Il Lombardia 2016, Oct 1st

[BigMac]

Thanks, we appreciate!

 

[Taxus4a]

Re:

Not to mention it is very weak pavé, fom memory. And riders can just avoid it like they did in 2014.

The pave is just 170 m, and they can avoid most of it in a narrow line on the right side...but the pave is not easy, it has smal but sharp stones.

It is the most beautifull final for Lombardia, with the pave and 2 medieval arch. Last time in this final, when Dan Martin won becouse Valverde wanst confident, the route was no so hard...this year is for climbers.

 

[Taxus4a]

You can see perfectly here that the paave is short, but no easy if they cant avoid it.
https://youtu.be/6D3yO2DbL8E

 

[OlavEH]

This route could be freakin epic! It's so much better than the last version that finished in Bergamo. The new climbs to Sant'Antoino and Miralogo creates a totally different race. No flat sections in 90k between 130 and 220 km. Save from last years version where they finally climbed the tough side of Civiglio on their way to Como, I've found the 4 previous versions (2011-2014) rather mediocre. Especially the 3 years they finished in Lecco was not too entertaining, with long flat sections between the last climbs. This is potensially so much better!

 

[roundabout]

Re:

Thanks, we appreciate!

http://oi66.tinypic.com/11rw2gi.jpg

Here we go, looking down at Porta San Lorenzo/Garibaldi almost from the end of the pave section

http://oi66.tinypic.com/2556g79.jpg

Looking at the gate from the start of the pave

http://oi64.tinypic.com/2hwjyj5.jpg

Closer look at the pavement

 

[gospina]

Re: Re:

World's TTT also offers UCI points for the team classification?

I do not believe so, but I realized something. For team and for country, only top 5 points riders get counted in team or country totals. From the list already announced:
Tinkoff riders that can score points: Contador, Kreuziger
Movistar riders that can score points: Amador
Spain riders that can score points: Contador, Rodriguez
Colombia riders that can score points: Chaves, Pantano, M. Lopez.

More reasons why Movistar may add Nairo and Valverde, both are point scorers.

BMC has not announced a roster yet. Sammy Sanchez will count for Spain if he races.

Movistar top 5: Nairo, Valverde, Izagirre, Fernandez, Amador
Tinkoff Top 5: Sagan, Contador, Majka, Kreuziger, McCarthy
Spain top 5: Contador, Valverde, Izagirre, Rodriguez, S. Sanchez
Colombia top 5: Nairo, Chaves, Sergio Henao, Pantano, M. Lopez

But others can move into the top 5 of their nation/team with points won on Saturday. For example, if Atapuma were to win (I'm not predicting it, just using the example), Colombia will benefit, but as he is currently 29 pts behind Lopez, he would only improve his nations score by 71 rather than 100 by doing so.

Judging by the 1 day italian races, Lopez and Uran are in great shape for Lombardia. Uran has 67 points, Atapuma has 80, Lopez 109. Still no word on Valverde or Nairo, although Valverde pulled out of Milan-Turin. CyclingNews believes he is still one of the favorites for Lombardia so there is that.

 

[Nirvana]

Re: Re:

Thanks, we appreciate!

http://oi66.tinypic.com/11rw2gi.jpg

Here we go, looking down at Porta San Lorenzo/Garibaldi almost from the end of the pave section

http://oi66.tinypic.com/2556g79.jpg

Looking at the gate from the start of the pave

http://oi64.tinypic.com/2hwjyj5.jpg

Closer look at the pavement

It's not pavè, it's ciottolato this surface. It's worse than a classic italian pavé that is usually pretty regular. These are ruonded pices of stone with different sizes posed in a not smooth way on the cement.

 

[BigMac]

Re: Re:

Thanks, we appreciate!

http://oi66.tinypic.com/11rw2gi.jpg

Here we go, looking down at Porta San Lorenzo/Garibaldi almost from the end of the pave section

http://oi66.tinypic.com/2556g79.jpg

Looking at the gate from the start of the pave

http://oi64.tinypic.com/2hwjyj5.jpg

Closer look at the pavement

It's not pavè, it's ciottolato this surface. It's worse than a classic italian pavé that is usually pretty regular. These are ruonded pices of stone with different sizes posed in a not smooth way on the cement.

Funny, I didn't remember it like this. This type of terrain is worse than the northern pavé in that the stones come so high off the ground and have so much space between each other that it is much harder to keep your bike stable without falling to the sides, despite these being relatively soft. I'm sure the Roubaix cobbles have other stuff that make them the thoughest but these are pretty vile too. I still think we'll see a one-lined group as before, though.

