Giro d'Italia 2016 Rumours

[Valv.Piti]

No matter how you slice it (If Nibali/Aru goes, if Porte, if Dumoulin goes etc.) its shaping up to be a very interesting Giro. I say LRP and TJV stays home to light it up in the Tour, I think Aru will be Giro-leader again, Landa and Uran of course, hopefully Rod and Dumoulin should 100% start as well, but it will be very interesting to see Meintjens and Chaves with another GC under their belt.

 

[yaco]

My guess is that Nibali will do the Giro and Aru the TDF which seems a natural progression. Expect Porte to target the Giro,especially with 3 ITT's. I'd expect Dumoulin to do the TDF. OGE may split the Yates boys and Chavez - Best ITT rider will do the Giro and the other's will do TDF or Vuelta.

 

[Billie]

Trofimov won't do the Giro. He'll do the same program as Contador. Mainly because Oleg wants a Russian in the Tour team

Edit: and it's about 3 months too early to make assumptions about who will/will not ride

 

[Bavarianrider]

It's the Giro. You can't expect a deadflat 50+ km time trial every year, and i wouldn't want to see one either.

Well we haven't seen one since 2006.
And yes up until the early 00es that was exactly what you could expect.

 

[Bavarianrider]

Re: Re:

You wouldn't, but I would. In fact, I think it's key to have one. Hence, I have a problem with this TT. It's pretty simple, really.

It's still a stage for a rouleur. Cancellara in his prime would have gained more time on the Chianti stage than in a deadflat one with the same length, i'm pretty sure. But i do see your point, sure.

No he 100%% wouldn't. Unless he could defy the laws of physics, which i doubt he can.

 

[May0maniac]

It's the Giro. You can't expect a deadflat 50+ km time trial every year, and i wouldn't want to see one either.

Well we haven't seen one since 2006.
And yes up until the early 00es that was exactly what you could expect.

That only really started in the Moser years, if I remember correctly only one of the 5 Giro won by Merckx had a +50km ITT and they all had less ITT-km than this years Giro.
The 1994 had the Pinerolo Sestriere MTT as the long time trial, the flat time trial in the 1994 giro was also only 44km long (ok, they had a pretty cool MTT that favoured the TT-specialists) and the long ITT in the 1997 Giro was also just 40km long (they also had a 18km ITT on stage 3), 1998 and 1999 had a decent amount of TT km (82 and 77km) but both didn't not freature a +50km ITT and in 2000 we had 45km flat ITT and the awesome 32km long Briançon - Sestriere ITT.
The Giro only really started adding more and longer time trials in the Moser/Saronni years to help them, I think that the 1978 Giro really was the first one of those Giri and the year after they had a prologue + 4 ITTs.

 

[Eshnar]

Yesterday Beppe Conti "confirmed" the presence of sterrato on stage 8. He also said that the final stage (Torino) could include the climb to Superga. He also said that there will be no MTT, so either he or Vegni have been seriously drunk this week

 

[Eshnar]

Rearranged again my route. I see no more chance that Andalo is anywhere but stage 16, as a MTT in case Siusi is not.
Some other minor adjustments.


Stage 1 Apeldoorn ITT 11 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 - ??? (with likely sterrato) ***
Stage 9 Redde in Chianti - Greve in Chianti ITT 40.4 km OFF Profile
Rest
Stage 10 ??? - Sestola*****
Stage 11 Modena - Asolo ***
Stage 12 ??? - Bibione? ***
Stage 13 Sacile - Cividale del Friuli *****
Stage 14 Farra d'Alpago - Corvara or Alpe di Siusi MTF ***
Stage 15 Castelrotto?? - Livigno **** or Ponte Gardena - Alpe di Siusi MTT ****
Rest
Stage 16 ??? - Livigno **** or Mezzocorona - Andalo MTT ****
Stage 17 ??? - Monza? **
Stage 18 Muggiò - Pinerolo ****
Stage 19 Pinerolo - Risoul MTF ****
Stage 20 Guillestre - S.Anna di Vinadio MTF ****
Stage 21 Cuneo or Borgo S.Dalmazzo - Torino ***

 

[18-Valve. (pithy)]

Re:

Yesterday Beppe Conti "confirmed" the presence of sterrato on stage 8. He also said that the final stage (Torino) could include the climb to Superga.

