Giro d'Italia Stage 3: Amsterdam-Middelburg (209km)

[Moondance]

Pancake flat again. But along the Dutch coast there is always wind... But having checked the predictions online, the wind will be pretty mild. Only 2-3 on the Beaufort scale, blowing in a South-westerly direction, so in the back of the peleton. Will be a fast stage with potential breakups highly possible. I say Goss takes a messy stage & sprint.

 

[issoisso]

This is Holland. I DEMAND WOODEN SHOES DAMN IT

 

[kjetilraknerud]

If Columbia actually has a train in the final kilometers, unlike today, Greipel takes this.

 

[Jamsque]

Once again the run-in is a narrow road with plenty of furniture, we'll probably see more crashes and splits.

 

[Moondance]

This is Holland. I DEMAND WOODEN SHOES DAMN IT

 

[issoisso]

Better.


I'll go get Don Quixote to fight the windmills

 

[Moondance]

Better.


I'll go get Don Quixote to fight the windmills

I actually own a pair of clogs... Flame me all you want

 

[Cobblestones]

At 152 km, elevation gets up to 8m.

Here's the profile of the stage:

__________________________________________________________

(I always wanted to do that).

 

[Francois the Postman]

At 152 km, elevation gets up to 8m.

Here's the profile of the stage:

__________________________________________________________

(I always wanted to do that).

Mind the gap.

 

[Mellow Velo]

Seems like they will have a helpful north wind. I don't see where it can cause damage, from the route map.

 

[Jamsque]

That map doesn't have the same route on it as the one in the OP. I don't know what to believe any more!

 

[krebs303]

That map doesn't have the same route on it as the one in the OP. I don't know what to believe any more!

"When in doubt believe in unicorns"
Krebs on purple microdot at Grateful dead concert

 

[Moondance]

That map doesn't have the same route on it as the one in the OP. I don't know what to believe any more!

Hmmm... I pulled mine from the CN page. Mellow took his from the Gazzetta site... I'll believe the Gazzetta over CN every day of the week.

 

[The Sheep]

Once again the run-in is a narrow road with plenty of furniture, we'll probably see more crashes and splits.

Should be less of that tomorrow, especially if there will be waaiers.

 

[Mellow Velo]

Should be less of that tomorrow, especially if there will be waaiers.

Ah, but will there be?
I can see only two significant "possibles", with a Northerly and the obvious spot looks too early.
Kms 180 to 195 seems the best bet.
(I don't know which map is accurate. It wouldn't be the Giro if we did.)

 

[Bernardus]

On the second to last day the riders will face the Cima Coppi, the highest point of the Giro, on top of the Gavia.
Tomorrow the riders will meet the lowest point of the route. In the Haarlemmermeer polder they will be 6 meters below sea level. I will name it the Cima Zoetemelk.

Both Zoetemelk and Coppi of course faced very difficult times during their careers. Coppi had to suffer through the Second Wold War. Zoetemelk suffered through the careers of Merckx and Hinault.

(also Zoetemelk was born about 10 miles south of the lowest point)

 

[Aapjes]

This is Holland. I DEMAND WOODEN SHOES DAMN IT

I saw a guy with wooden shoes on a bike during a ride last week. Somehow I feel that a real Flandrien should train with wooden shoes. Or Kenny van Hummel.

 

[Cobblestones]

Mind the gap.

Huh, I don't know where that came from. Here's my attempt of the PR profile:

mmmmmm________mmmmmmm______mmmmmmmm______mmmmm

 

[issoisso]

On the second to last day the riders will face the Cima Coppi, the highest point of the Giro, on top of the Gavia.
Tomorrow the riders will meet the lowest point of the route. In the Haarlemmermeer polder they will be 6 meters below sea level. I will name it the Cima Zoetemelk.

Both Zoetemelk and Coppi of course faced very difficult times during their careers. Coppi had to suffer through the Second Wold War. Zoetemelk suffered through the careers of Merckx and Hinault.

(also Zoetemelk was born about 10 miles south of the lowest point)

Why not Cima Kirsipuu. He was good downhill

(Especially when there were no corners involved)

Bit of an oxymoron. "Cima" means top or peak, after all

 

[Tugboat]

The grand total of 20m climbing over 209km is going to be tough going for the sprinters. Could be a day for the pure climbers to come to the fore...

...with that in mind, my pick for the stage is Henderson. Surely he used all his crash bad luck up yesterday.

 

[Anonymous]

Hmmm... I pulled mine from the CN page. Mellow took his from the Gazzetta site... I'll believe the Gazzetta over CN every day of the week.

this is the one i pulled from gazetta about a month ago

profile is very exciting..

I do assume there is a bridge towards the end of the stage

 

[Cobblestones]

this is the one i pulled from gazetta about a month ago

profile is very exciting..

I do assume there is a bridge towards the end of the stage

Maybe they have to wait for low tide? Could be messed up if there's an escape.

 

[Anonymous]

Maybe they have to wait for low tide? Could be messed up if there's an escape.

or a causeway..

I love a good cobbled causeway with the tide coming in..

(i cant find video anywhere of the infamous '99 passage du gois - but apparently its BACK FOR 2011)

 

[Moose McKnuckles]

Causeway + salt water piranhas = excellent stage

 

[El Imbatido]

The grand total of 20m climbing over 209km is going to be tough going for the sprinters. Could be a day for the pure climbers to come to the fore...

...with that in mind, my pick for the stage is Henderson. Surely he used all his crash bad luck up yesterday.

Yeah i heard some of the GC men were gonna put on a compact crankset because of the severity of the climb It is gonna be epic!