Race Design Challenge

[Eshnar]

Re: Re:

****ANNOUNCEMENT****
To wrap up the thread, I decided to design and post my own 100th Giro route.
I plan to start posting it tomorrow, so stay tuned!

Can we judge it?

if you want
I was also thinking that maybe it would be fun to let you guys guess at each time the next stage. Ofc I could give hints.

 

[barmaher]

Looking forward to it, Eshnar.

 

[Eshnar]

Re:

Looking forward to it, Eshnar.

me too
Tomorrow though... I had no time to write, today

 

[Brullnux]

RCS borrowed one of my climbs from stage 4 without asking to make their stage 4. Ask next time guys...

 

[Eshnar]

Let's kick it off.

100th Giro STAGE 1: Roma - Roma 14.4 Km

Stage type: Individual Time Trial
Difficulty: **
Original stage: Giro 2009 stage 21

Overview:
The 100th Giro starts with a short and rather technical ITT in Rome. Designed to create the first small gaps in the GC, this stage will also showcase the wonders of the Italian capital. Even though the profile looks a bit bumpy in the first part, a quick look at the scale will let you realize that the stage is basically pan flat.

Giro of the stage:
The Giro 2009 was the century Giro, but you couldn't tell it by looking at its design. At most you could tell it was the weirdest route in the last 30 years: Dolomites in the middle of the first week, a quick excursion into Austria, a sad city circuit in Milan on a Sunday (which will be neutralized), a Cuneo-Pinerolo whose route will be completely changed a few days before the start, a monstrous ITT the likes of which won't be seen again for the next 20 years (at least), one single good multi-climb mountain stage, an 83 km MTF just for the lolz, and the final showdown on a single climb stage, before a little uphill finish and the final short ITT in Rome.
Although its route was and is still heavily criticized for various reasons, it attracted on paper one of the best fields the Giro had in recent times. However, many of the big names weren't at their best, so it quickly became a duel between Menchov and Di Luca.

...Stage of the stage:
In the 2009 Rome ITT Menchov was starting in Pink jersey, with 20" over Di Luca. Everybody thought the Giro was over, considering the difference in time trialling skill of the two. Even more when it became clear that, while Di Luca was making a decent performance under the rain, Menchov was actually fighting for the stage win. At roughly 900m to the line, with Di Luca already finished with +45" over the leader Konovalovas, Menchov (being Menchov) fell on a wet cobble section, instantly putting his Giro at risk.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vukm-SmJrag
After quickly recovering and getting a new bike, he will manage to finish with a better time than Di Luca, at +24" from Konovalovas, who won the stage with 1" of advantage over Wiggins.
This will be the last big win of Menchov's career, adding to his 2007 Vuelta win.

Protagonists of the stage:

Dennis Menchov

Danilo Di Luca

Ignatas Konovalovas

Next stage:
For the next stage the riders will start in Rome and head south, celebrating a stage ridden originally in the 50's...

 

[Gigs_98]

I'm already curious to see how many of your stages happened during my lifetime

 

[Eshnar]

I'm already curious to see how many of your stages happened during my lifetime

are you from '98?

 

[Pricey_sky]

Looking forward to this Eshnar!

 

[Gigs_98]

I'm already curious to see how many of your stages happened during my lifetime

are you from '98?

Nope I'm 98 years old...
Well yes I'm only 17, which means that I'm probably one of the youngest forum members. With hindsight it was probably a mistake to write 98 into my username, but I use this username almost everywhere, so I just didnt think about it when I registered here

 

[Red Rick]

F*CK YEAH, IT'S HAPPENING

I'm already curious to see how many of your stages happened during my lifetime

are you from '98?

Nope I'm 98 years old...
Well yes I'm only 17, which means that I'm probably one of the youngest forum members. With hindsight it was probably a mistake to write 98 into my username, but I use this username almost everywhere, so I just didnt think about it when I registered here

It's the internet, age doesn't matter, as stereotypically we're all keyboard warriors stuck in mom's basement who haven't seen sunlight in months

 

[Eshnar]

I'm already curious to see how many of your stages happened during my lifetime

are you from '98?

Nope I'm 98 years old...
Well yes I'm only 17, which means that I'm probably one of the youngest forum members. With hindsight it was probably a mistake to write 98 into my username, but I use this username almost everywhere, so I just didnt think about it when I registered here

well, there are 5-6 stages inside your lifetime. But I doubt you were able to see live more than a couple of them.

 

[Gigs_98]

I'm already curious to see how many of your stages happened during my lifetime

are you from '98?

Nope I'm 98 years old...
Well yes I'm only 17, which means that I'm probably one of the youngest forum members. With hindsight it was probably a mistake to write 98 into my username, but I use this username almost everywhere, so I just didnt think about it when I registered here

well, there are 5-6 stages inside your lifetime. But I doubt you were able to see live more than a couple of them.