Wow. I may actually tune in for the last stage this year, if true. Double ascent and finish in the city center please...

He also said that there will be no MTT, so either he or Vegni have been seriously drunk this week

Could just be that they made an adjustment. I certainly hope so, as I'd much prefer another road stage in the Dolomites.

 

[Eshnar]

Re: Re:

Yesterday Beppe Conti "confirmed" the presence of sterrato on stage 8. He also said that the final stage (Torino) could include the climb to Superga.

Wow. I may actually tune in for the last stage this year, if true. Double ascent and finish in the city center please...

He also said that there will be no MTT, so either he or Vegni have been seriously drunk this week

Could just be that they made an adjustment. I certainly hope so, as I'd much prefer another road stage in the Dolomites.

They could certainly have made an adjustment... but Vegni wouldn't go and tell CN that there is a 20 kms MTT if it's still not sure... I think (and I really hope) Conti just came to know that the MTT to Siusi (to Siusi specifically, not the MTT itself) has been dropped.

 

[Eshnar]

Next Monday the Cividale stage will be officially presented during a press conference in Palmanova, which according to the most recent rumours will be the starting town.
As for the rest, there haven't been any serious rumours in the last few days. Which is a bit odd considering we're almost there

Stage 1 Apeldoorn ITT 11 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 - ??? (with likely sterrato) ***
Stage 9 Redde in Chianti - Greve in Chianti ITT 40.4 km OFF Profile
Rest
Stage 10 ??? - Sestola*****
Stage 11 Modena - Asolo ***
Stage 12 ??? - Bibione? ***
Stage 13 Palmanova - Cividale del Friuli *****
Stage 14 Farra d'Alpago - Corvara or Alpe di Siusi MTF ***
Stage 15 Castelrotto?? - Livigno **** or Ponte Gardena - Alpe di Siusi MTT ****
Rest
Stage 16 ??? - Livigno **** or Mezzocorona - Andalo MTT ****
Stage 17 ??? - Monza? **
Stage 18 Muggiò - Pinerolo ****
Stage 19 Pinerolo - Risoul MTF ****
Stage 20 Guillestre - S.Anna di Vinadio MTF ****
Stage 21 Cuneo or Borgo S.Dalmazzo - Torino ***

 

[Velolover2]

Re: Re:

Potential captains:

Landa for Sky.
Aru for Astana.
Hejsedal for Trek.
Pozzo/Peraud for AG2R.
Uran for Cannondale.
Dan Martin for Etixx. (?)
Purito for Katusha. (?)
Caruso/Samu (?) for BMC.
Kelderman for Jumbo.
Majka for Saxo.
Chaves for Orica.
Betancur for Movistar. (?)

Nibali will ride for Astana, he said that in 2016 his goals are Giro and Olympics (and i think also Vuelta) since last year, and Aru to the Tour.


My idea is this:

Peraud (and Pozzovivo if sign for 2016) for AG2R.
Nibali for Astana.
Porte (probably with Caruso) for BMC.
Uran for Cannondale.
Jungels for Etixx.
Geniez for FDJ.
Domoulin for Giant.
Purito for Katusha.
Meintjes for Lampre.
Kruijswijk for Lotto Jumbo.
De Gendt for Lotto Soudal.
Amador (with Visconti in support) for Movistar (or one of Quintana and Valverde if they split programs like in 2014).
Landa (with Thomas?) for Sky.
Majka (with Trofimov in support) for Tinkoff.
Hesjedal for Trek.
Cunego for Nippo (probably WC).


I don't have idea who for IAM, Orica, Androni (probably WC), Bardiani (probably WC).

