Rate the 2013 Giro d'Italia Route

[Descender]

Yeah like that. How many riders was together by the foot of Alpe d'Huez? And compared to the 210 km Alpe d'Huez stage in 2008?

And impressive as Contador's attack was, he had what? 30 seconds to Evans on Galibier?
Not really surprising that things got back together the way they did. Of course you can attribute that to stage length but I don't.

I sure as hell attribute that to the stage length.

Or are you telling me, considering Contador's willfulness to attack, that including another climb before the Galibier wouldn't have made a difference, and the Europcar and BMC trains would have been untouched?

 

[Magnus]

Looks like a nice route overall.

Likes:
Tre Cime
long flat TT
MTT that's slightly more in favour of tt-type riders instead of the usual 10 km 8-10% climb that usually just produce the same result as a mtf.

Dislikes:
Points-jersey will be pointless (ie will surely be won by gc candidate with no chance for the sprinters).
20 km ttt: why do they have these ~20-30 km ttt every year? Imo they should have a decent 50-60 km ttt every 3rd year or so instead.
Stelvio included in consecutive years

 

[Magnus]

I sure as hell attribute that to the stage length.

Or are you telling me, considering Contador's willfulness to attack, that including another climb before the Galibier wouldn't have made a difference, and the Europcar and BMC trains would have been untouched?

I'm telling you that if they had soft-pedaled up that climb then yes. All I'm trying to say is that stage length in itself doesn't contribute (much) to toughness (barring ridiculous 400km examples). Cyclists can keep going at a level just below their max for a very long time so it's not until the real protagonists open the jar that the real excluding of riders begin.

 

[Magnus]

Anybody know the bonus-seconds status?

 

[Descender]

I'm telling you that if they had soft-pedaled up that climb then yes. All I'm trying to say is that stage length in itself doesn't contribute (much) to toughness (barring ridiculous 400km examples). Cyclists can keep going at a level just below their max for a very long time so it's not until the real protagonists open the jar that the real excluding of riders begin.

And yet, when that happens, that is, when the real protagonists open the jar, the stage length and the amount, toughness and positioning of climbs is of crucial importance.

Contador attacked with 90 km to go on that stage... a stage which had just started (109kms long). Had that stage been 200 km long and featured, say, the Glandon before the Galibier, Contador would have been able to, if not attack himself on the Glandon, put his team to work a bloc and manage to reduce the size of the bunch.

As it was, the protagonists ran out of stage. The Europcar and BMC domestiques were all there and fresh enough to pull them back for good.

 

[Pippo_San]

I don't know exactly what to think of it, but there are 2 remarkable aspects.

1- The length of stages.
In a word it's disappointing. Stage 15 150 kms? Stage 19 138 kms? You must be kidding me...expect the usual train up the mountains and then someone jumping for the stage win with a couple of kms to go.
On the other hand I like those TTs lengths, should make for interesting breaks.

2- The WOW factor of landscapes.
They ticked the right boxes concerning the places, there will be some GORGEOUS landscapes, it will still be the most beautiful (scenery related) tour.


In the end anyway the quality of the show is up to the riders, we'll have to see who's gonna be in, and what role crashes and especially weather is gonna play (an epic day in the rain is always a good thing in a GT).

On paper it's up for a 7.5 (let's be positive an give it an 8 tho!).

 

[LaFlorecita]

I don't know exactly what to think of it, but there are 2 remarkable aspects.

1- The length of stages.
In a word it's disappointing. Stage 15 150 kms? Stage 19 138 kms? You must be kidding me...expect the usual train up the mountains and then someone jumping for the stage win with a couple of kms to go.
On the other hand I like those TTs lengths, should make for interesting breaks.

2- The WOW factor of landscapes.
They ticked the right boxes concerning the places, there will be some GORGEOUS landscapes, it will still be the most beautiful (scenery related) tour.


In the end anyway the quality of the show is up to the riders, we'll have to see who's gonna be in, and what role crashes and especially weather is gonna play (an epic day in the rain is always a good thing in a GT).

On paper it's up for a 7.5 (let's be positive an give it an 8 tho!).

"The racers make the race"

 

[18-Valve. (pithy)]

I always like if they don't use a mountain that even its defenders describe as "overused".

No, it's not been done as an MTF from this side before, but frankly there is no reason to do Galibier as an MTF. Why are they doing it?

- To honour Pantani: well, why aren't they going to Les-Deux-Alpes then?
- To produce an epic stage: well, why is it a 150km one-climb special then?
- To produce a crazy high stage finish: they finished on Stelvio this year, which makes it a bit unnecessary
- To climb a popular French climb: in that case, why does it have to be an MTF, why can't they descend into Briançon to finish?

That's indeed why they did it. A MTF on Galibier sells, a stage finish over the Galibier followed by a descent into Briancon does not. Marketing, that's all it is.

Briancon would be a bad choice, regardless. That valley would actually limit GC relevant attacks. A finish in or above La Grave would be sweet, though. But again... marketing.

 

[Bavarianrider]

That TT is a real killer imo. If Wiggins goes all in at Giro he can put 3 minutes into any contnder there imo. 5 minutes plus on pure climbers.

