Giro d'Italia Giro d'Italia 2022 route rumors

[Mayomaniac]

They'll just fear being tired for the ITT. I think ITTs force much more action if they happen before the mountain stages, not after.

I agree with you on that one.

 

[AlfaLum]

Absolutely Love it! All the ingredients to make it a fantastic race are there.

 

[Red Rick]

I agree with you on that one.

For me the main reason I hope for a really long ITT is idle hope it would lure in one Tom Dumoulin

 

[AlfaLum]

For me the main reason I hope for a really long ITT is idle hope it would lure in one Tom Dumoulin

Who could then loose the Giro to one Christopher Froome after a big coupe on the Passo San Pellegrino. Yeah that would be a nice spectacle to watch.

 

[Libertine Seguros]

Nothing wrong with the stages in a vacuum, but it certainly feels like there isn't a single true queen stage - just 3-4 stages that could have been queen stages. It's not like the climbs aren't hard, it's not like the stages aren't decent, but it just feels like, unless they were going to go with monoliths like the Stelvio, Gavia, San Marco or other 25-30km type climbs where 3 would be enough to cover a stage distance, there's just a handful of three-climb stages just crying out for one of them to be turned into a real queen stage. Now, I'm not saying all of them should be beefed up, but I do feel that one of the Cogne stage (add Tze Core, Saint-Panthaléon or Champremier before Pila), Aprica (add Trivigno before Teglio, Vivione before Mortirolo, Carona before Santa Cristina) or Fedaia (add Giau-Falzarego loop) could have been turned into the undisputed queen stage, with the others remaining unchanged and providing strong support.

The good news is, no unnecessarily short mountain stages, the pacing seems fine (the early mountain stages in particular know their role and are placed to succeed in it), Pordoi being the Cima Coppi will hopefully minimise the problem caused by having the steepest and most selective climb last on the final GC day (we have seen a few disappointing such stages in recent years where the jersey was already on the shoulders of the best climber in the race leading to a finale designed to be spectacular instead being a letdown, e.g. 2009 Ventoux in the Tour and 2014 Zoncolan in the Giro), while the Lavarone stage, albeit not as long, is giving me memories of this 7-hour festival of pajarás:

Also, of course, the one stage where I really have issues with the fundamentals is rather salvaged from the scrap heap because, at least for the moment, before Vegni the Treacherous betrays us again, it includes Fedaia.

FEDAIA!!!!!

 

[18-Valve. (pithy)]

very long like the rules allow for? or very long by recent GT standards?

there is that odd-looking semi-criterium stage in Napoli that could have been a TT if there was interest in having a race with a lot of ITT km

The former, but good point. I just don't see the point in releasing the profile of the ITT tomorrow then. They could have released it with the hilly and medium mountain stages on Tuesday (assuming it's quite hilly)

I hope Verona didn't pay extra for this.

 

[Netserk]

I think ~35 km is the maximum plausible length, 20 km is more likely.

 

[yaco]

I suspect there will be big gaps between the GC contenders, especially if the weather is poor which could make the final stage ITT redundant.

 

[Mayomaniac]

Nothing wrong with the stages in a vacuum, but it certainly feels like there isn't a single true queen stage - just 3-4 stages that could have been queen stages. It's not like the climbs aren't hard, it's not like the stages aren't decent, but it just feels like, unless they were going to go with monoliths like the Stelvio, Gavia, San Marco or other 25-30km type climbs where 3 would be enough to cover a stage distance, there's just a handful of three-climb stages just crying out for one of them to be turned into a real queen stage. Now, I'm not saying all of them should be beefed up, but I do feel that one of the Cogne stage (add Tze Core, Saint-Panthaléon or Champremier before Pila), Aprica (add Trivigno before Teglio, Vivione before Mortirolo, Carona before Santa Cristina) or Fedaia (add Giau-Falzarego loop) could have been turned into the undisputed queen stage, with the others remaining unchanged and providing strong support.

The good news is, no unnecessarily short mountain stages, the pacing seems fine (the early mountain stages in particular know their role and are placed to succeed in it), Pordoi being the Cima Coppi will hopefully minimise the problem caused by having the steepest and most selective climb last on the final GC day (we have seen a few disappointing such stages in recent years where the jersey was already on the shoulders of the best climber in the race leading to a finale designed to be spectacular instead being a letdown, e.g. 2009 Ventoux in the Tour and 2014 Zoncolan in the Giro), while the Lavarone stage, albeit not as long, is giving me memories of this 7-hour festival of pajarás:

Also, of course, the one stage where I really have issues with the fundamentals is rather salvaged from the scrap heap because, at least for the moment, before Vegni the Treacherous betrays us again, it includes Fedaia.

FEDAIA!!!!!

So you too still have found memories of Passo Cuddles, I mean Passo Coe.

 

[roundabout]

That 2002 stage was like the 2nd toughest (probably) stage of that edition. Which (tomorrow reveal pending) also had a lot more ITT km.

And I think the weather was a major factor that day as well.

 

[SafeBet]

Has this side of the Etna featured in previous Giri?

It has been featured but in different editions.
The first section a bit further up Ragalna was climbed in 2018. In that case they turned left, while in 2022 I think they will turn right and head towards Nicolosi.
The second part from Nicolosi to Rifugio Sapienza was climbed a number of times, most recently in 2019.