For the last two WC spot is a fight between Europcar, CCC, MTN, Caja Rural (Arroyo?), Bora and Cofidis.

After two failed attempts, Porte will not ride the Giro. He will be a co-leader in the Tour along with Tejay van Garderen. http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/porte-confirmed-with-bmc-for-2016/

Thomas will target Tour De France as Sky's plan B and Froome's new Porte. And perhaps the Vuelta after that. He is too important for Froome to waste energy on the Giro. http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/thomas-weighs-up-options-as-team-skys-plan-b-for-tour-de-france/

If Landa sign with Sky, I will be the captain. But Movistar or BMC could sign him as a captain too. From what I've heard that they will ride in support of Poels who wants to be the Giro captain.

Dumoulin is riding the Tour for sure. Giant doesn't really have a team for the Giro. Maybe they will ride for Kittel as a stage hunter because he has to be hungry after a failed season.

 

[Valv.Piti]

Thomas will never be anything close to LRP!

Joke aside, Thomas is super interesting in the perspective of him this year helping A LOT early on. That along with riding GC for the first time, and in the Tour, may have cracked him in the final week, obviously along with Allos + x3 Croix de Fer. If Sky wants him to be LRP and the last man, 5th best in the mountains or thereabouts, they should really let Thomas rest through the first week.

But anyways, this has nothing to do with the Giro. What has is that the Giro 2016 has some very interesting prospects with some of the brightest stars on the scene and hopefully, a route which will let them go at it.

 

[Eshnar]

According to this article http://messaggeroveneto.gelocal.it/sport/2015/09/15/news/ciclismo-l-anticipazione-1.12096530 the mentioned stage to Cividale will be 168 km long, and include "at least" 5 GPMs, two of which will be the Mataiur (without the final kms) and the climb to Porzus, which has been indicated for a long time already as the penultimate climb of the day. The route will pass three times through Cividale.
If the last 50 kms are those that I believe, this is an extremely good stage.

 

[MatParker117]

This would be my early guess at Sky's Giro Squad:

Landa, Konig, Boswell, Siutsou, Kiry, Lopez, Knees, Puccio, Viviani

 

[Velolover2]

Re:

This would be my early guess at Sky's Giro Squad:

Landa, Konig, Boswell, Siutsou, Kiry, Lopez, Knees, Puccio, Viviani

How do you think the other big teams like Astana, Tinkoff, Movistar and Katusha will look like?

 

[Eshnar]

This is my shot at predicting the route to Cividale. The actual route shouldn't be too different. My main doubt is the final climb (the one I picked is a bit narrow so I don't know if they can actually race it), and the direction in which they'll tackle the first three climbs (I picked the best one, race-wise). And ofc, the total lenght isn't the correct one, but that may very well be due to the roads they'll pick during the three visits in Cividale.

 

[Valv.Piti]

Re: Re:

This would be my early guess at Sky's Giro Squad:

Landa, Konig, Boswell, Siutsou, Kiry, Lopez, Knees, Puccio, Viviani

How do you think the other big teams like Astana, Tinkoff, Movistar and Katusha will look like?

Astana obviously depends on whether Nibz or Aru riders. I say Aru rides so that's the usual crew: Rosa, Tira, LLS, Cataldo and Zeits. I dont think Kangert will go, neither will Landa obviously and I dont know if Malacarne is up for renewal? Add M.A Lopez and Lutsenko and its downright scary once again... Its only guesswork. I have a clue that Lutsenko will ride the Tour tho.