 

[18-Valve. (pithy)]

That TT is a real killer imo. If Wiggins goes all in at Giro he can put 3 minutes into any contnder there imo. 5 minutes plus on pure climbers.

Indeed. It will be an easy win for him if some of the high mountain stages will be cut due to bad weather or avalanche risk... which is very likely to happen. He will also smash the MTT I'm afraid.

 

[Eshnar]

That TT is a real killer imo.

it is indeed. I expected you to notice it before tbh

 

[Bavarianrider]

it is indeed. I expected you to notice it before tbh

I did. I was just scared of saying it.
IT's 1: 10 hour of pure effort, without any relaxing. Lot's of false flats,too. And it's next to the sea, which means crosswinds normaly.
Best TT route in a very very long time in GT

 

[Libertine Seguros]

That's indeed why they did it. A MTF on Galibier sells, a stage finish over the Galibier followed by a descent into Briancon does not. Marketing, that's all it is.

Briancon would be a bad choice, regardless. That valley would actually limit GC relevant attacks. A finish in or above La Grave would be sweet, though. But again... marketing.

The unimaginative French races use these climbs enough, without the Giro adding to the unimaginative repetition.

 

[luckyboy]

Val Martello might as well have been a descent finish, could've been more interesting if it was earlier, now won't be contested due to Tre Cime the day after.
Either one of Bardonecchia or Galibier should also be a descent finish, with the other one having an extra mountain and about 40-50 more km.

First and last stages look boring and that's a bit disappointing, but so do 6, 17 and obviously the time trials. When was the last stage of a GT thrilling anyway?


Don't really like rating it before I see the Tour and Vuelta but I'll give it a 6 for now.

 

[gerundium]

That's indeed why they did it. A MTF on Galibier sells, a stage finish over the Galibier followed by a descent into Briancon does not. Marketing, that's all it is.

Briancon would be a bad choice, regardless. That valley would actually limit GC relevant attacks. A finish in or above La Grave would be sweet, though. But again... marketing.

going over galibier down the lautaret and then climbing up to les deux alpes. would work out perfectly with the pantani nod and seems like it would sell, les deux alpes is a pretty big ski village.

 

[Eshnar]

I did. I was just scared of saying it.
IT's 1: 10 hour of pure effort, without any relaxing. Lot's of false flats,too. And it's next to the sea, which means crosswinds normaly.
Best TT route in a very very long time in GT

lol why?
It's also a lot twisty, especially the first part.

 

[Bavarianrider]

lol why?
It's also a lot twisty, especially the first part.

Cause there are many TT haters here
Honestly i wish Tony would do the Giro, now
Would love tosee him in that TT.

 

[Eshnar]

Cause there are many TT haters here
Honestly i wish Tony would do the Giro, now
Would love tosee him in that TT.

If TT haters survived last Tour they can certainly be happy with this Giro.

 

[Parrulo]

If TT haters survived last Tour they can certainly be happy with this Giro.

indeed, this itt is one of the few things i like about this route

 

[ferryman]

Bertie not dismissing a start. Wiggins's worst nightmare if rumours are true. With Bertie I would give this a 9.

 

[roundabout]

Mixed feelings.

TT is the right length and in the right place. Is 55km enough with 5 MTFs and an MTT? With modern cycling you can never now.

Various anti-sprinter hills. Good on paper and keeps GC riders attentive. Still, as much as these stages are more interesting than a mere sprint, there might be one too many of them.

Certain repetitiveness of stages. Montasio, Vajont, Jafferau, Galibier. All have the same structure. One big climb quite a bit before the final one (counting Telegraphe+Galibier as one climb). Montasio and Jafferau seem a bit alike as well in general. Cason di Lanza is great though. Although it may not play a tactical role.

Gavia+Stelvio is ok. Who knows if there could be a repeat of a De Gendt attack after they get down Stelvio. Don't like the finish with the wall though and that the queen stage is next.

Penultimate stage is nice. To hope for a repeat of 2007 may be a bit too much, but I hope the last 50km will be good. Maybe mostly because it's the last stage.

Oh, and as mentioned before, hope the weather plays along. 3 stages with climbs over 2300 meters.

 

[The Hitch]

Bertie not dismissing a start. Wiggins's worst nightmare if rumours are true. With Bertie I would give this a 9.

He says that cos its the presentation. Come schedule announcement time, fuggedaboudit.

He should talk to Aquarone about making an easy giro for 2014 as then he could go for the double. Right now its all about the Tour though.

 

[DominicDecoco]

2 regular sprint stages is seriously streching it. Some in here moan about sprint stages celebrating the lack of them in this GT but they are really a part of the sport, always have been and will be. I can genuinely undstand if all the big guns race something like California instead and leave us with a tame attendance - a worse one than we saw in the Vuelta. And that was seriously bad. (Degen still did great mind you.)

 

[ferryman]

He says that cos its the presentation. Come schedule announcement time, fuggedaboudit.

He should talk to Aquarone about making an easy giro for 2014 as then he could go for the double. Right now its all about the Tour though.

Probably, but why would he be there if not taking it seriously and besides I like the early mind games Bertie's gonna get you

 

[palmerq]

looks good... rodriguez should have a good chance of winning as long as he does well in the 55km tt, katusha are good in the ttt so he may have a chance here, it would be nice if he won a gt finally