 

[tweak37]

Re: Re:

Funny, I didn't remember it like this. This type of terrain is worse than the northern pavé in that the stones come so high off the ground and have so much space between each other that it is much harder to keep your bike stable without falling to the sides, despite these being relatively soft. I'm sure the Roubaix cobbles have other stuff that make them the thoughest but these are pretty vile too. I still think we'll see a one-lined group as before, though.

Are you serieus? :razz:

 

[BigMac]

Re: Re:

Funny, I didn't remember it like this. This type of terrain is worse than the northern pavé in that the stones come so high off the ground and have so much space between each other that it is much harder to keep your bike stable without falling to the sides, despite these being relatively soft. I'm sure the Roubaix cobbles have other stuff that make them the thoughest but these are pretty vile too. I still think we'll see a one-lined group as before, though.

Are you serieus? :razz:

Yeah, I am. I wasn't talking about the stones in Bergamo Alta. Rather that type of pavement in general which can be really agressive.

 

[Taxus4a]

Re: Re:

Funny, I didn't remember it like this. This type of terrain is worse than the northern pavé in that the stones come so high off the ground and have so much space between each other that it is much harder to keep your bike stable without falling to the sides, despite these being relatively soft. I'm sure the Roubaix cobbles have other stuff that make them the thoughest but these are pretty vile too. I still think we'll see a one-lined group as before, though.

Are you serieus? :razz:

I dont think they have passed it in that condition

 

[claude cat]

Re: Re:

A great route, but sadly teams of 8 are likely to mean that a strong team like Astana or Movistar pulls most of the time and brings a leading group of 20/25 riders to the last hill. It's a shame because with smaller teams this is a route where you'd see old fashioned racing, with a group of favourites seperating itself from the rest long before the finish.. Still I hope we will see a big move before the last climb, it'd be a welcome change..

Orica are taking Chaves, both Yates, Albasini, Verona and Howson. Stephens will be driving the team car.

One of them will try and light things up.

Adam Yates, Albasini and Meier out for OBE.
Keukeleire, Plaza and Txurruka are the replacements.

 

[Billie]

Van Avermaet will race. He replaces Teuns

seems like that was already known couple days ago

 

[Oliver]

Re:

Van Avermaet will race. He replaces Teuns

seems like that was already known couple days ago

Actually Greg already said a long time ago he would race.

 

[mariposa]

Valverde in the Movistar team on their website together with javi Moreno, Dani M , Dayer Quintana, Winner Anacona, Ventoso, visconti & Ion Izagirre

 

[Bye Bye Bicycle]

So no Nairo - as I said before, he couldn't care less for the World Tour overall.

 

[wayahead]

Re:

So no Nairo - as I said before, he couldn't care less for the World Tour overall.

Or he's just realistic about his chances to podium.

 

[GuyIncognito]

Can't really see an outright favorite this time. I'm afraid that might make for a more conservative race, especially with this particular route.

 

[Taxus4a]

For spanish speakers, a video in google earth of the route:

http://patrimoniociclista.blogspot.com.es/2016/09/analisis-il-lombardia-2016.html

 

[Kwibus]

That last bump with 3km to go is unneccesary.
From 120km until 224km to go its constantly up and down, plenty of time to make decisive attacks. That last bump will make some riders wait just for that bump.

 

[MacBAir]

That last bump with 3km to go is unneccesary.
From 120km until 224km to go its constantly up and down, plenty of time to make decisive attacks. That last bump will make some riders wait just for that bump.

Exactly.

OTOH, doing no bumps at all on the finish will make everyone wait for a bunch sprint, if it were to happen on a GT

I wonder who I'm going to fanboyish root for and who I'm going irrationally hate. Maybe root for GVA and hate Valverde? hmmm.

 

[GuyIncognito]

That last bump with 3km to go is unneccesary.
From 120km until 224km to go its constantly up and down, plenty of time to make decisive attacks. That last bump will make some riders wait just for that bump.

My thoughts precisely. Most will sit in and wait for a watt-burning contest on that rise

 

[Valv.Piti]

How much will be televised?

 

[gospina]

Re: Re:

So no Nairo - as I said before, he couldn't care less for the World Tour overall.

Or he's just realistic about his chances to podium.

What doesn't make sense is why would Movistar want him back in Europe if he wasn't doing any of the 1 day Italian races nor Lombardia? what is left for Nairo to do at this point? Contador being out, Valverde being hurt and Purito being rusty is a concern for Spain, specially with so many Colombians in shape for this race that can take points (Lopez, Uran, Chavez, Atapuma, Pantano). 'Winning' the top nation title is probably not a big deal for Spain at this point, but it will be for Colombia.

 

[sir fly]

I'll be wholeheartedly supporting AG2R. Won't mind if Chaves takes it, as well.
Hoped that Kruijswijk would ride it, but not this time, unfortunately.