Stage 9: Milano Show 100, 165km

[benpounder]

Has anyone else looked closely at the GT crit? It has some wicked looking corners, and several off-angle track crossings. The one corner in particular that facinates me is in the first half of the circuit - a 90 degree right sweeper directly into a left 190 degree hairpin followed imediately by a 100 degree right. I havent found the route drawn out on google earth, but it is worth looking at.

I think it is on Viale Pietro e Marie Cure just before Parco Sempione.

Here is a GoogleEarth screencap:

 

[Alpe d'Huez]

How far from the finish is this? Anything under about 10k and we could see some real problems. Might see some problems anyway if the pack isn't warned.

 

[benpounder]

7 or 8 km out. There are two nasty corners at just under 2k out, but after that, it is a straght shot.

 

[benpounder]

For Susan's swapkeastakeseekstakes, I'd say
Farrar
Cavendish
Petacchi...

 

[180mmCrank]

Not sure what I think about this stage - it strikes me that the most likely senario is that GT contenders will just try to keep safe - it looks pretty dangerous for anyone that wants to be in the hunt for a win in a bunch finish.

My prediction first few laps exhibition...then small break-away...gets pulled back on penultimate lap...and then those that have the balls will get involved in a crazie charge for the win...crashes and chaos with main contenders trying to keep out of trouble.

There might be a chance of it staying sensible if there was a team that could keep the pace high over the last couple of laps but no one has shown that degree of organisation.

Hope no one gets hurt... and I hope my prediction is way off and we get a thrilling crit with all the fast guys duking it out for the win

 

[craig1985]

Not sure who will win, but I reckon a break will go and Thomas Voeckler will be in it.

 

[Quicksilver]

Cant wait to see it. Do you think many cyclists have riden over 100miles/
165km in Milan before? Perhaps a courier but how long would that take?

 

[Animal]

There might be a chance of it staying sensible if there was a team that could keep the pace high over the last couple of laps but no one has shown that degree of organisation.

-organisation

+pharmacological assistance

 

[Animal]

Crazy route. 15 turns of 90 degrees or more from the looks of the route on cyclingnews.com

And it cuts across the whole city. Only in cycling mad Italy could you paralyze a whole city for a bike race!

They go right by where I used to live near the corner or Porta Venezia and Corso Buenos Aires. There's a great pizzeria there.