Good, that means probably a stage from 98 because you wrote 5-6 and you can't know when I was born in 98 (it was in September, so I wasnt alive during Pantani's double), probably also a stage from 99, then a stage from 05 (because if I remember correctly you once wrote somewhere that you love that giro), probably the montalcino stage from 2010 and obviously the Rome TT 2009. If I'm right there is only one stage left (although I'm probably completely false) but as you wrote, I don't watch cycling long enough that I could say which other epic stages happened in this period.

 

[Eshnar]

I'm already curious to see how many of your stages happened during my lifetime

are you from '98?

Nope I'm 98 years old...
Well yes I'm only 17, which means that I'm probably one of the youngest forum members. With hindsight it was probably a mistake to write 98 into my username, but I use this username almost everywhere, so I just didnt think about it when I registered here

well, there are 5-6 stages inside your lifetime. But I doubt you were able to see live more than a couple of them.

Good, that means probably a stage from 98 because you wrote 5-6 and you can't know when I was born in 98 (it was in September, so I wasnt alive during Pantani's double), probably also a stage from 99, then a stage from 05 (because if I remember correctly you once wrote somewhere that you love that giro), probably the montalcino stage from 2010 and obviously the Rome TT 2009. If I'm right there is only one stage left (although I'm probably completely false) but as you wrote, I don't watch cycling long enough that I could say which other epic stages happened in this period.

Well, the recent stages I use aren't that hard to figure out. Still, you're not 100% right

 

[Brullnux]

More from 2010 I'd imagine. I admit that was a Giro that i have sen mainly from youtube clips. My lifetime is slightly shorter than Gigs'

 

[Eshnar]

Re:

More from 2010 I'd imagine.

As I stated in the "concept" post, every stage comes from a different edition.

 

[Eshnar]

100th Giro STAGE 2: Roma - Napoli 234 Km

Stage type: Flat stage
Difficulty: *
Original stage: Giro 1951 stage 8
Climbs: Albano Laziale (GPM.4)

Overview:
The first road stage of the Giro is quite an easy one, with only one climb of 4th category on the way, just to assign the first green jersey (yes, green). Most of this long stage passes through straight and flat roads, where only the wind could be a factor, since a few stretches go along the coast. In Naples we'll definitely get a bunch sprint.
It wasn't like this in the good ol' times though...

Giro of the Stage:
The 1951 Giro was designed as a literal Giro (=a loop), starting and finishing in Milano after 20 stages. The most prominent features of the route were the longest ITT in the Giro history, 81 km from Perugia to Terni (for the record, won by Coppi), another 24 km ITT to S.Marino, and the final three consecutive mountain stages, finishing in Cortina, Bolzano and St.Moritz (CH).

Stage of the Stage:
The 8th stage starts from Rome with the Belgian Rik Van Steenbergen in pink jersey. The first intermediate sprint (there were many), in Albano Laziale, is won by Corrieri. The following intermediate sprint in Velletri is won by Bizzi instead. In the following kms the race starts to really kick in: there are attacks by Kubler, Milano, Casola, Corrieri e Salimbeni, but they are brought back. In the intermediate sprint of Formia the winner is Corrieri again, but this time he keeps the action going, and with him there are De Santi, Koblet, Kubler and Magni... it's a serious attack. In Martorano, at 100 kms to the finish, the peloton brings them all back.
Shortly afterwards, Grosso attacks, and the peloton blows up in pieces. Padovan, Casola, Salimbeni, Fornara and Albani are the immediate followers, while a little behind are Magni, Kubler, Koblet, Pasotti, Bobet, Astrua and Pasquini. Coppi and Van Steenbergen, taken by surprise, are left behind. The situation at the intermediate sprint in Capua sees Padovan, Grosso, Roma and Minardi in front, but a couple of kms later they get caught by the Magni group. In Aversa, 40 kms to go, the front group has 1'30" over Coppi and Van Steenbergen.
In the last kms Magni and Zampini try to attack, but the front group reaches Napoli all together. The reduced sprint is won by Casola. Fiorenzo Magni takes pink, and after losing it and gaining it again he will win his second and last Giro.

Protagonists of the stage:

Fiorenzo Magni (most famous photo of his... it's not related to this stage though):

Luigi Casola

Hugo Koblet

Rik Van Steenbergen

Fausto Coppi

Next Stage:
The riders will start going up.

 

[Red Rick]

Eshnar, Where art thou?

 

[Eshnar]

Re:

Eshnar, Where art thou?

had no time due to RL work these days, I will post tomorrow hopefully Sorry

 

[Eshnar]

100th Giro stage 3: Ercolano - Vesuvio 8 km MTT

Stage type: Individual time trial
Difficulty: ***
Original stage: Giro 1959 stage 7
Climbs: Vesuvio (GPM.2)

NOTE: The finish is after only 8 kms, at the Osservatorio.

Overview:
Second time trial of the race already, it's almost another prologue, but uphill. 8 kms with a very easy first half and a demanding last one. It will tell something about the gc guys options, but not too much.

Giro of the stage:
The Giro 1959 was starting and finishing in Milano after 22 stages. The main features were the presence of 4 TTs , two of which on consecutive days (this MTT and a ITT in Ischia the following day), and a monster mountain stage on the penultimate day from Aosta to Courmayeur of 296 kms, looping through Switzerland and France, where Charly Gaul will get the pink jersey previously worn by Jacques Anquetil, with an attack on the Petit St.Bernard, winning his second and last Giro.

