Giro d'Italia Worst Giro d'Italia edition in the 21st century?

[Eyeballs Out]

When tomorrow comes down to a couple of seconds either way for GC we will be told we have been watching the race of the century

 

[Anderis]

2024.

 

[Valv.Piti]

It's between this one and 2012.
Oh well, the Tour can't be worse than this, right? At the same time we were also thinking that in 2012 and ended up with the big pommie cheater show...

2002 also had the Passo Cuddles stage, despite the circumstances it wasn't that bad.

Its not possible.

I mean, for that to happen, Poga has to be really hampered, you'd need several shortening/cancellations, every break to make it etc. Its just not possible looking at everything, the route and the rider quality showing up makes it completely impossible to me to think it can actually happen where as 2012 actually had horrendous route and a bad quality of field with lots of the best climbers missing out for several reasons.

 

[Netserk]

Its not possible.

I mean, for that to happen, Poga has to be really hampered, you'd need several shortening/cancellations, every break to make it etc. Its just not possible looking at everything, the route and the rider quality showing up makes it completely impossible to me to think it can actually happen where as 2012 actually had horrendous route and a bad quality of field with lots of the best climbers missing out for several reasons.

Agreed. I think this year's Tour has a high floor.

 

[SafeBet]

2023.
All the other options in the poll have at least one stage I have fond memories of. This one won't, apart from being on the Cappuccini the moment Healy attacked.

 

[Peyroteo94]

No doubt it's this one.
Frankly I don't understand why 2004 is an option. Not a good edition but even just the first MTF provided more action than whatever we have seen this year.

Oh Eshnar, so right. It is a bless to have you here in this forum. Such a wise and assertive man.

 

[dercuforever]

Can't really talk about 2004 because didn't followed that edition (neither 2002, but watched all the stages highlights and mountain stages I could find on YouTube on that edition) and by far this one.

2022 had a lame GC fight as well, but Blockhaus was fun and we had interesting breakaway fights as well as the Torino stage that outclasses anything this Giro have given.

Same for 2012. All that Cunego and De Gendt have made on the Stelvio stage outranks any action of this Giro.

2002 also had good stages that I look up to with fondness, as Folgaria p.e.

I won't look back to this Giro and instantly remember some remarkable stage that links it to the 2023 edition. Even 2014, which for be was not very good, had Val Martello shambles and Aru emergence on Montecampione as moments I still remember.

This.
If I wasn't a fan of Pinot, I would have fall asleep for most of the mountain stages.
No GC winner outside of TTs is outrageous.

 

[dercuforever]

When tomorrow comes down to a couple of seconds either way for GC we will be told we have been watching the race of the century

Who seriously prefer that to one rider attacking from 50k ? that was even worse than 2013-2015 Sky TDF, where at least Froome obliterated them by attacking.

 

[DNP-Old]

One aspect that soothes last years race for me is the names on the startlist, or lack thereof, better. The field consisted of B-tier GC riders, and that's how I went into the race. I expected a B-tier race by B-tier riders, and that's exactly what I got. I'm not getting pumped for Hindley, Juampe or Bilbao to give me some electric showdown on the flanks of the Mortirolo. They never have and they never will. Keep your expectations low and you will never be disappointed.

That was different this year. Bigger names, better race, right? So that's on me, for expecting Almeida and Roglic to be more than Leipheimer.

 

[Roku]

Thing is, even the worst Giri had a stage to, more or less, remember as years go by.

In 2022 we had Torino, plus Fedaia and Aprica which are both better by far than any stage of this year. It wasn't particularly a great Giro, but honestly it wasn't that bad. I would say it was acceptable.

In 2002, which i agree was a bad Giro, you have the Folgaria stage, which singlehandedly destroyed young Evans, Dario Frigo (was about to type Marco Frigo) and infamous Aitor González. That stage was won by Tonkov, who unexpectedly dropped Julio Alberto Perez Cuapio, the "Rujano" of that year, and jumped from ~15th to 5th thanks to that stage.

In 2012, which is the closest to this year, we had the Stelvio stage. In addition, they at least climbed Giau at a proper pace, compared to 2023.

What did we have this year? Nothing. 3 Kms of action in Lavaredo, 3 kms of action in Bondone and 10 km of action in Fossombrone and Val di Zoldo (probably the "most exciting" of them). We did not have any stage with proper gaps between the Top-10. What a horrible race.

