How is this still not up right now, it's the best designed stage of the year???
I already feel pity on those in the peloton who will undergo some vintage Kazahk butchering
Astana to creathe chaos, havoc and annihalation. Groups will finish scattered, broken and riders will be crying for their mommies. Aru to try and dislodge Contador and fail. Small group to break free from the main contenders and contest the stage victory
Kreuziger and Rogers better be useful tomorrow
Stage 9: Benevento – S.Giorgio del Sannio 224 kms
Start time: 11:15, May 17th
Analysis:
Just before the rest day, a very tough and quite long hilly stage. Benevento and S.Giorgio del Sannio are very close to each other, so the peloton will take a long tour of the area. It's tricky from the get go, with lots of ups and down in the first 20 kms, which will probably favour a big battle for the breakaway. After that, a flat section and an uncategorized climb of roughly 10 kms at 4%, before the first obstacle of the day, the GPM2 Monte Terminio (20 kms at 4.2%). After its descent, another climb, the way more serious Colle Molella (GPM1, 9.5 kms at 6.3%), featuring 3 kms at 9.4 %. This climb is also known as Lago Laceno, which is the village that hosted already a few stage finishes (the last one in 2012). After the descent, the bunch will face two false flats, that rarely go over 5%, and then start climbing the key point of the stage: the GPM2 Passo Serra (3.6 kms at 8%). This is a very irregular climb, that features a central part of 2 kms at 9.4%. The pass tops at 12 kms to go. The descent ends around 5 kms to go, and after 2 kms uphill again at 5%, the road finally flattens out for the last 3 kms.
Expectations:
Tough to call. This comes just after the first gc battle, and before a rest day. I expect the breakaway to take it, but some of the big guys or the attackers could try to keep it together and attack on Passo Serra. It should be fun.
I already feel pity on those in the peloton who will undergo some vintage Kazahk butchering
Astana to creathe chaos, havoc and annihalation. Groups will finish scattered, broken and riders will be crying for their mommies. Aru to try and dislodge Contador and fail. Small group to break free from the main contenders and contest the stage victory
Kreuziger and Rogers better be useful tomorrow
Stage 9: Benevento – S.Giorgio del Sannio 224 kms


Start time: 11:15, May 17th
Analysis:
Just before the rest day, a very tough and quite long hilly stage. Benevento and S.Giorgio del Sannio are very close to each other, so the peloton will take a long tour of the area. It's tricky from the get go, with lots of ups and down in the first 20 kms, which will probably favour a big battle for the breakaway. After that, a flat section and an uncategorized climb of roughly 10 kms at 4%, before the first obstacle of the day, the GPM2 Monte Terminio (20 kms at 4.2%). After its descent, another climb, the way more serious Colle Molella (GPM1, 9.5 kms at 6.3%), featuring 3 kms at 9.4 %. This climb is also known as Lago Laceno, which is the village that hosted already a few stage finishes (the last one in 2012). After the descent, the bunch will face two false flats, that rarely go over 5%, and then start climbing the key point of the stage: the GPM2 Passo Serra (3.6 kms at 8%). This is a very irregular climb, that features a central part of 2 kms at 9.4%. The pass tops at 12 kms to go. The descent ends around 5 kms to go, and after 2 kms uphill again at 5%, the road finally flattens out for the last 3 kms.




Expectations:
Tough to call. This comes just after the first gc battle, and before a rest day. I expect the breakaway to take it, but some of the big guys or the attackers could try to keep it together and attack on Passo Serra. It should be fun.