Giro d'Italia 2010: The Basics

by Chris Fontecchio on Oct 24, 2009 5:22 PM EDT in News

There you go, the Giro in all its glory. The stages... and on the flip the profiles and a few reactions.

Stage 1, Saturday, May 8: Amsterdam, 8km ITT
Stage 2, Sunday, May 9: Amsterdam - Utrecht, 209km
Stage 3, Monday, May 10: Amsterdam - Middelburg, 209km
[Tuesday, May 11: Rest/travel day]
Stage 4, Wednesday, May 12: Savigliano - Cuneo, 32.5km TTT
Stage 5: Thursday, May 13: Novara - Novi Ligure, 168km
Stage 6, Friday, May 14: Fidenza - Carrara, 166km
Stage 7, Saturday, May 15: Carrara-Montalcino, 215km
Stage 8, Sunday, May 16: Chianciano Terme - Monte Terminillo, 189km
Stage 9, Monday, May 17: Frosinone - Cava De'Tirreni, 188km
Stage 10, Tuesday, May 18: Avellino - Bitonto, 220km
Stage 11, Wednesday, May 19: Lucera - L'Aquila, 256km
Stage 12, Thursday, May 20: Citta Sant'Angelo - Porto Recanati, 191km
Stage 13: Friday, May 21: Porto Recanati - Cesenatico, 222km
Stage 14, Saturday, May 22: Ferrara - Asolo, 201km
Stage 15, Sunday, May 23: Mestre - Monte Zoncolan, 218km
[Monday, May 24: rest day]
Stage 16, Tuesday, May 25: San Vigilio di Marebbe - Plan de Corones, 12.8km ITT
Stage 17, Wednesday, May 26: Brunico - Pejo Terme, 173km
Stage 18, Thursday, May 27: Levico Terme - Brescia, 151km
Stage 19, Friday, May 28: Brescia - Aprica, 195km
Stage 20, Saturday, May 29: Bormio - Ponte di Legno, 178km
Stage 21, Sunday, May 30: Verona, 15.3km ITT

I will offer a few random thoughts, but we will save the real analysis for later.

Pretty textbook layout for a far-off, foreign start: early rest day, try not to overload guys during the long stretch between the two rest days. But it's still the Giro, so they peloton will never go too many days without an uphill finish.
Stage 11 goes through my great-grandmother's natal village. Should be pretty awesome for a variety of reasons. And a tear-jerker.
Plan de Corones time trial? Could this course scream "Save Ferris!" any louder? OK, Menchov will be heard from again too, should he return for another bite. But Pellizotti must be pleased with the layout. Assuming he thinks he'll be the captain.

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Comments

A top personal goal

is to cycle the Passo Gavia in 2010. At that altitude I am still amazed that it will be open in May. No Doubt the snow views will be stunning

Moo

by Willj on Oct 24, 2009 5:38 PM EDT reply actions

they used it in the 2004 giro

"Wizard's first rule. People are stupid. They will believe anything they want to be true or fear to be true." -- Terry Goodkind

by umwolverine on Oct 25, 2009 7:12 AM EDT up reply actions

and '08

I think we covered this before

"Harder! Better! Faster! Stronger!" Philippe Gilbert

by Chris Fontecchio on Oct 25, 2009 10:55 AM EDT up reply actions

for some reason i don't so much remember gavia as i do stelvio

"Wizard's first rule. People are stupid. They will believe anything they want to be true or fear to be true." -- Terry Goodkind

by umwolverine on Oct 25, 2009 2:12 PM EDT up reply actions

one of the years

it was really early in the stage, so we never really saw it.

by Jen See on Oct 25, 2009 6:59 PM EDT up reply actions

indeed

and I’m still bitter about that.

"Harder! Better! Faster! Stronger!" Philippe Gilbert

by Chris Fontecchio on Oct 26, 2009 2:37 PM EDT up reply actions

You mean sick?

by Frinking on Oct 26, 2009 2:41 PM EDT up reply actions

yep sorry

still amazed ;)

Moo

by Willj on Oct 25, 2009 4:01 PM EDT up reply actions

Menchov is definitely a go for the Giro

according to this CN article, a matter of fact, he says he hasn’t decided yet if he is doing the Giro-Tour or Giro-Vuelta double yet.

