Giro d'Italia 2018 STAGE 4: Catania – Caltagirone 198 km

[Gigs_98]

Anyone think Astana could use their Tour of the Alps tactics, setting a super high pace early, and then attack with one of their many options on the bumpy part close to the finish. That probably wouldn't be perfect for Lopez, but it kinda fits to Astana's whole approach this year, it would be a lot like they rode in 2015 and they would test whether Froome might still be hurt. Contador lost time in a comparable medium mountain stage in the 2016 tdf due to being injured. If it turns out Froome really is hurt but they just didn't test him enough and gave him the chance to recover they'd surely regret it.

 

[Robert5091]

22C forecast for the stage - from 30+ C in Israel. Up and down and winding back & forth at the finish. Ulissi & Aru, Yates, Stybar - many to choose from.

 

[EroicaStradeBianche]

This is a good stage for an ambush. If someone is serious about trying to win the Giro (bar Dumo and Froome) should use the terrain. Lots of ups and downs, twists and turns (especially between -90 to -70) and, above all, narrow roads. I've heard that Pinot has made a recon of the 3 sicilian stages, my faith is with him. I hope fdj will put the hammer down on a random descent somewhere and surprise everybody.

Brambilla is one who could be good in the final but I have no idea about his form.

 

[Escarabajo]

This one for the breakaway!

 

[Gigs_98]

Re:

This is a good stage for an ambush. If someone is serious about trying to win the Giro (bar Dumo and Froome) should use the terrain. Lots of ups and downs, twists and turns (especially between -90 to -70) and, above all, narrow roads. I've heard that Pinot has made a recon of the 3 sicilian stages, my faith is with him. I hope fdj will put the hammer down on a random descent somewhere and surprise everybody.

Brambilla is one who could be good in the final but I have no idea about his form.

If FDJ attacks on a descent the only gc rider they will surprise is their own

 

[RedheadDane]

Re: Re:

This is a good stage for an ambush. If someone is serious about trying to win the Giro (bar Dumo and Froome) should use the terrain. Lots of ups and downs, twists and turns (especially between -90 to -70) and, above all, narrow roads. I've heard that Pinot has made a recon of the 3 sicilian stages, my faith is with him. I hope fdj will put the hammer down on a random descent somewhere and surprise everybody.

Brambilla is one who could be good in the final but I have no idea about his form.

If FDJ attacks on a descent the only gc rider they will surprise is their own

Hence the huge element of surprise.

 

[Red Rick]

Re: Re:

This is a good stage for an ambush. If someone is serious about trying to win the Giro (bar Dumo and Froome) should use the terrain. Lots of ups and downs, twists and turns (especially between -90 to -70) and, above all, narrow roads. I've heard that Pinot has made a recon of the 3 sicilian stages, my faith is with him. I hope fdj will put the hammer down on a random descent somewhere and surprise everybody.

Brambilla is one who could be good in the final but I have no idea about his form.

If FDJ attacks on a descent the only gc rider they will surprise is their own

Hence the huge element of surprise.

The true surprise will be when Pinot takes la Maglia Rosa in said attack.

 

[Laplaz]

Re:

1. Yates
2. Wellens

gap..

3. Froome, 2 secs
4. Woods, s/t
5. Pozzo, s/t
6. Dumo, s/t

gap

7. Pinot, 7 secs
8. Dennis, s/t
9. Bilbao, s/t
10. Bennett, s/t
11. Schachmann, s/t
12. Lopéz, s/t
13. Henao, s/t

gap

14. Konrad, 12 secs
15. Ullisi +
16. (with a struggling) Aru (on his wheel)

gap

17.+ Larger group at 20 secs+

Konrad could actually do very good here! He has a decent sprint and was 10th at Fleche Wallone this year.

 

[movingtarget]

A good stage for Ulissi also for Betancur.

 

[The Barb]

How is Ulissi's form? On paper it doesn't look good but I haven't been watching him closely. I agree that if he is anywhere near his peak he looks a standout for this stage.

If Ulissi is not at his best then this is a great opportunity for Michael Woods.

 

[WheelofGear]

Re: Re:

1. Yates
2. Wellens

gap..

