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No man we'll get that ITT to the Etna crater in 2021.Etna, Stelvio, Colle del'Agnello and Nibali's last stand. Couldn't ask for more.
Were the tough climbs really too far from the finishes in 2019? I feel like people have forgotten we actually got pretty good racing from stage 12 to 16 and after that there really only was one stage with very hard climbs left. Now I agree the only monster climb of that stage was too far from the finish but that's just one stage really.Apparently this new route up the Etna has a steep final 3 km, so probably we will see a brief but important first confrontation between the GC riders there.
In 2019 the toughest climbs were too far from the finish. That looks better in 2020. Especially the Stelvio at 37 km from the finish looks inviting for big action.
It applies literally only to Passo Manghen.Were the tough climbs really too far from the finishes in 2019? I feel like people have forgotten we actually got pretty good racing from stage 12 to 16 and after that there really only was one stage with very hard climbs left. Now I agree the only monster climb of that stage was too far from the finish but that's just one stage really.
Yeah sure, but stage 17 and stage 19 just didn't have any hard climbs to be too far from the finish in the first place.In the third week the Mortirolo was the only climb that gave a good chance for action. Of course it didn't help that the Gavia was cancelled. This time the third week looks much more dangerous than last year with stage 18 and 20.
The main aspect missing is a BIG mountain stage earlier in the second week.
My thoughts as well. They should've added at least one difficult Appenine stage in the middle of the race (even at the cost of one tough stage in the last week).
Maybe they thought a stage in the Apennines would be one too much after the Etna and Calabrian introduction.The Apennines have been grossly underused the last years, even more so than the Massif Central and Vosges in the Tour have been in periods. Yes, there have been some MTFs and punchy finishes, but the potential for multi climb medium mountain stages in the Apennines is massive. There are far too rarely these kind of stages with a tough enough finish making it a stage relevant for the GC.
Maybe they thought a stage in the Apennines would be one too much after the Etna and Calabrian introduction.
Don't want to overdo it before the tt and following mountains.
8/10 if the weather is nice, 4/10 if Agnello and Stelvio are closed so a 6/10 for me.
The Apennines have been grossly underused the last years, even more so than the Massif Central and Vosges in the Tour have been in periods. Yes, there have been some MTFs and punchy finishes, but the potential for multi climb medium mountain stages in the Apennines is massive. There are far too rarely these kind of stages with a tough enough finish making it a stage relevant for the GC.