- Feb 20, 2012
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- 35,784
- 28,180
Stage 12: Imola – Vicenza (Monte Berico) 190 kms
Start time: 12:35, May 21st
Analysis:
If in the previous stage the best part was the first half, here we have the opposite. Starting from Imola, the peloton goes north for 130 completely flat kms. The last 60, however, make up for an excellent Ardennes-like stage. The first "cote" is the GPM4 Castelnuovo (5.4 kms at 5%), which will serve as a nice warm up. After a very irregular descent and 15 kms of flat terrain, the pack will tackle the GPM3 Crosara (3.7 kms at 9.1%), already climbed in the 2013 stage finishing in Vicenza, but from a different side. This one is a very tough wall, whose average gradient is lowered by the last kilometer, which is little more than false flat. Basically its first 2 kms or so have a 12.7% average, with a full km above 14%! The descent is the same of 2013, but as soon as the riders hit the bottom, they take a detour that after 5 flat kms brings them to another climb, the uncategorized climb to Perarolo (2.8 km at 7%). After another irregular descent, 7 kms of flat entering the town of Vicenza, where the riders will face an uphill sprint. The road to the sanctuary of Monte Berico (GPM4, 1.1 km at 7.1%) is not very difficult at first, with 500m at 5.6%, but the last 500m are at 10.6%.
Expectations:
As I said, the route resembles a bit the Ardennes, in particular the LBL. At this point of the race all the one-day race specialists should be still in the race, so I expect them to go for it. There's a potential to see a great stage, that will probably have no effect for the GC, besides crazy attacks on Crosara
Start time: 12:35, May 21st
Analysis:
If in the previous stage the best part was the first half, here we have the opposite. Starting from Imola, the peloton goes north for 130 completely flat kms. The last 60, however, make up for an excellent Ardennes-like stage. The first "cote" is the GPM4 Castelnuovo (5.4 kms at 5%), which will serve as a nice warm up. After a very irregular descent and 15 kms of flat terrain, the pack will tackle the GPM3 Crosara (3.7 kms at 9.1%), already climbed in the 2013 stage finishing in Vicenza, but from a different side. This one is a very tough wall, whose average gradient is lowered by the last kilometer, which is little more than false flat. Basically its first 2 kms or so have a 12.7% average, with a full km above 14%! The descent is the same of 2013, but as soon as the riders hit the bottom, they take a detour that after 5 flat kms brings them to another climb, the uncategorized climb to Perarolo (2.8 km at 7%). After another irregular descent, 7 kms of flat entering the town of Vicenza, where the riders will face an uphill sprint. The road to the sanctuary of Monte Berico (GPM4, 1.1 km at 7.1%) is not very difficult at first, with 500m at 5.6%, but the last 500m are at 10.6%.
Expectations:
As I said, the route resembles a bit the Ardennes, in particular the LBL. At this point of the race all the one-day race specialists should be still in the race, so I expect them to go for it. There's a potential to see a great stage, that will probably have no effect for the GC, besides crazy attacks on Crosara
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