Giro d'Italia 2018 stage 6: Caltanissetta - Etna 164 km

[Gigs_98]

STAGE 6: Caltanissetta – Etna 164 km

May 10th

Technical Overview:
The Giro comes back to the Etna for the second year in a row, using yet another new road. From the town of Caltanissetta the peloton will face the now usual rolling terrain for pretty much the whole stage, which does not present any really tough gradient until the volcano approaches. The ascent has a first sector that is little more than a long false flat, with 14.5 km at 3.4% average. After around 5 km of descending false flat, the second and final sector starts. The Etna (GPM1, 15 km at 6.5%) is tackled from a totally new road, and is to be climbed up until the Osservatorio Astrofisico, instead of Rifugio Sapienza (which is a bit higher and could have been still reached, since the road does connect with the usual one). The official start of the climb is in Ragalna, but the sector starts almost 4 km earlier at roughly the same gradient, so that the overall numbers of the climb should be almost 19 km at 6.5%. A very respectable climb, either way. It is quite irregular, the hardest ramps reaching 15% and featuring many easier sections. The key ramp is at 5.2 km to go, with 0.5 km at 12% while the last 1.5 km are almost a false flat.

Final km

The Climbs:
Etna (GPM1, 15 km at 6.5%)
There you have it, a profile! After a bunch of GPM4 we hit the jackpot with a GPM1. The Etna is a very famous climb of course, but this side has never been ridden. Supposedly, the final 5.5 are on quite narrow roads. Should give a much different impression than the ascent of 2017. Hopefully.

What to Expect:
On a climb like this we have to expect at least a big selection among the GC guys. If there are attacks, they have to be between 5 and 3 to go, so if there's wind it's unlikely anybody will try, like last year...

Monte Etna

 

[DNP-Old]

The revenge tour for 31 starts here.

 

[staubsauger]

Pozzovivo wins and takes the pink jersey on Mount Etna!

Otherwise, watch out for Simon P. Yates!

 

[Laplaz]

Gaps won't be huge imo. There could be rain but it's far from sure. Pinot vs. S. Yates for the stage win!

 

[Gigs_98]

I absolutely can't wait. I'm always super hyped for the first mountain stage of a gt, but while very often this hype is unjustified and ends in a huge disappointment I think this time the stage will be just as good as I hope. Froome looked bad again today, so the other gc contenders can't possibly not use this opportunity. Moreover while last year the time gaps before the Etna stage were minimal, this year the top gc contenders are already separated by over a minute. I doubt someone like Lopez will let this possibility go without trying to gain time (if he feels good)

And I haven't even touched on the fact that the wind won't be as problematic as last year, that the side of the climb is better and that there might be rain. This has to be great, right?

 

[May0maniac]

From what I've seen on TV and on Google Maps this ascent of the Etna has trees alongside the road and is more sheltered from the wind.

 

[Rollthedice]

Lopez has to attack, Vino's letter will be received tomorrow morning.

 

[ferryman]

A s t a n a will go mental tomorrow. Sit down, grab a cold one and enjoy MAL doing his thing. Oh my, can't wait

 

[Dazed and Confused]

Preidler will win this from a break.

 

[staubsauger]

Astana's Giro is already over. Lopez is way too vulnerable and they've already killed their second card Jan Hirt. They really need a big resurrection of MAL to save their corsa rosa.

 

[Dazed and Confused]

Astana should tank the next few stages and go stage hunting later.

 

[Laplaz]

Re:

Astana's Giro is already over. Lopez is way too vulnerable and they've already killed their second card Jan Hirt. They really need a big resurrection of MAL to save their corsa rosa.

They still have their 3rd card, Tanel Kangert.

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

the 1st big mountain finish is usually a total stinker so i have low expectations

edit: would like to add PLEASE NO MASS FALL like last year. Because that always takes out 2/3 huge protagonists.. and the GC field is already pretty thin

 

[masking_agent]

i'm predicting Froome to lose even more time to Dumoulin which seals his bid officially for the 2018 Giro title.

 

[staubsauger]

Re: Re:

Astana's Giro is already over. Lopez is way too vulnerable and they've already killed their second card Jan Hirt. They really need a big resurrection of MAL to save their corsa rosa.

They still have their 3rd card, Tanel Kangert.

Gosh, no. Astana using it's strength to reel back in Ciccone during last week's mountain stages, so Kangert finishes 7th instead of 9th would be atrocious!

 

[May0maniac]

Pozzovivo to go full Robo Basso.

 

[Frankschleck]

Think this will come down to a 10 rider sprint. I wanna go with Schaachmann.

 

[GraftPunk]

I'm sort of feeling Pinot for this one, but as mentioned earlier in the thread there are too many variables to have a really clear choice. I do agree, however, that Froome will probably ship more time off to his rivals.

 

[Sestriere]

First mountain top finish the Giro can only mean one thing: Jan Polanc for the win!

Also, it will be interesting to see how Schachmann goes on a long climb.

 

[Ivan_Basso_77]

Finally, the first MTF in the Giro. Every year I look forward to that day. Really hope that there will be no headwind.
And if there is no headwind indeed... Domenico to unleash hell and get pink as a reward. :razz:

 

[pink_jersey]

Group sprint contested by the likes of Yates, Pinot, Formolo and Pozzovivo, Lopez, Dumoulin, Chaves and Aru to be there as well. Froome some 20s back driven home by Poels.

 

[LaFlorecita]

Tibopino or Formolo for the win

 

[Red Rick]

The Etna might be more significant for the Tour than for the Giro.

 

[Frankschleck]

Just wanted to point out Valls might be able to do a good giro this year. In the GC.

 

[Pantani_lives]

This is something for explosive climbers. I expect Pozzovivo and perhaps Pinot or Aru to wait for the final 5K, but then... Eruption! One or two wannabe GC contenders are going to lose time.