 

[Devil's Elbow]

The more I think about this route, the more it annoys me. Two stages separate it from a very good route and one more improvement would make it a great one, yet the final package is mediocre by Giro standards. All you need is a decent Aprica stage, a Dolomites stage that doesn't look like it was designed by Javier Guillen (or alternatively, stages 19 and 20 being flipped), and preferably also a 30-35k TT sneaked into the middle of the race (with the final TT identical to 2019), and certainly the first two of those are easy fixes - RCS could literally have copied past stages. It could have been an 8 or a 9 out of 10, now it's probably a 6 for me. I have a hard time thinking of any other GT where you could have kept all stage locations and added a full point to the overall route for each of the first three stages that you improve, let alone when the actual route isn't a Tour 2009-style disaster. It's such a waste, really.

 

[houtdffan]

The Tonale does not even count as a climb?

Having a sprint at the top of a cat 2 near the finish of a stage?

Do these guys even know what a climb is?

 

[Vesica]

Do I miss something? Fedaia is in the route, but no one mentioned "FEDAIAAA!!!!"? Is there's a glitch in the forum?

 

[greyclouds]

The more I think about this route, the more it annoys me. Two stages separate it from a very good route and one more improvement would make it a great one, yet the final package is mediocre by Giro standards. All you need is a decent Aprica stage, a Dolomites stage that doesn't look like it was designed by Javier Guillen (or alternatively, stages 19 and 20 being flipped), and preferably also a 30-35k TT sneaked into the middle of the race (with the final TT identical to 2019), and certainly the first two of those are easy fixes - RCS could literally have copied past stages. It could have been an 8 or a 9 out of 10, now it's probably a 6 for me. I have a hard time thinking of any other GT where you could have kept all stage locations and added a full point to the overall route for each of the first three stages that you improve, let alone when the actual route isn't a Tour 2009-style disaster. It's such a waste, really.

I actually quite like the route, assuming that the final ITT is in the region of 25 to 35km. Yes, it could be better with relatively small changes, and yes it's kind of missing a proper queen stage, but it allows for plenty of action across the route, and there's plenty of opportunities for the GC battle.

 

[Krzysztof_O]

Do I miss something? Fedaia is in the route, but no one mentioned "FEDAIAAA!!!!"? Is there's a glitch in the forum?

Cycling aside, the views that day will be amazing (if weather permits). Massifs of Agner, Civetta, Pala, Catinaccio, Sassolungo, Sella, Tofane, Mamolada. All within a few kilometers from the road.

 

[sir fly]

Now we only need a fitting field for these splendid mountains.

 

[Mayomaniac]

If you make the Napoli stage an ITT and switch the order of stage 19 and stage 20 it's a nice route.
A +50km ITT at the end would do wonders, I'd stop complaining about a lot of things (besides the order of the final 2 road stages).

 

[OlavEH]

Have there actually been a really good Dolomite stage after Gardaneccia in 2011? It feels like we usually are short-changed either due to bad weather and shortened stage (like Tre Cime in 13 and Cortina 20) or mediocre design. Or just not enough willingness to attack like the Cortina stage in 2012.

 

[Eshnar]

Have there actually been a really good Dolomite stage after Gardaneccia in 2011? It feels like we usually are short-changed either due to bad weather and shortened stage (like Tre Cime in 13 and Cortina 20) or mediocre design. Or just not enough willingness to attack like the Cortina stage in 2012.

Corvara 2016

 

[Red Rick]

Sappada 2018 was pretty well received for its design.

 

[OlavEH]

Corvara 2016

Was that really so good? I remember much better the mountain stages in the Western Alps from that year. Especially the two to Risoul and St Anna di Vinadio.

Sappada 2018 was pretty well received for its design.

Agree on this if that is considered to be a true Dolomite stage?

 

[ice&fire]

I'm so beyond words I can't find them to write a complain.
WTF is this?
The only mountain stage I can't fault is the Blockhaus one. The rest are a big meh.
If Veneto pays for Fedaia I don't see the need to go beyond Veneto borders for San Pellegrino + Pordoi when they could do Giau + Falzarego. Add Duran + Staulanza as starters.

Was that really so good? I remember much better the mountain stages in the Western Alps from that year. Especially the two to Risoul and St Anna di Vinadio.

If you are a Nibali fan, yes, the Western Alps were definitely much better.

 

[Mayomaniac]

Was that really so good? I remember much better the mountain stages in the Western Alps from that year. Especially the two to Risoul and St Anna di Vinadio.


Agree on this if that is considered to be a true Dolomite stage?

The main complain with the Corvara stage was the fact that there was a MTT the next day, many people feared that it would kinda neutralize that stage. Thank god the late Scarponi drilled the Giau and the first slopes of the Falzarego/Valparola for Nibali and the race was blown apart.
I remember people here bitching and moaning about the 2018 Sappada stage because it wasn't a proper Dolomites tappone and me defending it because 1. many of my training climbs got used on that one, 2. it was a great medium mountain stage design and 3. it was perfectly placed one day after the hard Zoncolan MTF and right before a rest day.

 

[Mayomaniac]

It has to be said that finding Italian Ski stations/resorts willing to pay for a mountain stage these days is really hard.
They weren't allowed to open during the last winter and even if things are looking better this year it's still not sure that everything will go well. Ski stations also still haven't gotten financial aid for having to stay close last winter (the deadline for sinding your request with all the documents is on the 18th) and many have made big investments into their infrastructure before the last winter, so they aren't exactly in a great position atm...