 

[Netserk]

Bondone was decent. Val di Zoldo as well. I think both delivered as much as could be expected from them.

The ITTs have been good so far.

 

[Gigs_98]

I don't understand why this is posted already. There are still two stages to go. As of now I would have this as the worst edition, but then if the question becomes "What is the worst Giro edition of the 21st century, after 19 stages?" I would probably rank 2012 even lower. So it's only fair to let the last two stages of this one play out first. If Almeida pulls a Pogacar and rides himself into pink out of nowhere that would certainly improve my rating.

Also I think a similar argument applies to the 2022 Giro, which had a dramatic stage 20 too. But then I think 2022 was generally significantly better than this years edition.

 

[Netserk]

I don't understand why this is posted already. There are still two stages to go. As of now I would have this as the worst edition, but then if the question becomes "What is the worst Giro edition of the 21st century, after 19 stages?" I would probably rank 2012 even lower. So it's only fair to let the last two stages of this one play out first. If Almeida pulls a Pogacar and rides himself into pink out of nowhere that would certainly improve my rating.

Also I think a similar argument applies to the 2022 Giro, which had a dramatic stage 20 too. But then I think 2022 was generally significantly better than this years edition.

Which is why that for this poll I made it possible to change vote. And there's no time limit.

It was posted already because it's limited how much better it can get, and then it will surely be in the running for the worst edition of the century so far.

 

[tobydawq]

This one of course. But 2014 was decided by blatant cheating, so that one sits quite high up the shelf, too.

I once heard Daniel Friebe tell about the 2002 edition and all it's issue. That was hilarious.

 

[Monte Serra]

I once heard Daniel Friebe tell about the 2002 edition and all it's issue. That was hilarious.

Yes, that was a good one. It is discussed in this episode, relevant part starts around 7:30:

Our Giro stage 4: Imbroglio! Skulduggery at the Giro

Our Giro arrives in Sicily and Richard Moore, Lionel Birnie and Daniel Friebe discuss the race’s rich history of controversy, tactical ruthlessness and downright cheating.

audioboom.com

 

[Savant12]

What did we have this year?

We've had the Derek Geero and it's been entertaining from a breakaway perspective.

 

[Fantastico]

+ the Mortirolo stage: action from 100km before the finish.

+ the fact that Cunego won this Giro, but Simoni was the designated leader of the same team. There was a lot of suspense before the final mountain stages because it was not clear how the young and inexperienced Cunego would deal with the pressure, if his own team-mate would attack him etc. Also, as already mentioned, this set-up allowed Simoni to make a longe-range attack.

 

[staubsauger]

+ the fact that Cunego won this Giro, but Simoni was the designated leader of the same team. There was a lot of suspense before the final mountain stages because it was not clear how the young and inexperienced Cunego would deal with the pressure, if his own team-mate would attack him etc. Also, as already mentioned, this set-up allowed Simoni to make a longe-range attack.

Simoni called Cunego a bastard after Honchar had reeled him in towards Bormio 2000 and Cunego took the stage win!

 

[Fantastico]

Simoni called Cunego a bastard after Honchar had reeled him in towards Bormio 2000 and Cunego took the stage win!

You're right. Now that you say it I remember.

 

[veganrob]

There was about three minutes worth of suspense in three weeks. Absolutely terrible Giro.

 

[jimmy_8888888]

The problem with this Giro is that the stage design. I dont expect any actions much by the last 2 stages. The stages i expect actions are 13 and 16 (the latter did happen). Also, with COVID and the overall weather condition decimate riders left and right, and many GC principals are gone, especially Remco so the incentive to attack are reduce.

 

[Gigs_98]

2023 more like best Giro edition of the 21st century

 

[OlavEH]

What a drama! RCS will now certainly design coming versions to try and copy this year.

 

[Red Rick]

2023 more like best Giro edition of the 21st century

Only thing missing is me injuring myself celebrating a stage, but I guess I'm just past my peak

 

[PremierAndrew]

In hindsight, having this ITT at the start of the week would have made for significantly better racing on the two mountain stages yesterday and the day before. Problem is both Roglic and Thomas thought that they had the advantage going into the ITT