Giro d'Italia Stage 20: Bormio - Passa del Tonale (178km)

[Sasquatch]

Liquigas have no reason to put the hammer down tomorrow early. They can't till the Gavia. The break has a good chance of staying away. Liquigas should make the other teams work on the early climbs and they'll destroy the peloton that way.

 

[Aus_Orca]

Firstly, Moondance many thanks mate for these you are clearly way ahead in the GC
Secondly I really hoped Evans could win, but when i looked at the final week i didn't see it as being possible. He is a great allrounder, but when the climbs really kick he just doesn't have that raw climbing ability like Basso and Nibali and Co. What he has done though is represent and honour the rainbow jersey like never before and i commend the man for that (even if he does have a squeaky voice ). Hopefully maybe he can sneak onto the podium, but either way a stage win and being up the front the whole time with little support is a great effort.
Thirdly, Basso to ram the result home tonight and make tomorrows TT a victory procession, well done Basso and benefit of the doubt that you have changed your ways and the win is clean........maybe you and Nibali can give Bertie a hard time during the tour!!!
Finally...........ACF after you've wiped the tears away at least you can be happy with the fight cuddles put up, he did the jersey and us aussies proud!!!

 

[dsut4392]

seconded

...

At me to the list of folk who say "thank you" for the thread starters Moondance. Appreciated.

And me. What's your paypal address Moondance, I'd like to buy you a beer? (seriously - PM me).

This forum should keep you in beer until the tour!

 

[Ashtabula]

I'd like to the add my own thanks for these threads, and the convenient way they've been laid out with profiles, and the timing of them, so that we could start thinking forward just as the teams must do.

I see the interview with Vino on the news thread, where he says he disagreed with Arroyo about waiting for Sastre, Gadret and Evans and thinks they could have caught the leaders had the two of them just gone about it. And how, again, Vino is hoping for bad weather, and just might get his wish.

 

[Sasquatch]

If there is a selected group Gavia, then Nibali might descend himself to stage victory.

 

[Spare Tyre]

Moondance, your thread starters have become a very pleasurable part of the Giro routine for me. Loved your appreciation of history, landscape, culture and cycling.

Thanks so much.

 

[movingtarget]

Stage 20

Great job Moondance. Evans and Vino looked great at the end of the first 10days but have gradually slid backwards since. Sastre obviously came into the race underdone and Evans and Vino peaked too early. Basso and his team deserve to be where they are on GC. Their domestiques have been incredible on the mountain stages. Scarponi has been very consistent. Porte is a talent with a big future and Arroyo has been great. From an armchair point of view this Giro has been much superior to last year's TDF for drama and unpredictability and even for the route.

I am expecting that the route for next year's Giro will be something unusual again. Maybe long time trials and no team time trial ? I hope stage 20 is not cut short. Should be great viewing. Good to see Evans, Vino and Sastre all return for the Giro again next year along with maybe Menchov, Gesink and Mick Rogers and Samuel Sanchez. Evans will be disappointed again but you can't say he doesn't give it 100%. As one of the previous respondents stated, Evans should target the Giro/Vuelta next year but maybe that will not be an option for him as the TDF is the high profile race for the sponsors.

 

[hamperium]

hell of a ride today in the giro
basso will be the best
http://www.flickr.com/photos/hamperium_espana/4591534916/

hopefully the young dutch riders mollema and kruijswijk will be as good as they were this giro
http://www.flickr.com/photos/hamperium_espana/4591564084/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/hamperium_espana/4590934203/

 

[TourOfSardinia]

10:30 local time - final decision on route

According to what I heard on the RAI it won't be until 10:30 AM that we know if it's plan A, B or C for today's stage.

 

[craig1985]

Yeah thanks to Moondance. Top work bro.

 

[Frosty]

No webcam for the gavia but there is for the stelvio - no snow falling as i type this

http://www.webcam.valtline.it/stelviopassog.htm

As to my predictions, i originally went for Evans which looks like a mistake now. However, im a bit gutted as i was close to putting a tenner on Basso at 18-1(!) after the day of that big break away but didnt. Always thought that a few of the top guys would get the time back.