3. Froome, 2 secs
4. Woods, s/t
5. Pozzo, s/t
6. Dumo, s/t

gap

7. Pinot, 7 secs
8. Dennis, s/t
9. Bilbao, s/t
10. Bennett, s/t
11. Schachmann, s/t
12. Lopéz, s/t
13. Henao, s/t

gap

14. Konrad, 12 secs
15. Ullisi +
16. (with a struggling) Aru (on his wheel)

gap

17.+ Larger group at 20 secs+

Konrad could actually do very good here! He has a decent sprint and was 10th at Fleche Wallone this year.

Zubelduo (Konrad and Buchman) always get in top 10, but never podium or win. Haimar would have been proud of these guys.

 

[Jungle Cycle]

Pedersen ftw

 

[Tonton]

Re: Re:

This is a good stage for an ambush. If someone is serious about trying to win the Giro (bar Dumo and Froome) should use the terrain. Lots of ups and downs, twists and turns (especially between -90 to -70) and, above all, narrow roads. I've heard that Pinot has made a recon of the 3 sicilian stages, my faith is with him. I hope fdj will put the hammer down on a random descent somewhere and surprise everybody.

Brambilla is one who could be good in the final but I have no idea about his form.

If FDJ attacks on a descent the only gc rider they will surprise is their own

Hence the huge element of surprise.

The true surprise will be when Pinot takes la Maglia Rosa in said attack.

Maglia Rossa no, but if well placed, I wouldn't discount him either. Even if it has been at the expense of his '16 ITT, '17 and '18 show him as a better puncher than he used to be, more explosive, see Alps. If the BOD doesn't take it, Tibopino stands a decent chance.Maybe not win, but every 6 or 4 seconds counts.

 

[WheelofGear]

Re:

Pedersen ftw

He has a fine sprint but he doesn't come off as a GVA-type to me. It's too punchy for him.

But I'd like to be surprised.

 

[42x16ss]

Ulissi, Haig, Betancur, Henao, Woods and Wellens are my main candidates. Chaves or Yates to surprise if they want to have a go.

 

[SHAD0W93]

Froome to crack, Pinot to show all the haters wrong and attack on the descent with Kreuziger. Kreuziger to take the stage and Pinot gets pink.


Most likely Ulissi will win.

 

[shalgo]

Woods to get his first GT stage win!

 

[rghysens]

Re: Re:

Finish looks really similar to the uphill sprint Gilbert won in 2015 with Contador coming in 2nd. But that was in the middle of the 2nd week, after a stage with bigger climbs than this and some horrible weather along the way.

And compared to that, the steepest pitch now is at 500 from the line, you can't launch there, that's way too early on a finish like this.

I don't think this will be one for where GC riders come out on top. It's not hard enough.

Seems very unlikely to be gaps at the front. Like you say, it’s not hard enough.

Well, it's harder than the finish in Rodez we had a couple of times in the Tour. And that had some gaps too. I do expect some (small) gaps between the favourites.

 

[gregrowlerson]

Re:

Froome to crack, Pinot to show all the haters wrong and attack on the descent with Kreuziger. Kreuziger to take the stage and Pinot gets pink.


Most likely Ulissi will win.

Yes, Roman Kreuziger will win this bike race.

 

[greenedge]

I'm going to go for Bilbao to win, Woods and Formolo as my 2nd/3rd options.

 

[SHAD0W93]

Re: Re:

Froome to crack, Pinot to show all the haters wrong and attack on the descent with Kreuziger. Kreuziger to take the stage and Pinot gets pink.


Most likely Ulissi will win.

Yes, Roman Kreuziger will win this bike race.

I wish, I think it was 2012 Giro that I said Kreuziger would win the overall and was laughed at, but a stage would be nice especially from all the work he has done for other people.

 

[HelloDolly]

If you look at the form so far you have to say Yates

Also Bilbao looks good ...but could be any of the Astana guys

 

[Valv.Piti]

Im going with Carapaz at 151!

 

[HelloDolly]

Also forgot to say on the form thing

José Goncalves ....he seems hungry to me and looking for pink

He was top 10 yesterday

 

[drebelo]

Re:

Also forgot to say on the form thing

José Goncalves ....he seems hungry to me and looking for pink

He was top 10 yesterday

That woud be awesome for the portuguese cycling fans. With probably the best times of Rui Costa past and with Ruben Guerreiro still not there yet the portuguese fans have lacking someone to cheer for.