Movistar is pretty much up for grabs. I would imagine a lot of stagehunting again and some promising talents, which means helpers such as Jose Herrada and Gorka Iza is going to the Tour as again, I hope they will keep the teams that way similar to 2015 which worked well, but they still lacked climbing depth in the Tour. I dont know if Amador is going again, I could imagine, but maybe Unzue wants him in the Tour with Nairo and Valv? Visconti is the obvious, lets say Amador also attends. I hope Unzue still ahve faith in Dayer, so he is in as well. Lobato wont go to the Tour and he has evolved super well, he goes as well. Ruben Fernandez needs to try to see if he can ride GC after the Giro last year - I hope. Otherwise domestique at Tour. Then we have five, but im just pretty much sure at two so far.
Im pretty sure Marc Soler will go after his strong showing this year. Movistar tends to use Giro to develop. Then we have Intxausti, Herrada and Izauguirre. I say only one of Intxausti and Amador goes and the other one will team up with Anacona as a key helper in the mountains. Herrada is a super stagehunter and young, I say he is in. Izaguirre? I dont know. It all comes down to whether Unzue prefers Ion in the Tour squad, but I dont know if he has given up on the GC dream. He has capabilities. I say he is in as well.

So my guess: Amador/Intxausti, Visconti, Lobato, Dayer, Jesus Herrada, Fernandez(?), Soler, Sutterlein and.. a new signing? Betancur maybe.

That leaves these domestique for the Tour: Jose Her, Gorka Iza, Erviti, Malori, Castro and Intxausti/Amador. If Amador/Intxausti doesnt ride GC, they might as well go to the Tour as well. Top that off with Dowsett maybe. Valls would be great as well.

Im very curious to see what Ion is up to. Could be Giro, could be Tour, but either way his focus will be at Paris-Nice, Vasco, Romandie etc.

 

[Eshnar]

Today a local newspaper confirmed Monza as finish of stage 17, which the same article claims it will start in Livigno. This straightens out the predicted route... the only doubt is now stage 15. MTT to Siusi? or to Andalo (can also be road stage as originally rumoured)?

Stage 1 Apeldoorn ITT 11 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 - ??? (with likely sterrato) ***
Stage 9 Redde in Chianti - Greve in Chianti ITT 40.4 km OFF Profile
Rest
Stage 10 ??? - Sestola*****
Stage 11 Modena - Asolo ***
Stage 12 Piazzola sul Brenta? - Bibione? ***
Stage 13 Palmanova - Cividale del Friuli *****
Stage 14 Sacile - Corvara ***
Stage 15 Ponte Gardena - Alpe di Siusi MTT **** OR ??? - Andalo MTT? or MTF?
Rest
Stage 16 ??? - Livigno ****
Stage 17 Livigno - Monza ***
Stage 18 Muggiò - Pinerolo ****
Stage 19 Pinerolo - Risoul MTF ****
Stage 20 Guillestre - S.Anna di Vinadio MTF ****
Stage 21 Cuneo or Borgo S.Dalmazzo - Torino ***

 

[SafeBet]

Today a local newspaper confirmed Monza as finish of stage 17, which the same article claims it will start in Livigno.

That should make for quite a long stage if they don't pass through Switzerland.

 

[Eshnar]

Today a local newspaper confirmed Monza as finish of stage 17, which the same article claims it will start in Livigno.

That should make for quite a long stage if they don't pass through Switzerland.

around 220 kms I'd say. Long but not unheard of.

 

[Valv.Piti]

So before you obviously have seen the stages, what do you think of the route? Myself, I have no clue...

 

[SafeBet]

around 220 kms I'd say. Long but not unheard of.

Yeah something around that distance.
Do you think it's gonna be sprinter friendly? There are countless options to make it a nice hilly stage.

 

[Eshnar]

Re:

So before you obviously have seen the stages, what do you think of the route? Myself, I have no clue...

It depends too much on the MTT. If they do the MTT, its position is the worst possible. Without the MTT this is a pretty good route. Nothing great but pretty good. I'm particularly pleased by the total absence of hard MTFs.

 

[Eshnar]

around 220 kms I'd say. Long but not unheard of.

Yeah something around that distance.
Do you think it's gonna be sprinter friendly? There are countless options to make it a nice hilly stage.

Absolutely sprinter friendly. I don't think they want to leave stage 12 as the last bunch sprint... especially considering Torino might have a hilly final.