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Grand Tours 2010: Stage of the year.

Page 3 - Get up to date with the latest news, scores & standings from the Cycling News Community.

What was the best Grand Tour stage of 2010?

  • Vuelta a España Stage 20- San Martín de Valdeiglesias to Bola del Mundo, 172.1 km

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Jun 15, 2009
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Oh yes, the giro was one of the greatest GT´s i ever saw (i watch since a young kid; beginning with the Friedensfahrt early 80´s, and TdF in 1986).

I wonder why Zomegan gets so much critics for his design of the Giros. He makes ´em tough. He enjoys us fans (Zoncolan, Kronplatz, 60 km-TT´s etc.).

May hitch makes a poll about the greatest GT´s ever?
 
FoxxyBrown1111 said:
Oh yes, the giro was one of the greatest GT´s i ever saw (i watch since a young kid; beginning with the Friedensfahrt early 80´s, and TdF in 1986).

I wonder why Zomegan gets so much critics for his design of the Giros. He makes ´em tough. He enjoys us fans (Zoncolan, Kronplatz, 60 km-TT´s etc.).

May hitch makes a poll about the greatest GT´s ever?

Well the maximum options is 10 so i would need a shortlist from the experts (those who know races going back to coppi and tha ba- something dude)
 
Mar 11, 2009
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The Hitch said:
Well the maximum options is 10 so i would need a shortlist from the experts (those who know races going back to coppi and tha ba- something dude)

That's a cool one.
I nominate the 1948 Tour de France.
So hard Briek Schotte came in second. :)

/edit:
History always seems better than it was off course.
Just imagine reading about an old TDF where the numbers 1 & 2 were within a minute in the end, the contenders tested each other on a hellish cobble ride early in the race, there was a historic 2 man battle for 10km on the Tourmalet and a gear shifting error on those old derailleurs made a great impact on the GC. The final time trial was a game of seconds, the #2 even took back some time in the first part!

Doesn't that sound like a TDF you would cherish forever ;)
 
Jun 15, 2009
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The Hitch said:
Well the maximum options is 10 so i would need a shortlist from the experts (those who know races going back to coppi and tha ba- something dude)

That´s my problem. I can only go back to 1986.
So i´d offer 1987 (several lead changes, Roche under oxygen mask, Roche overtakes yellow from Delgado on next to last stage)
1989 (the famous 8 seconds)
1997 (Ullrich destroyes the whole field, starting with the Arcalis-Stage)
2003 (The duell between Ullrich and Armstrong)

I didn´t watch many giros (but i should have). The 2010 edition was great. The best GT since 2003...
 
ak-zaaf said:
That's a cool one.
I nominate the 1948 Tour de France.
So hard Briek Schotte came in second. :)

/edit:
History always seems better than it was off course.
Just imagine reading about an old TDF where the numbers 1 & 2 were within a minute in the end, the contenders tested each other on a hellish cobble ride early in the race, there was a historic 2 man battle for 10km on the Tourmalet and a gear shifting error on those old derailleurs made a great impact on the GC. The final time trial was a game of seconds, the #2 even took back some time in the first part!

Doesn't that sound like a TDF you would cherish forever ;)
Nicely done ;)

Dont forget the wink, that the eventual winner was able to, with his last ounce of strenght, give to his opponent, to taunt him into submission which eventually won him the race.

And dont you dare forget that this was a race so brutal, that it destroyed the great super 7 time champion- eventually beaten by one of the monsters of world cycling. He was once the king of the Alpe Sestrier and the Tourmalet but even he couldnt conquer the epic Morzine Avorias. So difficult, he fell of his bike 3 times in his heroic attempts to climb it. :rolleyes:
 
Jun 22, 2009
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Figures you go for magpies, biggest scum bag fans going around :p (they really are filthy though). Also I doubt you have watched the 20 past years :p This is not the first time the giro have tried something different, t'is a great race.

@joy

KBK generally wouldn't compete, but this years edition was something else. It was truly warrior-like. Terrible terrible weather, anyone who finished deserved a medal (there weren't many)
 
i have just watched the climb to zoncolan on youtube for the 3rd time this week. i just can't get enough of it.


Scanuppia_-_Malga_Palazzo_profile.jpg



when will we get to see this one in the giro?

p.s. i think i should add this one. the story of some1 who did climb it on climbbyike.com

Story by jeroen from Breda, Holland, submitted on 12/1/2006Scanuppia is said to be the hardest/steepest climb in Europe, and I think it is. This statements sais it all: "I needs to be said, that if you really have to go over you fysical abilities, that's where the fun ends".
So i did Scanuppia last year (as well as number 4 in the list of hardest climbs, Nebelhorn). It was an experience Scanuppia is said to be the hardest/steepest climb in Europe, and I think it is!