I think Liquigas will start going at it early today. Their main targets to drop are Arroyo and Scarponi (for Nibali) and Porte (for Kiserkovski). Quite how they drop Scarponi i dont know as he will be marking Nibali. If Scarponi is stronger then a fast pace may result in Scarponi taking time off Nibali come the end.

Matt Lloyd is second in the KoM so id imagine he will be in the break. Simoni, Moncoutie, Moreno and Martin are other names to look for in the break. Garzelli could look to have another go. He sat up once caught yesterday and finished 23 minutes back. Dont think the break will survive past half way up the Gavia though.

 

[Mellow Velo]

Rai Sport shedules is now showing unbroken Giro coverage from it's morning show, on.
Of course, this will include a lot of chat, but it does look like we are in for the whole stage. Those of us lucky enough to get RS of course.

 

[craig1985]

Looks like another blood both. Zomengen is a monster!

 

[theswordsman]

I don't know if RAI Due has the same deal, but right now they're showing the last 7 Km from Friday.
http://www.justin.tv/brudus2111

 

[Mellow Velo]

It's on. No change!
G d Sport news ticker:
# 10:20 Tour of Italy: path remains unchanged for 20th stage.

cima coppi is go!

ORE 10 "Now it's sunny, the road is passable" sweet words this morning from the top of the Gavia for organizers and cycling enthusiasts. The Tappone the Tour of Italy, as expected, with Forcola Livigno Passo Eira, Foscagno pass and Passo Gavia and Passo Tonale with arrival will regularly. The decision was made this morning by the organizers as the weather conditions are favorable (see photo). In fact, even the arrival time is variable, when tending to beautiful. The departure is set in Bormio at 12.20.

 

[Stelvio]

Yes!

Looks like a sunny day, Vino might not like it.

9 am today, from Gazzetta.

 

[Zoncolan]

Great news!
Look at that snow
Cunego ftw

 

[icefire]

Here is a webcam from Santa Caterina Valfurva looking up to the monster:

http://www.webcam.valtline.it/valfurvadbg.htm

 

[Magnus]

Personally, my predictions for the giro were mostly awesome. On my Feltet.dk manager team (riders costs different amounts of virtual money, buy all before race and no changes) I've got Matthew Lloyd, Richie Porte, Marco Pinotti, Bauke Mollema, John Gadret, Pozzato, Henderson and, sadly, Sastre. All of which have performed amazingly in the giro, except from the guy I spent more than half my money on, Sastre. If I had Basso on my team instead of Sastre I would've most likely have been 1. and won a solid pair of Zipp wheels!

I'm doing pretty good as well: I've got Moreno, Pozzato, Bonnet, Scarponi, Vino, Rabon, Uran, Pinotti, Duque.
I probably should have gone for Porte instead of Rabon though

 

[jens_attacks]

Looks like a sunny day, Vino might not like it.

don't worry,the weather changes out there really quickly.vino will attack anyway i guess.

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

I just noticed Footon Servetto is in this race. I didn't even notice them participating in 3 weeks

 

[Carl0880]

don't worry,the weather changes out there really quickly.vino will attack anyway i guess.

I completely expect to see Vino attack and where he attacks will suggest his ambitions. If he attacks on the Gavia, then he thinks he has a chance for Podium. If he waits till the final climb, then he is mainly thinking stage win.

I dont know if we are going to quite get the same ending as yesterday. If i saw a climb profile right, Gavis is mostly made up of 7 and 8 percent grade average per Km, maybe one or 2 with averages around 10, this would favor a little more to the power climbers i.e. Vino.

After reading about Basso descending skills, maybe we might see shades of 2005 where Savodelli used his descending skills on the first major mountain stage to open up a gap to help him stay with Basso on the final climb, then the last mtn stage allowed him to close down a gap to Gibo to win him the Giro. I can see Arroyo using his skills to stay on the podium or maybe even a kamikaze attack on Gavia to pull off the big surprise. Should be a fun stage

 

[icefire]

Arroyo attacking going up is as likely as Basso attacking going down. Arroyo climbs with his eyes on his heart rate monitor. And that got him yesterday a better result than anyone expected. He just wasn't lucky with his choice to wait for those who were just behind him.

 

[craig1985]

So they're still doing the Gavia.

 

[Eyeballs Out]

Gadret to get a much deserved stage win today