no block haus for the Giro?

[davidw]

http://www.primadanoi.it/modules/bdnews/article.php?storyid=20550

It looks like the morons at RAI decided that they wouldn't be able to work with the narrow roads. It's pretty ridiculous to say you're going to do a stage and then back out because *three days* before the start you actually go check it out and decide it's not going to be feasible. *sigh*

 

[Escarabajo]

I might have to revise my list of contenders. !Uhm well. Maybe the time trialers will have a better shot at it. Let's see who is a good time trialer...

 

[Bala Verde]

Haha, now that's hilarious. You gotta give to them Italians...

 

[Mellow Velo]

Sh*t. This always seems to happen.
First they pull all the teeth out of the Queen stage, now this?
They went most of the way up in 2006.
This Giro is getting softer by the day.
It's starting to look like they want everything to hinge on one, stupidly long time trial.

 

[bianchigirl]

Didn't they change another stage because it might cross the border when it looked like a certain rider might get a ban in France?

From a potential classic to a Tour de Farce in one easy step.

 

[LugHugger]

FFS. What a friggin joke. Are they serious? Please tell me this is a wind up.

 

[bianchigirl]

Obviously something didn't agree with someone in training - I do hope Zomegnan's BF is worth all the time and trouble to totally take the teeth out of what was going to be a beautiful race.

 

[BroDeal]

Don't worry. As soon as Armstrong finds out he is too heavy to climb at the highest level, all the climbs will be taken out. The last ten stages will all be flat time trials.

 

[Zoncolan]

Ridiculous.
At least they had a decent excuse a few years back, when they shortened the stage to Plan de Corones. This just p11sses me off!
It looks like Zomegnan is hell bent on not letting any Italian rider win it this year. I wonder who he is rooting for?

 

[inputjoe]

Didn't they change another stage because it might cross the border when it looked like a certain rider might get a ban in France?

From a potential classic to a Tour de Farce in one easy step.

Try looking on the bright side, bg. Now that he won't be getting the ban you longed for maybe they will alter the route to cross the border as originally planned.

 

[pmcg76]

Without subscribing to the conspiracy theories, I think its ridiculous to pull a mountain out of a race unless it is blocked by snow or at risk of landslides or something, especially the week before the race starts. Makes no sens at all.

 

[quadsRme]

mountain top finishes define a great stage. i am not happy about this. so how many stages have they changed now 2 or 3?

 

[Alpe d'Huez]

What a joke. Absolutely absurd. This was to be the queen stage, and defining climb of the race, and by far the most challenging mountain climb in the Giro. And now they've neutered it.

If I understand the article, they are topping off the final 4km of the climb, right before it reaches the 20% section and gets difficult, probably reducing it to a Category 2 climb.

Interesting that when Eddy Merckx won here in 1969 they had no trouble with the roads.

I'm starting to think BroDeal is right.

 

[jaylew]

Methinks the conspiracy theories around here are getting a bit out of hand.

 

[BroDeal]

Methinks the conspiracy theories around here are getting a bit out of hand.

Some of this is facetious or snark. Don't take it too seriously.

 

[Alpe d'Huez]

Conspiracies aside, with the climb the way it was, we likely would have seen furious attacks leading up to this point, and a lot of splintering in those final 4km, with some riders losing minutes, which will now be cut to seconds.

I'd say this course change, whether it's in any sort of "plan" or not, befits Levi, Menchov and Basso most (Lance too, yes, but he's not trying for GC). Soler, Sastre, DiLuca, Simoni, Rodriguez and probably Kiryienka and Cunego are the big losers here. Especially DiLuca. Though I didn't peg him for a podium, this his his home area and training ground, and I'm sure he would have loved to win this stage. Now, with the hardest part removed, it will really even the playing field making what was once possibly the defining stage, merely a minor one.

I haven't heard anything of a re-route, but we're now looking at a 77km (49 mile) stage, with probably a Category 2 or maybe 1 climb at the end.

 

[tashimi76]

It's quite disappointing - they could have made good publicity on that one given Di Luca was after the win to help the earthquake victims. Do they need to borrow cameras? They could have them set up every few hundred metres on the side instead of relying on bikes!

What's next, Vesuvius erupts! Imagine that, i'm sure Jen Voigt would be leading the peloton on that one!

 

[Alpe d'Huez]

I might as well say this. I work in broadcasting and have for years, all the way up to technical director level, and have a pretty good inkling how coverage of cycling works. RAI didn't need to set up huge trucks with mammoth broadcast gear and miles of cable at the summit of Blockhaus. They could have put all the journalists at the 4k mark (where they will be) or even down lower, and had the motorcycles follow the riders, with a couple of fixed cameras at the summit and this information transmitting to helicopter, which also could have had footage. They could have also limited the amount of team cars going to the top and had only officials and lead cars allowed beyond a certain point.

There's very little room at the top of Anglriu, a little more at the top of Zoncolon and Tre Cime Laredo, and probably less at the top of Puy du Dome. All of those locations (and the Blockhaus in years past) have managed to cover the event. Looking at maps and photos further, while the very top seems like a steep, desolate one lane road, it appears there are areas to put needed official vehicles and some broadcast equipment near the true summit.

I'm sure it would be a challenge, just as Angliru and Zoncolon are, but certainly not as impossible as the report all of a sudden makes it sound.

