Giro d'Italia Stage 14: Ferrara - Asolo (205km)

[Moondance]

Although the GC has been hectic until now, the fun only truly starts today. As the Giro stands to enter a hellish final week. Before the Dolomites must be tamed in all their glory, a final taster is on the books today as the peloton will hit the Monte Grappa in the Venetian Prealpi.

At almost 20km in length and with 1450m worth of height gain, it will punish all the GC favorites. While normally I'd say that the GC favorites will not be looking to push too hard with the devastatingly horrid Zoncolan stage tomorrow, men like Basso, Evans, Nibali and Vino have to choice but to pounce on every chance that is offered. If the want to win they must attack, and attack hard. Will Porte break? Is Sastre recovered and ready to duke it out. What will Tondo do, work for himself or for Sastre? Does Arroyo's form hold up? We will get at least a partial answer tomorrow, and most importantly we will know what the narrative of the incredible Giro will be going into the final week.

 

[nvpacchi]

oooh idk its no Big Bear Lake

I have a hunch the Italians complete the trifecta- Cunego for the win in a bunch spring of the main GC favs.

 

[maltiv]

Looks like a typical TDF stage from the profile

Yet I'm sure watching it will be far more entertaining...

 

[trompe le monde]

Missed today's stage, won't miss tomorrow, definitely will not miss Sunday.

This would be a good Jens Voigt stage, if Jens were in Italy. Shame Euskaltel aren't at the Giro as this may have been a good stage for Amets Txurruka to get his first win. Ah, what could have been....

Voeckler for the win, because I want a Bbox stage victory and I currenty lack the imagination to pick anyone else.

 

[nvpacchi]

Shame Euskaltel aren't at the Giro as this may have been a good stage for Amets Txurruka to get his first win. Ah, what could have been....

Wholeheartedly agree, his time will come

 

[Michele]

Could it be Pozzovivo day?
He's far from the GC guys and as said many contenders for the Maglia Rosa might be controlling each other.
Or Arroyo might try to get it for 1 day?

 

[RedheadDane]

Voeckler for the win, because I want a Bbox stage victory and I currenty lack the imagination to pick anyone else.

Arashiro! Though... I don't think he's a climber so, not very likely...

 

[killswitch]

Could it be Pozzovivo day?
He's far from the GC guys and as said many contenders for the Maglia Rosa might be controlling each other.
Or Arroyo might try to get it for 1 day?

Pozzovivo abandoned today.

Oscuro Italiano to win and to make it three in a row for the Italians.

 

[Barrus]

Could it be Pozzovivo day?
He's far from the GC guys and as said many contenders for the Maglia Rosa might be controlling each other.
Or Arroyo might try to get it for 1 day?

Pozzovivo is out if I'm correct

 

[kjetilraknerud]

One of the Liquigas guys should attack early, as Liquigas seems to be the only team able to actually chase.

 

[Jamsque]

I think Liquigas and Caisse will turn up the pressure on the climb to try and drop Porte, and who knows where the attacks will come from. Evans, Vino, Sastre, Cunego, anyone from Liquigas, Garzelli, Scarponi, the list goes on...

 

[jonjungel]

Looks like a typical TDF stage from the profile

Yet I'm sure watching it will be far more entertaining...

The TdF would have run it in the opposite direction.

 

[auscyclefan94]

I think it will be interesting to see how much porte loses (if he's going to lose) and to see how wiggo and sastre go. Can't wait.

 

[DenisMenchov]

So here`s what I think: hard racing from Liquigas 40 or 50km from the ascent then Basso or Nibali attack, or maybe even Kiserlovski but I doubt it. Attacker will probably have company in Evans, Sastre,Vino or some other GC contender.

Now here is how it will go on:

IF Porte can`t follow they will kill themself to maximaze the gap.
If Porte can follow probably just sit and ride with him so they can fight another day. With Sunday being that day.

 

[karlboss]

Considering the finish there is no incentive for anyone to kill themselves going up, until someone like porte or arroyo cracks. Breakaways aside, the favourites will hit the top with 10 guys and work together to the finish, to put pressure on the aforementioned. Cadel needs to keep it in his pants and not panic about the past days, no point getting to the top a minute ahead and being caught going down. Maybe 10 seconds ahead so guys need to race hard and catchup.

I'd like to see liquigas and columbia send guys up the road to help on the way down.

 

[taiwan]

Managed to post the climb detail.

 

[auscyclefan94]

last few k's seem hard. i recon vino may go backwards

 

[the vagabond]

This is the kind of the stage where you lose nothing or everything. There will be a decent-sized group together at the finish. One or two of the newbie top 10 (e.g., Gerdemann) and perhaps one of the so-called faves (maybe a Sastre or possibly even Evans) will get distanced and not come back and be out of the race. But overall it won't be decisive except as minor attrition. This is the stage to try to eliminate a rider or two, not to gain time for yourself.

 

[blaxland]

last few k's seem hard. i recon vino may go backwards

Not only Vino but i also see arroyo/Porte/Sastre loosing about 1 minute....
1st=Evans
2nd=Basso/Nibali
3rd=Gerdemann
(Evans,Nibali,Gerdemann are all great decenders,going over the top of the climb with 30to40 seconds advantage.Then stretching it out to 1 minute by the finish and Cadel winning the sprint and his second stage.

 

[hfer07]

This stage is aim to check the climbing legs & reveal who's going to survive the massacre of the final week. I foresee the Liquigas crew testing the waters in the big climb-perhaps forcing a split that could select the pretenders from the real candidates-but the GT riders will keep in mind that Sunday is the moment of truth. the stage once again will be won by someone from a small group breaking away early in the stage, while the GT guys watch each other until the bottom of the climb.

 

[eljimberino]

Dont think it really matters what happens here. Just test to the long term form and ambitions of Sastre and Wiggans.

 

[karlboss]

i think many of us are seeing this similarly, not much to gain, something to lose...but we are forgetting this is the giro 2010. So it will rain, and something unexpected will happen.

 

[Ferminal]

The second half seems pretty tough, apart from a k of flat stuff.

There will be attacks off the top, for sure. The descent is long enough, only 15km of flat, straight racing at the bottom, not enough for a bigger group to claw back a gap on 1-5 riders.

Garzelli, Scarponi and Cuddles the main candidates for attack/win - if they don't attack here they have no hope for the GC.

A shame that the finish doesn't continue around to the little bump in Asolo.

 

[aarnold517]

anyone know how technical the descent is? could see nibali going away on the descent for the stage win kinda like samu has done in the vuelta in years past

 

[benpounder]

anyone know how technical the descent is?

It is not, but it is long and fast - a solo rider would get eaten up.