Giro d'Italia 2020, stage 19: Morbegno › Asti (258k)

[Max Rockatansky]

I changed the profil to the new one. I really like the idea of long stages in Grand Tours. But this? A seven hour snore fest? Or are there any chances of echelons?

Stage 19: Morbegno – Asti 258 km
Friday, October 23rd, 10:05 CEST

Technical Overview:
The longest stage of this edition comes on the last Friday and it’s a pan flat stage sandwiched between the two biggest mountain stages. The riders will go from Morbegno, in Valtellina, to Asti, at the foot of the Langhe hills, crossing the Po Valley again. The first intermediate sprint is in Vigevano, at km 145, while the second one is in Masio, at only 26 km from the finish.

What to expect:
A bunch sprint, if there are still sprinters left and teams willing to chase the break of the day, that otherwise will take an easy win. Everyone else will treat this just as a long transfer and will save any drop of energy for the last weekend.

Asti, Cathedral

 

[Red Rick]

I checked and I think sprinter teams have a tendency to hate ride the last flat stage in a GT and just do 45 kph average for no real reason.

 

[yaco]

What a waste of a stage - This could have 158 km - Just like having 3 ITT's when you could have done 2 ITT's with the same mileage.

 

[Escarabajo]

258 km??
Lol. I will only watch the highlights anyway.

 

[Amazinmets87]

I used to like the idea of long stages (particularly in inclement weather) as they may fatigue the lightweight climbing specialists and lead to more excitement in the mountains. These days I believe it has little to no effect, rendering long, pan flat stages useless.

 

[Breh]

Finally the wait is over!

 

[fbjim]

It's time to chill and look at Italian food.

 

[DoYouEvenRideBruh]

If this had been any other kind of stage I would have been excited for the Giro to go through my area near Como. But... yeah. I'll stay at home

 

[Red Rick]

Finally a stage with the length that suits Nibali

 

[fbjim]

What a waste of a stage - This could have 158 km - Just like having 3 ITT's when you could have done 2 ITT's with the same mileage.

what would the difference be? it'd still be a rolling rest day with a likely sprint finish! like you don't have to watch all 260K lol

 

[SafeBet]

On top of everything weather will be terrible tomorrow.

 

[Red Rick]

On top of everything weather will be terrible tomorrow.

The King is dead

Long live the king

The Voodoo lives on.

 

[Eclipse]

Trek TTT when Kelderman pulls over for a leak

(the real tragedy of course is that we get both this and a flat day in the Vuelta and thus despite have 2 GT's running simultaneously we're left begging the weather gods for something to watch)

 

[richwallone]

Sagan FTW He is clearly thinking about it today during the climb

https://twitter.com/x/status/1319348294317953025

View: https://twitter.com/petosagan/status/1319348294317953025

 

[Devil's Elbow]

Trek TTT when Kelderman pulls over for a leak

(the real tragedy of course is that we get both this and a flat day in the Vuelta and thus despite have 2 GT's running simultaneously we're left begging the weather gods for something to watch)

I didn't know the French regional governments were deities.

 

[SafeBet]

Trek TTT when Kelderman pulls over for a leak

I'm pretty sure Kelderman would bring it back even on his own considering Trek's level in this Giro.

 

[memyselfandI]

So it's Ineos and DQS and Bora attacking from the start as long as they can escape without Sunweb.

Ganna day

 

[Red Rick]

I'm pretty sure Kelderman would bring it back even on his own considering Trek's level in this Giro.

Don't underestimate Tony's 50W/liter of rain buff

 

[Samu Cuenca]

Movistar will attack with their whole squad, but still lose out to the ninth man in the break.

 

[richwallone]

So it's Ineos and DQS and Bora attacking from the start as long as they can escape without Sunweb.

Ganna day

Ganna isn’t going anyway tomorrow... Together with Rohan, and the rest of INEOS, they’ll be shepherding Tao safely away to the finish, without losing any time to Sunweb.

 

[JosefK]

No crosswinds expected, I suppose?

 

[richwallone]

I think it’ll be mostly Sunweb controlling the peloton, and their top 2 spots, FDJ maybe helping a little, if Demare is feeling great tomorrow... Sagan is probably be on his own throughout the day, Bora won’t commit anybody to help him much. They are focusing on Konrad now... Hopefully, he can score an opportunistic win in the end... Too flat for a breakaway, unless the GC teams decide on a truce tomorrow and rest for the stage 20.

 

[SafeBet]

No crosswinds expected, I suppose?

It seems unlikely. There might be some wind on the lake but it's very very far from the finish. It would take an incredible effort, and at this point I don't believe any team would commit.

 

[The Barb]

For those interested in a bet, I feel strongly that the market is wrong on this one. It is priced as though it's highly likely to be a sprint finish, which I think is very unlikely. FDJ will get little or no assistance (why chase to give another win to Demare) and 258km in bad weather is too much for the 5 remaining FDJ domestiques. Also Demare leads Sagan in the points competition so FDJ may well be happy to let the break take the points rather than risk that something goes wrong with Demare and Sagan can close right up in the points comp.

It's a day to spec some really long odds riders. Preferably someone with a big engine on a day the weather could make pretty hard . Sobrero and Cerny two good options.

So yes, I agree it's a boring stage overall but at least the first and last half hour should be ok.

 

[luckyboy]

No crosswinds expected, I suppose?

They will bring the RAI helicopter pilot who knocked Wackermann out of the race to ride next to the peloton at random times.