 

[BroDeal]

I might as well say this. I work in broadcasting and have for years, all the way up to technical director level, and have a pretty good inkling how coverage of cycling works. RAI didn't need to set up huge trucks with mammoth broadcast gear and miles of cable at the summit of Blockhaus. They could have put all the journalists at the 4k mark (where they will be) or even down lower, and had the motorcycles follow the riders, with a couple of fixed cameras at the summit and this information transmitting to helicopter, which also could have had footage. They could have also limited the amount of team cars going to the top and had only officials and lead cars allowed beyond a certain point.

There's very little room at the top of Anglriu, a little more at the top of Zoncolon and Tre Cime Laredo, and probably less at the top of Puy du Dome. All of those locations (and the Blockhaus in years past) have managed to cover the event. Looking at maps and photos further, while the very top seems like a steep, desolate one lane road, it appears there are areas to put needed official vehicles and some broadcast equipment near the true summit.

I'm sure it would be a challenge, just as Angliru and Zoncolon are, but certainly not as impossible as the report all of a sudden makes it sound.

I think fans would be happy if it came down to pure helicopter coverage for the last few klicks. That would be better than destroying the stage.

There is something that does not add up about these changes. I do not know what the reason is, but Zomengen's explanations do not have the ring of truth.

 

[tashimi76]

I might as well say this. I work in broadcasting and have for years, all the way up to technical director level, and have a pretty good inkling how coverage of cycling works. RAI didn't need to set up huge trucks with mammoth broadcast gear and miles of cable at the summit of Blockhaus. They could have put all the journalists at the 4k mark (where they will be) or even down lower, and had the motorcycles follow the riders, with a couple of fixed cameras at the summit and this information transmitting to helicopter, which also could have had footage. They could have also limited the amount of team cars going to the top and had only officials and lead cars allowed beyond a certain point.

There's very little room at the top of Anglriu, a little more at the top of Zoncolon and Tre Cime Laredo, and probably less at the top of Puy du Dome. All of those locations (and the Blockhaus in years past) have managed to cover the event. Looking at maps and photos further, while the very top seems like a steep, desolate one lane road, it appears there are areas to put needed official vehicles and some broadcast equipment near the true summit.

I'm sure it would be a challenge, just as Angliru and Zoncolon are, but certainly not as impossible as the report all of a sudden makes it sound.

That's absolutely right, they did just that last year wasn't it on the stage that was too steep for the cars? I can't remember right now - iced coffee hasn't kicked in yet! I'd be happy with just helicopter - or even no video until the top - how exciting would that be?! You know who goes into the top 4km but you don't know who going to emerge the victor.

BTW - I guess you didn't need my PAL vs NTSC explanation then? You probably understand it better than me.

 

[Mellow Velo]

Try looking on the bright side, bg. Now that he won't be getting the ban you longed for maybe they will alter the route to cross the border as originally planned.

Trouble is, Joe, there is no brighter side.
This "Giro" no longer has the characteristics of the Giro.

No Queen Stage. No Cima Coppi prizeworthy climb. (Sestrieres!)
No major Alp. None of the great Dolomite climbs. Nothing averaging 8% plus.
hardly any climbs of note, over 15kms long.

The Blockhaus finish was to be the South's version of Plan de Corones.
Now, what is the point of a 40km charge to the base of Lanciarno?
IMO, this is now another, long TTT.

Still, if you get your excitment from who may win the race, rather than the spectacle, itself, it's easy to see why you are smiling.

No way can you justify 100 kms of trialing, with the remaining climbing.
They should now cut 10kms+ off that stupidly long stage 12.

Otherwise, Basso and all the Italian lads might as well spend 3 weeks at the beach.

 

[Mellow Velo]

They could have put all the journalists at the 4k mark (where they will be) or even down lower, and had the motorcycles follow the riders, with a couple of fixed cameras at the summit and this information transmitting to helicopter, which also could have had footage. They could have also limited the amount of team cars going to the top and had only officials and lead cars allowed beyond a certain point.

A very valid point, that had not escaped me.
Plan De Corones 2006. They had to move from the summit, at the 11th hour, due to the snow, down to the Passo di Furcia.
Didn't stop them having pictures at the summit, even though the media were 400 metres down the hillside.

I have looked at the entire remaining race parcours, this morning and quite frankly we don't have a Centanary Giro, rather Il Piccolo Giro.

 

[Jacques Tati]

Manchester United and Barcelona are going to play the Champions League football final on a smaller pitch......wouldnt happen would it. Ever wondered why cycling is becoming a joke sport.

Perhaps next year they'll have to take all the cobbled sections out of Paris Roubaix cos its to bumpy for the camera bikes.

 

[Anonymous]

Manchester United and Barcelona are going to play the Champions League football final on a smaller pitch......wouldnt happen would it. Ever wondered why cycling is becoming a joke sport.

Perhaps next year they'll have to take all the cobbled sections out of Paris Roubaix cos its to bumpy for the camera bikes.

it was this year for a few of em...

im more confused than i was.. google translate didnt do the greatest job...
"Not therefore come to the Block Haus cyclists of the Tour of the Centenary, but halt a few meters after the Hotel breast implants,"

theres a hotel breast implants?

 

[BroDeal]

im more confused than i was.. google translate didnt do the greatest job...
"Not therefore come to the Block Haus cyclists of the Tour of the Centenary, but halt a few meters after the Hotel breast implants,"

theres a hotel breast implants?

This Giro may be saved after all. We now know where Cipo will be staying if he visits the race.