Giro d'Italia 2016 Rumours

[Eshnar]

Sorry but thats lame. The downhill finish before two mtf's and the two mtf's both have flat sections before the real climb starts. At least we get Fauniera which is great

Ps: What climb is La Colletta?

La Colletta di Cumiana I suppose.
Well, I thought they were gonna do the 2001 stage, and in the end they will. Not the best option for sure, but not bad either. Between Demonte and the start of Lombarda there are 11 km. Not the end of the world... the problem is that the Lombarda is quite a hard climb too, so it'll scare people much more than the flat itself.

 

[Eshnar]

The same article, btw, cites the Marmolada/Pordoi combo and ignores Andalo completely. Not sure whether to trust it or not. (for the north-east part I mean)

 

[fauniera]

Andalo/Molveno would be a detour anyway. They might go directly from the Dolomiti to Livigno.

Fauniera is great news, the rumored stage not so much. But then we expected that, didn't we.

 

[valentius borealis]

I'm guessing that they'd be heading almost all the way to Cuneo before the Fauniera ascent (unless they're going to surprise us with sterrato).

 

[Eshnar]

Re:

I'm guessing that they'd be heading almost all the way to Cuneo before the Fauniera ascent (unless they're going to surprise us with sterrato).

yes, they'll do Vars, Larche and a long valley to the east side of Fauniera. In total, roughly 200 kms.
Otoh, there could be some sterrato in the Follonica stage, although I'm not too hopeful about it.

 

[Brullnux]

An Alpe di Siusi MTT? We need Zomegnan to make this awesome. If you continue after Compatsch for 5km then you reach Saltria. This bit is slightly downhill. Then there is a 5km climb, Via Saltria, that rises 400m, at an average of 8% on sterrato. The first 2km of this climb are just 5.5%, the next three at over 10%. Then you reach Rifugio Zallinger and you turn left to go up. Straight up. I mean basically vertical. 1.5km of sheer hell. You climb 230 metres in that time. That is roughly 16-17% average - on sterrato. The first part is over 25%, nearing 30%. There is about 300m in the middle that are almost flat before kicking up again hard to Rifugio Sassopiatto. Here you have one of the most beautiful views in the Dolomites.

Btw I'm joking, I mean the route exists and I have hiked up it quite a few times. Zallinger on a MTB is hard enough (for me), I can't imagine Sassopiatto on a road bike

 

[pastronef]

Re:

La Stampa says that the last three mountain stages will be:

Stage 18 - Finish in Pinerolo via La Coletta and Colle di Pra Martino
Stage 19 - Colle Agnello and Risoul
Stage 20 - Vars, Fauniera and finish in Sant'Anna di Vinadio

http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/report-2016-giro-ditalia-to-be-decided-in-the-alps-and-end-in-turin/

after the Col de Vars they must enter Italy, so they climb Maddalena (Col de Larche). the col leads to the foot of the Sant´Anna di Vinadio climb. but the stage would be too short.

the only way they can climb the Fauniera is with a loop in the valley through Borgo San Dalmazzo (Cuneo) to return on the road they went down from Col de Larche

the stage would be around 210 km

 

[Red Rick]

I've never seen the Fauniera being climbed (before my time), but every single thing about that climb screams awesome to me

Btw, I know the first 3 stages are official, but are the routes official too? I do want to know if they're climbing some hills in the Nijmegen area

 

[Eshnar]

Re:

An Alpe di Siusi MTT? We need Zomegnan to make this awesome. If you continue after Compatsch for 5km then you reach Saltria. This bit is slightly downhill. Then there is a 5km climb, Via Saltria, that rises 400m, at an average of 8% on sterrato. The first 2km of this climb are just 5.5%, the next three at over 10%. Then you reach Rifugio Zallinger and you turn left to go up. Straight up. I mean basically vertical. 1.5km of sheer hell. You climb 230 metres in that time. That is roughly 16-17% average - on sterrato. The first part is over 25%, nearing 30%. There is about 300m in the middle that are almost flat before kicking up again hard to Rifugio Sassopiatto. Here you have one of the most beautiful views in the Dolomites.

Btw I'm joking, I mean the route exists and I have hiked up it quite a few times. Zallinger on a MTB is hard enough (for me), I can't imagine Sassopiatto on a road bike

according to a local article of today, the MTT will start from Castelrotto and finish in Malga Rietsch. Which makes it 13 sad kms.
And it'll be raced on Friday. So I guess Andalo is still in.

 

[Eshnar]

According to quite a reliable source (ironically confirmed by Beppe Conti this week), there will be an ITT in Tuscany, on stage 8. Roccaraso and Foligno will drop, Follonica on stage 7. Finish yet tbd on stage 6.
For stage 12, the rumour about the Corvara stage (after a Sella Ronda loop) gains strength again.