This statements says it all: "I needs to be said, that if you really have to go over you physical abilities, thats where the fun ends". So I did Scanuppia last year (as well as number 4 in the list of hardest climbs, Nebelhorn). It was an experience Ill never -ever- forget.

I had been doing some interesting climbs in Europe and came upon a picture of a photo saying: 45%. This triggered me so much, I printed the picture put it on my desk and started finding out about this climb. In the overal indexes famous mountains like Montirolo is placed number 29 (average of 10,55), Stelvio (9%) only number 89, and Ventoux (not so hard after all) number 110 (7,8%). Scanuppia is number one with an average (!) of 20% (!!) and at some stages the climb is over 40% even 45%: this must be an absolute killer (it is...)

The climb is rather hard to find, as it is hardly ever done bij cyclist and kind off hidden. The surface is concreet, no problems there. The road is used bij 4x4 jeeps etc. there are some farms up the hills. The total of the climb is almost 10 kilometers: if you end at the Malga Palazzo (which is the second name of this climb). So this is NOT an obscure small path somenwhere, it is really a long climb.

It starts of at 8%, nice and easy. Then, afther 1,5 kilometer there is the famous seign: 45% and the fun starts.. The only way to make progress now is to bend over all the way over the steer trying to keep pressure on the frontwheel, hanging in the bar ends. I shifted to 22x28, and, hard to believe even now, the speeds drops to 4 to 5 kilometers an hour (2 to 3 miles..). So it is hard not to fall. The pressure in the extreem curves for the next 2 kilometers is terrible. I have done some climbs but this one is really increddible and beats them all, by far. I felt (really frightning) because of pure exhaustion, to tired to concentrated. Because, even if you are not is a curve the road still mounts 15% so sitting done is almost impossile.

My goal was cycling every inch (no cheating), and I did. I fellt three times, my reflections prefailt me from falling backwards (..). And then: get on your (mountain)bike on the same spot (cycle every inch), start sidewards and full-power continuing the climb (no fun). After 5 kilometers there the climb flattens to 13% for 1 kilometer. This feels like heaven...then maximum effort again and (kil. 8) then on a rather steep part the concreets just stops like that. The road (without the concreet) continues and so did I: to the top! One more hard kilometer and then Malgra Impra: you are on a flat alm now, increddible, I made it, I felt so happy. From here its one more kilometer to the small castle of Malgra Palazzo (not hard, even a bit downhill) so I went there. From the casstle there is a bit of a view but also not so impressive. The climbs and surrounding were, to me, rather boring and not really attractive. Decending turns out, to my surprise, not all that scary and (full breaks) gives no problems (apart fom almost melting down of my brims beacueas of the breaking-heat..).

It took me 2 hours to do the climb, starting at the S12 (road to Trentino)to the small casstle. I felt three times (no injuries), one rest (10 min). If you calculate the effort you have to make, considering your weight, speed etc. you will have to realise 350 and some parts 450 watts and more (for two hours....). But more important: you have to be focussed on this one! Anyone in for a lifetime cycling experience: it is possible to cycle up if you really want to! Ill never -ever- forget this one..
 
Jun 16, 2009
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Timmy-loves-Rabo said:
Figures you go for magpies, biggest scum bag fans going around :p (they really are filthy though). Also I doubt you have watched the 20 past years :p This is not the first time the giro have tried something different, t'is a great race.

@joy

KBK generally wouldn't compete, but this years edition was something else. It was truly warrior-like. Terrible terrible weather, anyone who finished deserved a medal (there weren't many)

Well, no I haven't watched many races over the past 20 years but what many many many people have said that it would have to be up there. I resent the Collingwood comment. We aren't the biggest scum bags, I guess we can't say anything against your team's supporters the West Coast eagles as their aren't any of those supporters.:D
 
Parrulo said:
i have just watched the climb to zoncolan on youtube for the 3rd time this week. i just can't get enough of it.


Scanuppia_-_Malga_Palazzo_profile.jpg



when will we get to see this one in the giro?

p.s. i think i should add this one. the story of some1 who did climb it on climbbyike.com

Story by jeroen from Breda, Holland, submitted on 12/1/2006Scanuppia is said to be the hardest/steepest climb in Europe, and I think it is. This statements sais it all: "I needs to be said, that if you really have to go over you fysical abilities, that's where the fun ends".
So i did Scanuppia last year (as well as number 4 in the list of hardest climbs, Nebelhorn). It was an experience Scanuppia is said to be the hardest/steepest climb in Europe, and I think it is!

