wilder to try and join the break, but he just said that he is more likely to stay with the leaders, as an escape comes with too much too lose.

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g989nzlR6xA


No idea what there's too lose when you're 15th in GC only anyway, though.

 

[Eyeballs Out]

If I'm UAE I'm not burning the team today, I'm saving them for tomorrow - that looks a stage where a strong team could win or save the race.

 

[Netserk]

Please, pretty please. Go up the road, Hessmann and Bouwman!

 

[Netserk]

Cort: Bettiol will help Healy get in the break today.

 

[Netserk]

We're off.

A medium big group with a gap already.

 

[Netserk]

Swift closed them down.

 

[ZamlinusYoutubeious]

I still remember a great Zoldo Alto stage at the Giro 2005 (with Duran included). Basso single-handedly destroyed the peleton there but Savoldelli escaped on the descent, managed his uphill pace well and beat Basso in the sprint.

Then a few days later after falling sick and all robobasso beat zabrieskie to winbtge itt for the lolz

 

[Bolder]

Looking forward to some great action. Roglic, who I've backed to win, disappointed two days ago. He would need to be 100 percent to outdistance Thomas and Almeida, and I'm not sure he is. Their riding style generally is not to attack so it's up to him to do so today if he wants to gain time. But I think he won't try unless he's feeling super. Even on the last climb he might only gain a few seconds. And if he's not able to drop them in a mountain stage he won't do so in a MTT, I'm afraid.

I am really impressed with Almeida. I thought he'd plateaued as a slightly below top level GC rider, but (even if he says he's only at 2021 level) he's stepped up. I'm not going to go into the "what ifs" regarding Remco and Tao (who despite being GT winners themselves haven't yet proven to be on Pog/Vingo level), so I'm just going to say that I think he can win this over Thomas.

 

[Bonimenier]

If you can somewhat climb and want to get in the break, you should be passive till the climbing begins.

 

[Aimar16]

Cort: Bettiol will help Healy get in the break today.

Bettiol is not helping him much so far

 

[Mayomaniac]

If it hasn't been mentioned before: Pieve di Cadore is the birthplace of the famous Renaissance painter Tiziano Vecellio. You can visit the house where he was born and they have a small museum with a few of his paintings.

 

[Mayomaniac]

I hope that the breakaway goes away by force on the climb, at least that way we get a strong breakaway.

 

[Netserk]

Bettiol is not helping him much so far

He is also not helping himself. Instead of wasting so much energy, he should just trust himself on the climb.

 

[Netserk]

Buitrago has also been active so far, and I think it was Arensman in a group when Bouwman closed them down.

 

[gregrowlerson]

^ ZZZ.

A stage for Zana?

 

[Devil's Elbow]

Finally a breakaway is going to get away on a big climb by the looks of things. About time.

 

[Netserk]

Finally a breakaway is going to get away on a big climb by the looks of things. About time.

Cœur as well.

 

[Netserk]

Haig in a group with Healy.

 

[Devil's Elbow]

Cœur as well.

I had legitimately forgotten everything about that stage aside from Pinot and Cepeda trying to make each other lose. This Giro is not exactly memorable...

 

[Eddy Evenepoel]

Tactical meetings at Quickstep are quite simple:

"Pieter, stay with Ilan."

• 138
  3m
  Attack by SERRY Pieter (Soudal - Quick Step)

 

[Netserk]

Let's go, Eola!

 

[laarsland]

If it hasn't been mentioned before: Pieve di Cadore is the birthplace of the famous Renaissance painter Tiziano Vecellio. You can visit the house where he was born and they have a small museum with a few of his paintings.

Tintoretto, it’s for you

 

[Devil's Elbow]

Eolo always add something to the fight to get into the break. Not always the something they intend to add, though.