Stage 1 Apeldoorn ITT 8.1 km OFF
Stage 2 Arnhem - Nijmegen 180 km OFF
Stage 3 Nijmegen - Arnhem 190 km OFF
Rest
Stage 4 Catanzaro - ??? ****
Stage 5 ??? - Montevergine MTF *****
Stage 6 Avellino? - ???
Stage 7 ??? - Follonica ****
Stage 8 ITT in Tuscany ***
Stage 9 ??? - Sestola (MTF in the vicinity) *****
Rest
Stage 10 ??? - Asolo? ***
Stage 11 Udine?? - Cividale del Friuli *****
Stage 12 Farra d'Alpago? - Corvara ***
Stage 13 Alpe di Siusi MTT ***
Stage 14 ??? - Andalo ****
Stage 15 Molveno - Livigno ****
Rest
Stage 16 Livigno - Ghisallo ***
Stage 17 ??? - ???
Stage 18 ??? - Pinerolo ****
Stage 19 Pinerolo - Risoul MTF ****
Stage 20 Guillestre - S.Anna di Vinadio ****
Stage 21 Cuneo - Torino ***

 

[Libertine Seguros]

Please let 17 be an ITT...

 

[malakassis]

which climbs are suspected for the risoul stage? with the livigno stage and also sella ronda/marmolada this will be like 10 times over 2000m - e very risky approach for the month of may,ignoring 2013,2014. or clever from a different angle: enough 2000s to compensate if one stage fails

 

[Eshnar]

Re:

Please let 17 be an ITT...

if 8 is an ITT already, no way in hell.

 

[Eshnar]

Re:

which climbs are suspected for the risoul stage? with the livigno stage and also sella ronda/marmolada this will be like 10 times over 2000m - e very risky approach for the month of may,ignoring 2013,2014. or clever from a different angle: enough 2000s to compensate if one stage fails

no Marmolada in Corvara stage. For the Risoul stage, only Agnello.
Yes, It's a bit risky, but at least pretty much all stage finishes are reachable via lower passes, in case.

 

[Red Rick]

I can't believe or understand how they are so keen on using an already overused weak French climb as the final MTF

 

[Libertine Seguros]

Re: Re:

Please let 17 be an ITT...

if 8 is an ITT already, no way in hell.

If there's no TTT and an MTT tho... there were four TTs in 2010 (overlong prologue, TTT, ITT, Kronplatz) and 2008 (TTT, stage 10, Kronplatz, last stage)... I liked when the last day was an ITT (I also miss the Madrid TTs in the Vuelta that saw Casero and AITORMINATOR take the wins on the final day back in the early 00s) but it still allowed for multiple ones. If the ITT is on stage 8 I don't see it being a 60k epic like 2009 or 2015 for fear of setting huge time gaps so early, so think that if we have a 35-40k one we need another long one to balance it out.

Like you I doubt it a bit, but having no normal TT in the last two weeks seems a bit sad really as otherwise it's just the climbers picking time back for two weeks, and so if the best climber can capture the jersey with a week to go it may nullify the later stages, just like Zoncolan in 2014, when the stage was more or less killed by the fact Nairito already had the jersey and had shown himself the strongest climber so nothing happened as there was nothing left for him to fear.

 

[Eshnar]

I can't believe or understand how they are so keen on using an already overused weak French climb as the final MTF

The reason is that Risoul pay more than they did for the TDF in 2014.

 

[Eshnar]

Re: Re:

If there's no TTT and an MTT tho... there were four TTs in 2010 (overlong prologue, TTT, ITT, Kronplatz) and 2008 (TTT, stage 10, Kronplatz, last stage)... I liked when the last day was an ITT (I also miss the Madrid TTs in the Vuelta that saw Casero and AITORMINATOR take the wins on the final day back in the early 00s) but it still allowed for multiple ones. If the ITT is on stage 8 I don't see it being a 60k epic like 2009 or 2015 for fear of setting huge time gaps so early, so think that if we have a 35-40k one we need another long one to balance it out.

Like you I doubt it a bit, but having no normal TT in the last two weeks seems a bit sad really as otherwise it's just the climbers picking time back for two weeks, and so if the best climber can capture the jersey with a week to go it may nullify the later stages, just like Zoncolan in 2014, when the stage was more or less killed by the fact Nairito already had the jersey and had shown himself the strongest climber so nothing happened as there was nothing left for him to fear.

I'd like another TT too, I'm just telling you that there's no chance.

 

[Ataraxus]

Re: Re:

I'm guessing that they'd be heading almost all the way to Cuneo before the Fauniera ascent (unless they're going to surprise us with sterrato).

yes, they'll do Vars, Larche and a long valley to the east side of Fauniera. In total, roughly 200 kms.
Otoh, there could be some sterrato in the Follonica stage, although I'm not too hopeful about it.

Is there any chance they'll reach S. Anna di Vinadio via Agnello, Sampeyre, Fauniera Eshnar?
It would be an epic penultimate stage and shorter than the Vars-Larche version (approx 180km).

 

[malakassis]

Re: Re:

I'm guessing that they'd be heading almost all the way to Cuneo before the Fauniera ascent (unless they're going to surprise us with sterrato).

yes, they'll do Vars, Larche and a long valley to the east side of Fauniera. In total, roughly 200 kms.
Otoh, there could be some sterrato in the Follonica stage, although I'm not too hopeful about it.