This statements says it all: "I needs to be said, that if you really have to go over you physical abilities, thats where the fun ends". So I did Scanuppia last year (as well as number 4 in the list of hardest climbs, Nebelhorn). It was an experience Ill never -ever- forget.

I had been doing some interesting climbs in Europe and came upon a picture of a photo saying: 45%. This triggered me so much, I printed the picture put it on my desk and started finding out about this climb. In the overal indexes famous mountains like Montirolo is placed number 29 (average of 10,55), Stelvio (9%) only number 89, and Ventoux (not so hard after all) number 110 (7,8%). Scanuppia is number one with an average (!) of 20% (!!) and at some stages the climb is over 40% even 45%: this must be an absolute killer (it is...)

The climb is rather hard to find, as it is hardly ever done bij cyclist and kind off hidden. The surface is concreet, no problems there. The road is used bij 4x4 jeeps etc. there are some farms up the hills. The total of the climb is almost 10 kilometers: if you end at the Malga Palazzo (which is the second name of this climb). So this is NOT an obscure small path somenwhere, it is really a long climb.

It starts of at 8%, nice and easy. Then, afther 1,5 kilometer there is the famous seign: 45% and the fun starts.. The only way to make progress now is to bend over all the way over the steer trying to keep pressure on the frontwheel, hanging in the bar ends. I shifted to 22x28, and, hard to believe even now, the speeds drops to 4 to 5 kilometers an hour (2 to 3 miles..). So it is hard not to fall. The pressure in the extreem curves for the next 2 kilometers is terrible. I have done some climbs but this one is really increddible and beats them all, by far. I felt (really frightning) because of pure exhaustion, to tired to concentrated. Because, even if you are not is a curve the road still mounts 15% so sitting done is almost impossile.

My goal was cycling every inch (no cheating), and I did. I fellt three times, my reflections prefailt me from falling backwards (..). And then: get on your (mountain)bike on the same spot (cycle every inch), start sidewards and full-power continuing the climb (no fun). After 5 kilometers there the climb flattens to 13% for 1 kilometer. This feels like heaven...then maximum effort again and (kil. 8) then on a rather steep part the concreets just stops like that. The road (without the concreet) continues and so did I: to the top! One more hard kilometer and then Malgra Impra: you are on a flat alm now, increddible, I made it, I felt so happy. From here its one more kilometer to the small castle of Malgra Palazzo (not hard, even a bit downhill) so I went there. From the casstle there is a bit of a view but also not so impressive. The climbs and surrounding were, to me, rather boring and not really attractive. Decending turns out, to my surprise, not all that scary and (full breaks) gives no problems (apart fom almost melting down of my brims beacueas of the breaking-heat..).

It took me 2 hours to do the climb, starting at the S12 (road to Trentino)to the small casstle. I felt three times (no injuries), one rest (10 min). If you calculate the effort you have to make, considering your weight, speed etc. you will have to realise 350 and some parts 450 watts and more (for two hours....). But more important: you have to be focussed on this one! Anyone in for a lifetime cycling experience: it is possible to cycle up if you really want to! Ill never -ever- forget this one..

The map makes this piece difficult to read.

Anyway, if you want another method of measuring Zoncolans greatness, during the Vuelta we had a debate about the Bola which led to someone offering a website which measures climbs and their difficulty (many ways to do it, this is just 1). As i remember the Alp d huez got a rating of about 270. The Bola 340. Only 2 climbs (from the ones we looked at )were above 500. Angirlu and Zoncolan. The ZOncolan was the most difficult. Its rating was twice that of the Alpe.
 
Jul 2, 2009
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The overwhelming support for the Strade Bianchi stage of the Giro shows that a great GT stage depends on the weather and the attitude of the riders far more than anything the planners do.
 
Jun 22, 2009
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auscyclefan94 said:
Well, no I haven't watched many races over the past 20 years but what many many many people have said that it would have to be up there. I resent the Collingwood comment. We aren't the biggest scum bags, I guess we can't say anything against your team's supporters the West Coast eagles as their aren't any of those supporters.:D

mate it is a widely known fact that a portion of magpie fans are just utter scum. No fanbase get's negative media attention like they do.
Not suggesting you are scum.
 
Jun 16, 2009
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Timmy-loves-Rabo said:
mate it is a widely known fact that a portion of magpie fans are just utter scum. No fanbase get's negative media attention like they do.
Not suggesting you are scum.

I know you didn't mean that. I enjoy all the banter as i give it out a fair bit as well in that respect.
 
Ok boys and girls. Its time for the PT stage race version.