Stage of the Stage:
The MTT to the Vesuvio was coming at the end of the first week, when the pink jersey had already been battled by Anquetil and Gaul since the first ITT on stage 2. The MTT was won by the pink jersey, Gaul, who apparently had issues with a knee. Allegedly, Gaul's time on the Vesuvio (which sadly I couldn't retreive) will remain undefeated until the 90's.

Protagonists of the Stage:

Charly Gaul:

Jacques Anquetil:

Next stage:
The first MTF of the race, straight from the 60's!

 

[Gigs_98]

Isn't that a bit overkill on stage 3?

 

[Eshnar]

Isn't that a bit overkill on stage 3?

nah, 4 km at 5% and 4 at 8-9%... Should make pretty much the same gaps as stage 1.

 

[Red Rick]

You sure it's a flat stage?

 

[Eshnar]

Re:

You sure it's a flat stage?

loool thx for noticing

 

[Eshnar]

100th Giro stage 4: Caserta - Blockhaus 220 km

Stage type: Mountain Top Finish
Difficulty: ****
Original stage: Giro 1967 stage 12
Climbs: Macerone (GPM.4), Rionero Sannitico (GPM.2), Roccaraso (GPM.3), Blockhaus (GPM.1)

Overview:
First MTF of the race, very demanding already. The mighty Blockhaus, the biggest climb of the Appennines, had to feature in the 100th edition. Luckily for the riders, the side they'll be climb is not the seriously hard one, but the easiest of all, from Pretoro (like 2009). Differently from the 2009 stage though, they'll climb until the top.

Giro of the stage:
The 1967 Giro started in Triviglio, near Bergamo, and ended in Milano after 22 stages (the last of which was split in two), following the classic counterclockwise loop. The most important stages were 4 MTFs, on Etna, Blockhaus, Lavaredo (which will be cancelled) and Ghisallo, as well as a single, average ITT of 45 kms. The field was magnificent: challenging the previous winner Gianni Motta were Anquetil, Balmamion, Adorni, Gimondi, Pérez Francés, Zilioli and Aimar. For the fast guys, there were Bitossi, Zandegù, Planckaert, and the recent MSR winner, the young Eddy Merckx. The Giro will be won by Gimondi, who will arrive in Milan with over 3 minutes on Balmamion and Anquetil.

Stage of the stage:
The Spaniard José Pérez Francés was the pink jersey that day, a long, hard day on the saddle, which the favourites rode the modern way... all together until the last kms of the Blockhaus. At two kms to go, Zilioli attacked from the front group. Nobody but one could follow. That Belgian "sprinter" who had arrived with the best already on the Etna MTF, at his first GT ever. Merckx followed Zilioli for a km, then dropped him to get the first GT win of his career. His legend was yet to start, as the not-yet-Cannibal would arrive 9th in Milan at more than 11' from Gimondi... but it was now clear that the guy was not just a one-day racer.

Protagonists of the stage:

Eddy Merckx:

Italo Zilioli:

Felice Gimondi:

Jacques Anquetil:

José Pérez Francés

Franco Balmamion

Next stage:
Flat, transitional stage. From the 20's.

 

[Eshnar]

100th Giro stage 5: Pescara - Pesaro 218 km

Stage type: Flat
Difficulty: *
Original stage: Giro 1927 stage 11
Climbs: Monte Conero (GPM.4)

Overview:
Flat stage all along the Adriatic coast, where only the beatiful scenery of the Monte Conero, as well as the possibility of echelons, will be interesting.

Giro of the stage:
The Giro 1927 was a typical pre-WW2 Giro, with long stages between the big towns, with a lot of (low) Appennines and no Alps. In those days they didn't need mountains to create gaps though... even more when a beast like Alfredo Binda was around. Out of the 15 stages that featured in that Giro, he won 12, wearing pink from stage 1 to the end... which is the best ever performance in the Giro history. He won most of them by winning reduced sprints, but he also arrived solo twice... the first time in Rome (stage 5), with 8'35" over the second, Giovanni Brunero (not exactly a nobody... the defending champion and the first rider to win 3 Giros in career), and in Milano on the last stage, with 6'40" on Negrini. He will win (for the second time in career) the overall with 27'24" on Brunero and 36'06" on Negrini, with only other two riders inside the 1 hour gap. Binda will also establish another record in the 1929 Giro, where he'll win 8 stages in a row. He was considered so much stronger than his competition, that in 1930 the Giro organizers paid him to NOT participate, by a sum equivalent to the overall victory (plus a handful of stages) prize money.

Stage of the stage:
You would think I picked one of Binda's wins... instead, I didn't The bunch sprint of this stage was won by Arturo Bresciani. Besides that, there's not much to say about this stage... It was mostly an excuse to mention Binda's record

Protagonists of the stage:

Alfredo Binda:

Arturo Bresciani:

Giovanni Brunero:

Next stage:
Long, breakaway-friendly stage, from the 60's.