Is there any chance they'll reach S. Anna di Vinadio via Agnello, Sampeyre, Fauniera Eshnar?
It would be an epic penultimate stage and shorter than the Vars-Larche version (approx 180km).

oh this is an interesting idea of fitting 4HC in the least #kms . but i believe sampeyre road is in bad condition

 

[Red Rick]

I can't believe or understand how they are so keen on using an already overused weak French climb as the final MTF

The reason is that Risoul pay more than they did for the TDF in 2014.

At least they got that part right, I'd pay more for the Giro too from a fan pov

 

[Eshnar]

Re: Re:

I'm guessing that they'd be heading almost all the way to Cuneo before the Fauniera ascent (unless they're going to surprise us with sterrato).

yes, they'll do Vars, Larche and a long valley to the east side of Fauniera. In total, roughly 200 kms.
Otoh, there could be some sterrato in the Follonica stage, although I'm not too hopeful about it.

Is there any chance they'll reach S. Anna di Vinadio via Agnello, Sampeyre, Fauniera Eshnar?
It would be an epic penultimate stage and shorter than the Vars-Larche version (approx 180km).

The Sampeyre needs huge roadworks unfortunately. Also the descent of the south side isn't the safest out there.

 

[Eshnar]

Sestola will not be MTF, the stage will end in town, and it will be on Tuesday, according to a plethora of local newspapers today. That changes a lot. It means that the phantom Tuscany ITT now has a clear place as stage 9, and we don't need to drop Roccaraso and Foligno.
It also means that between Cividale and Siusi there are no stages. A transfer between the two would be unreasonable, so I'm thinking maybe the MTT idea has been dropped...?

Stage 1 Apeldoorn ITT 8.1 km OFF
Stage 2 Arnhem - Nijmegen 180 km OFF
Stage 3 Nijmegen - Arnhem 190 km OFF
Rest
Stage 4 Catanzaro - ??? ****
Stage 5 ??? - Montevergine MTF *****
Stage 6 Avellino? - Roccaraso ***
Stage 7 Sulmona - Foligno ***
Stage 8 Foligno - Follonica ****
Stage 9 ITT in Tuscany ***
Rest
Stage 10 ??? - Sestola*****
Stage 11 ??? - Asolo? or Bibione? ***
Stage 12 Udine?? - Cividale del Friuli *****
Stage 13 Alpe di Siusi MTT??? ***
Stage 14 ??? - Andalo ****
Stage 15 Molveno - Livigno ****
Rest
Stage 16 Livigno - Ghisallo ***
Stage 17 ??? - ???
Stage 18 ??? - Pinerolo ****
Stage 19 Pinerolo - Risoul MTF ****
Stage 20 Guillestre - S.Anna di Vinadio MTF ****
Stage 21 Cuneo - Torino ***

 

[jens_attacks]

As long as i have montevergine di mercogliano, all good from me

Forzza killer!

 

[OlavEH]

Re:

Sestola will not be MTF, the stage will end in town, and it will be on Tuesday, according to a plethora of local newspapers today. That changes a lot. It means that the phantom Tuscany ITT now has a clear place as stage 9, and we don't need to drop Roccaraso and Foligno.
It also means that between Cividale and Siusi there are no stages. A transfer between the two would be unreasonable, so I'm thinking maybe the MTT idea has been dropped...?

Stage 1 Apeldoorn ITT 8.1 km OFF
Stage 2 Arnhem - Nijmegen 180 km OFF
Stage 3 Nijmegen - Arnhem 190 km OFF
Rest
Stage 4 Catanzaro - ??? ****
Stage 5 ??? - Montevergine MTF *****
Stage 6 Avellino? - Roccaraso ***
Stage 7 Sulmona - Foligno ***
Stage 8 Foligno - Follonica ****
Stage 9 ITT in Tuscany ***
Rest
Stage 10 ??? - Sestola*****
Stage 11 ??? - Asolo? or Bibione? ***
Stage 12 Udine?? - Cividale del Friuli *****
Stage 13 Alpe di Siusi MTT??? ***
Stage 14 ??? - Andalo ****
Stage 15 Molveno - Livigno ****
Rest
Stage 16 Livigno - Ghisallo ***
Stage 17 ??? - ???
Stage 18 ??? - Pinerolo ****
Stage 19 Pinerolo - Risoul MTF ****
Stage 20 Guillestre - S.Anna di Vinadio MTF ****
Stage 21 Cuneo - Torino ***

Looks like a rather disappoiting route. Siusi as a MTT. The Livigno stage will probably do Tonale-Gavia-Foscagno-Eira? That's an OK stage, but not great. And do they really have to go into France to do a medium tough MTF on Risoul?

And the Vinadio stage from Guillestre? Are we here talking about a short stage doing Vars and Larche before the last climb to S.Anna di Vinadio?

Edit: I now see you doubt Siusi would be a MTT. Hope your're right. Better with at MTF.