Only i would like to run the contenders by you guys on this thread first.

Here is my provisional list. What stages should be added?

PN stage 6 - Tondo
PN stage 7 - Moinard ( i might replace 1 of these with stage 4. Which do you think?)
TA stage 4- Scarponi
TA stage -6 Ignatiev
Pais Vasco Stage 4 - Sammy Sanchez
Rom- Stage 4 - Spillack
Rom- Stage 5 - Valverde/ Anton
Dauphine- Stage 6- Contador
TDS Stage 6 - Gesink
Poland Stage 5 - Daniel Martin
 
Sep 21, 2009
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The Hitch said:
Ok boys and girls. Its time for the PT stage race version.

Only i would like to run the contenders by you guys on this thread first.

Here is my provisional list. What stages should be added?

PN stage 6 - Tondo
PN stage 7 - Moinard ( i might replace 1 of these with stage 4. Which do you think?)
TA stage 4- Scarponi
TA stage - Ignatiev
Pais Vasco Stage 4 - Sammy Sanchez
Rom- Stage 4 - Spillack
Rom- Stage 5 - Valverde/ Anton
Dauphine- Stage 6- Contador
TDS Stage 6 - Gesink
Pologne Stage 5 - Daniel Martin

This list is incomplete with no stage down under :D

And I wouldn't replace any of those PN stage with stage 4: add them all.
 
icefire said:
This list is incomplete with no stage down under :D

And I wouldn't replace any of those PN stage with stage 4: add them all.


As much as i wanted to, the tdu just didnt make the cut ;). Neither did Eneco. The TOC can save face by not being PT, but it wouldnt have made the cut if i had 30 stages on the shortlist.

Unfortunately there are only 10 stages i can put in the poll, so only 2 from Paris Nice. I think 6 and 7 were the best. Anyone think otherwise?
 
Does it have to be PT stage races? Cos otherwise I'd be writing in for:

Burgos stage 5 (Sánchez, with Antón as lieutenant, finally breaks Nibali in the last few hundred metres and Mosquera holds on to lose the race by 1").
Castilla y León stage 3 (Antón, Mosquera and Soler do a number on Contador)
Trentino stage 4 (Pozzovivo drops Niemiec, Vino, Basso and Riccò in order, Vino holds on for overall victory)
Turkey stage 4 (the only non-Columbia-ized stage, with the Cofidis breakaway, Oscar Gatto killing himself for Visconti and the last minute break, with Doi fighting out the sprint too)
California stage 2 (amazing exciting racing that we all saw every second of, finished by Lancaster's sprint win)

note: one of these may not be serious.

But of your list above I vote for Tondó's PN win - it was uncertain whether he'd make it almost all the way. That's the kind of breakaway I wish we saw in sprint stages more - the ones where they could make it you know...
 
Libertine Seguros said:
Does it have to be PT stage races? Cos otherwise I'd be writing in for:

Burgos stage 5 (Sánchez, with Antón as lieutenant, finally breaks Nibali in the last few hundred metres and Mosquera holds on to lose the race by 1").
Castilla y León stage 3 (Antón, Mosquera and Soler do a number on Contador)
Trentino stage 4 (Pozzovivo drops Niemiec, Vino, Basso and Riccò in order, Vino holds on for overall victory)
Turkey stage 4 (the only non-Columbia-ized stage, with the Cofidis breakaway, Oscar Gatto killing himself for Visconti and the last minute break, with Doi fighting out the sprint too)
California stage 2 (amazing exciting racing that we all saw every second of, finished by Lancaster's sprint win)

note: one of these may not be serious.

But of your list above I vote for Tondó's PN win - it was uncertain whether he'd make it almost all the way. That's the kind of breakaway I wish we saw in sprint stages more - the ones where they could make it you know...

There are 3 reasons i wrote pt (they are similar)

1 Because there are so many races, that if i dont specify it you can get people nominating stages from the tour of uzbekistan or whatever

2 I figured wed get nominations from Vuelta a Colombia, which would be problamatic because only a few people were able to see that and the Latin American scene, while more interesting, is independent from the european one which gets covered here.

3 Most importantly, since its a poll i need stages that people have seen. PT races get coverage. The others not so much.


But if you want you can rewrite the above stages, and add more to the list as write in candidates (once the poll is up)

Nicely done - with california.

ANd i agree totaly with tondos win. Its exactly what i thought about how this is what makes good stages. I remember Harmonn barely able to contain himself about how exciting this was, about 30k from the finish . Its for me very similar to that giro stage, only here Tondo was on his own.

PS did you actually watch all those stage you list? if so how?
 

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