Il Lombardia 2014

[veji11]

A good route if we had teams of 6, but nowadays ? Katusha and Movistar or a similar teams will do what they have to to controle it till the last climb... ie see last year and Voeckler's adventure when no rider had the intelligence to go along.

To me except Paris Roubaix, classics will be interesting again with teams of 6, until then a BMC or Katusha on a LBL or a Lombardia will be able to controle until the Murito or the Roche aux Faucons.

 

[murali]

Dan Martin!! (if he doesnt crash)

 

[barmaher]

Well yes, what should we expect otherwise? I mean someone winning through a solitary attack 100+ km out and holding his own seems farfetched and never happened a lot.

I hope that we do not end up with a FW type race like the last few years in Lombardia

I never said a solitary attack 100km + out.

I said something better than an attack from a large group in the last 4km.

Like this:

http://www.cyclingnews.com/races/giro-di-lombardia-2005/results

Or this:

http://www.cyclingnews.com/races/giro-di-lombardia-2006/results

Or this:

http://www.cyclingnews.com/races/giro-di-lombardia-2007/results

 

[roundabout]

Still Purito could win this with ease. Just follow al the moves and attack at the final climb. Even less km's decent till the finish

Really nice route. It's good there is a new parcours, let's see if this brings racing from further out.

The last few editions that finished in Bergamo did not have a rider arriving solo at the finish.

 

[djconnel]

Any thoughts on watching the race? I'll be in Switzerland, so it's easy to get to Como via train. Then there's two main options. One is to go to Bellagio via ferry or bike, climb the Ghisallo, and watch from there, then return to Como by bike in time to watch finish on big-screen television (assuming they have that) possibly. The other option is to watch the start in Como, then go ride, perhaps via Erba to see the riders come through on their way east from the Lake Como region.

Issue is Madonna di Ghisallo climb will be essentially neutral, coming at only 50 km in. So it's a promenade. Still, it will be cool to watch riders there. From the start, you get to see the whole start line scene (team trucks, mechanics, etc) then watch the riders roll out. It's not really racing, though.

BTW, I agree on the name. Maybe "Giro" was considered to be confusing (suggesting a stage race) but "Il Lombardia" doesn't even suggest a bike race.

 

[SafeBet]

BTW, I agree on the name. Maybe "Giro" was considered to be confusing (suggesting a stage race) but "Il Lombardia" doesn't even suggest a bike race.

Everybody I know still calls it Giro di Lombardia over here.

 

[Lanark]

This new name is so ugly! What was the purpose of that?


I'll always call it the Tour of Lombardy. Giro di Lombardia in Italian.

I don't remember where I read it, but from what I understand, it has to do with the fact that RCS wants the Giro D'Italia to be the only race with the word Giro in the name, for brand purposes. That's why Giro di Lombardia became Il Lombardia, Giro Di Lazio became Roma Maxima and the Giro Del Piemonte became Gran Piemonte.

Yeah, it's that silly.

 

[Netserk]

I don't remember where I read it, but from what I understand, it has to do with the fact that RCS wants the Giro D'Italia to be the only race with the word Giro in the name, for brand purposes. That's why Giro di Lombardia became Il Lombardia, Giro Di Lazio became Roma Maxima and the Giro Del Piemonte became Gran Piemonte.

Yeah, it's that silly.

Forza Giro del Trentino!

 

[fauniera]

Forza Giro del Trentino!

Would it still go by this name if it was organised by RCS?

 

[Cult Classics]

This new name is so ugly! What was the purpose of that?


I'll always call it the Tour of Lombardy. Giro di Lombardia in Italian.

Agree. RCS seem to want to keep the word Giro exclusively for the Giro d'Italia, hence Giro di Lombardia becomes il Lombardia, Giro del Piemonte became Gran Piemonte and the resurrected Giro del Lazio came back as Roma Maxima. I stick to the old names personally.

 

[OlavEH]

Better route than the last years where they have finished in Lecco. Still, I prefer the previous route with Civiglio and San Fermo di Battaglia and finish in Como.

Personally I would like to see a route via Ghisallo and Sormano before they do Civiglio from the opposite side of which they normally use and then San Fermo in the end. The opposite side from Civiglio looks much steeper than the normal route.

 

[Matt92]

Better route than the last years where they have finished in Lecco. Still, I prefer the previous route with Civiglio and San Fermo di Battaglia and finish in Como.

Personally I would like to see a route via Ghisallo and Sormano before they do Civiglio from the opposite side of which they normally use and then San Fermo in the end. The opposite side from Civiglio looks much steeper than the normal route.

It is. Actually, it's a pretty monster climb for a one-day race: 4.2 kms at 9.8%.

 

[Echoes]

I don't remember where I read it, but from what I understand, it has to do with the fact that RCS wants the Giro D'Italia to be the only race with the word Giro in the name, for brand purposes. That's why Giro di Lombardia became Il Lombardia, Giro Di Lazio became Roma Maxima and the Giro Del Piemonte became Gran Piemonte.

Yeah, it's that silly.

Not just silly. Awfully elitist! I've always thought that RCS were worse than ASO but here they just reach the bottom ...

May they know that the national tour does not enjoy half of the historical prestige that Lombardy has!

 

[BigMac]

Not just silly. Awfully elitist! I've always thought that RCS were worse than ASO but here they just reach the bottom ...

May they know that the national tour does not enjoy half of the historical prestige that Lombardy has!

Yep. Marketing stunt to please the growing horde of new cycling 'fans' who only care about Grand Tours. Where the money's at.

 

[Shardi]

With the hilly Worlds off the table, the season finale of 1-day racing is coming up. Will Valverde & Co let Kwiatkowski sail away in the stripes towards his first monument, or will Gerrans win a reduced bunch sprint?

3rd Lombardia for Gilbert or Rodriguez? With this past weekend's info now at hand, let the speculation begin.

 

[BigMac]

With the hilly Worlds off the table, the season finale of 1-day racing is coming up. Will Valverde & Co let Kwiatkowski sail away in the stripes towards his first monument, or will Gerrans win a reduced bunch sprint?

3rd Lombardia for Gilbert or Rodriguez? With this past weekend's info now at hand, let the speculation begin.

I read this in ES trailer women voice.

 

[Ryo Hazuki]

de marchi not starting?

 

[saunaking]

How is this race a monument? One day out and 40 measley responses in the race thread??

 

[happytramp]

Confusing thread title.

 

[ILovecycling]

Confusing thread title.

what is ever confusing about the title?

 

[damian13ster]

Hmm, if rumours are true about Katusha and Tinkoff-Saxo having trouble with food poisoning then who is going to make this race hard?

I expect a sprint from a reduced group (5-10 riders) with next small group being within 20 seconds.

Either Valverde or Kwiatkowski to take it in the sprint.

 

[manafana]

Gilbert up there in betting but he has nothing on those 3 on this parcours in my view I think Dan Martin will do something us for us Irish fans.

 

[Escarabajo]

Valverde FTW!

 

[Eyeballs Out]

Was there any excuse for Dan Martin's display in the Worlds ?

 

[Tournesol]

Was there any excuse for Dan Martin's display in the Worlds ?

He crashed?