Tirreno - Adriatico 2016 09/03/16 - 15/03/16 2.UWT
Not much hype for this race, I can see. The course is not as interesting as normal, unfortunately.
STAGE 1: 22km TTT
Flat, fairly long TTT in Lido di Camamiore, the starting place of recent years. Etixx, BMC among the favourites.
STAGE 2:
More interesting stage, apparently designed by Paolo Bettini I read somewhere. The finish in Pomerance comes after a short muro of about 1km, averaging about 7% but very irregular - it reaches 16% and 18% in places. After that comes a rolling 2 or 3 km before a short sharp rise to the finish. Suits the likes of Valverde and Kwiat, but I feel Sagan/Ulissi will probably survive this and Cancellara will be very motivated. EBH also.Hopefully we'll see fireworks on the last climb
STAGE 3:
Boring sprint stage. Sagan, Gaviria, Ewan and Viviani. Actually no wait there is a rise at the finish! Probably not Viviani then.
STAGE 4:
Interesting stage. Two climbs spike the last 50km of this long stage. Montefalco (5.5km, 4.1%, max. 18%, long stretches with gradients of over 12%), and Trevi (4.0km, 5.3%, max. 16%). I can't find the profiles bu they seem irregular and hard. With rain here then hopefully there will be attacks and the like. Nibali might attack, but it coem the day before the big MTF, not after. Cancellara attack or a punchy sprinter like Colbrelli or Sagan? Hangs in the balance. Should be fun
STAGE 5:
For the GC guys. Nibali, Uran, Valverde, TJ, Yates, Chaves, Pinot and Pozzo are the favourites. The final climb is Monte San Vicino, which can be divided into two constantly-sloping parts: the first one, with a gradient of around 7%, stretches until 2 km from the summit and includes an 11% section 3km from the finish, while the second one is slightly milder and leads all the way up to the finish. The gradient is around 5-6% between the 2.5km and 1.5km to go marks and then the next 500m average 8.8%. In the final kilometre, the gradient is between 4.8% and 6.8%. There aren’t many turns on the climb but the final kilometres are more winding. The 200-m long home stretch runs slightly uphill, on 7-m wide asphalt road after a sweeping left-hand turn. This I think is the right side. I reckon Nibali, after his win in Oman.
STAGE 6:
Frustrating. Great options around but RCS wanted to make a sprinters' stage. This might go to the break, but most liekely someone like Sagan will take this. A sprinter who can climb well, or a puncher with a very quick finish. Last few kilometres.
STAGE 7: 10km ITT
Martin vs Cancellara. No Malori here after his horrible crash in San Luis to take it, either. The GC guys will see the order shake up a bit, bu the winner will have probably already been decided.
STARTLIST: http://www.procyclingstats.com/race.php?id=163639&c=3
Not much hype for this race, I can see. The course is not as interesting as normal, unfortunately.
STAGE 1: 22km TTT
Flat, fairly long TTT in Lido di Camamiore, the starting place of recent years. Etixx, BMC among the favourites.
STAGE 2:
More interesting stage, apparently designed by Paolo Bettini I read somewhere. The finish in Pomerance comes after a short muro of about 1km, averaging about 7% but very irregular - it reaches 16% and 18% in places. After that comes a rolling 2 or 3 km before a short sharp rise to the finish. Suits the likes of Valverde and Kwiat, but I feel Sagan/Ulissi will probably survive this and Cancellara will be very motivated. EBH also.Hopefully we'll see fireworks on the last climb
STAGE 3:
Boring sprint stage. Sagan, Gaviria, Ewan and Viviani. Actually no wait there is a rise at the finish! Probably not Viviani then.
STAGE 4:
Interesting stage. Two climbs spike the last 50km of this long stage. Montefalco (5.5km, 4.1%, max. 18%, long stretches with gradients of over 12%), and Trevi (4.0km, 5.3%, max. 16%). I can't find the profiles bu they seem irregular and hard. With rain here then hopefully there will be attacks and the like. Nibali might attack, but it coem the day before the big MTF, not after. Cancellara attack or a punchy sprinter like Colbrelli or Sagan? Hangs in the balance. Should be fun
STAGE 5:
For the GC guys. Nibali, Uran, Valverde, TJ, Yates, Chaves, Pinot and Pozzo are the favourites. The final climb is Monte San Vicino, which can be divided into two constantly-sloping parts: the first one, with a gradient of around 7%, stretches until 2 km from the summit and includes an 11% section 3km from the finish, while the second one is slightly milder and leads all the way up to the finish. The gradient is around 5-6% between the 2.5km and 1.5km to go marks and then the next 500m average 8.8%. In the final kilometre, the gradient is between 4.8% and 6.8%. There aren’t many turns on the climb but the final kilometres are more winding. The 200-m long home stretch runs slightly uphill, on 7-m wide asphalt road after a sweeping left-hand turn. This I think is the right side. I reckon Nibali, after his win in Oman.
STAGE 6:
Frustrating. Great options around but RCS wanted to make a sprinters' stage. This might go to the break, but most liekely someone like Sagan will take this. A sprinter who can climb well, or a puncher with a very quick finish. Last few kilometres.
STAGE 7: 10km ITT
Martin vs Cancellara. No Malori here after his horrible crash in San Luis to take it, either. The GC guys will see the order shake up a bit, bu the winner will have probably already been decided.
STARTLIST: http://www.procyclingstats.com/race.php?id=163639&c=3
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