Dammit Elk! I don't care if it's your mating season, you are disturbing my peaceful sleep! Just STFU!

by Phil H. on Oct 24, 2009 5:45 PM EDT reply actions

is anyone not a Menchov fan?

Moo

by Willj on Oct 24, 2009 5:56 PM EDT up reply actions

mee

by Jens on Oct 24, 2009 6:01 PM EDT up reply actions

booooo

Moo

by Willj on Oct 24, 2009 6:13 PM EDT up reply actions

hooo

by Jens on Oct 24, 2009 6:33 PM EDT up reply actions

Why do you hate Russian Jens?

by Frinking on Oct 25, 2009 4:46 AM EDT up reply actions

He's a fan of hair gel..

"How strange it was to see men doing something beautiful. Something pointless and elegant." Tim Winton, 'Breath'

by Seahorse on Oct 25, 2009 4:47 AM EDT up reply actions

So that would make him a fan of Johny Bravo?

by Frinking on Oct 25, 2009 4:49 AM EDT up reply actions

OMG!

Jens and Johnny… brothers under the skin ;)

"How strange it was to see men doing something beautiful. Something pointless and elegant." Tim Winton, 'Breath'

by Seahorse on Oct 25, 2009 4:55 AM EDT up reply actions

hooo...Humanplasma?

by M. Anatole on Oct 25, 2009 10:55 AM EDT up reply actions

Meh

He has to say that. I would guess he is leaning toward going, but we’ll see.

"Harder! Better! Faster! Stronger!" Philippe Gilbert

by Chris Fontecchio on Oct 24, 2009 6:38 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions

I can imagine the Rabo pressure is on him to go

for a Giro win and either do the Tour in support of Gesink or the Vuelta to win.

by Jens on Oct 24, 2009 6:42 PM EDT up reply actions

I can see him having to say he is still deciding between Tour or Vuelta knowing he is doing the Tour, but he seems quite sure the Giro is a go. Actually I believe he truly has written a Tour win out of the equation, and he knows he can win the other two, so I think he may try to win the Giro and Vuelta and skip the Tour.

Dammit Elk! I don't care if it's your mating season, you are disturbing my peaceful sleep! Just STFU!

by Phil H. on Oct 24, 2009 7:53 PM EDT up reply actions

Yeah this is what I can see...he is putting all his eggs in the Giro basket and if he is up for it, he can help Gesink at the Tour

but if not then he has the Vuelta as a contingency plan if all else fails

by Vlaanderen90 on Oct 24, 2009 7:57 PM EDT up reply actions

At the gala?

He can be a jerk and waffle, but RCS would really appreciate it if the reigning champ would act interested. He is either sincere or polite.

"Harder! Better! Faster! Stronger!" Philippe Gilbert

by Chris Fontecchio on Oct 24, 2009 8:14 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions

But he did attend the gala

he could have gone down the Bert route and not, knowing he probably wasn’t racing. He has said he really likes the Giro and has done it two straight years, why not look to win it again?

Dammit Elk! I don't care if it's your mating season, you are disturbing my peaceful sleep! Just STFU!

by Phil H. on Oct 24, 2009 8:20 PM EDT up reply actions

Four days on time trial bikes.

Formerly known in some circles as flying dog.

by Mark Frank on Oct 24, 2009 9:15 PM EDT up reply actions

Is that a problem for Menchov?

He won the 3 km tt tjis year

by Frinking on Oct 25, 2009 4:43 AM EDT up reply actions

63.. And he would have won probably the last tt without his fell

by Frinking on Oct 25, 2009 9:18 AM EDT up reply actions

is menchov deluded?

he assumes conta would be racing the giro, and that menchov can beat conta in a mountainous edition? a route than menchov himself says is similar to the 2008 giro that an out-of-form conta won (menchov was 5th)?

ye gads…

"Wizard's first rule. People are stupid. They will believe anything they want to be true or fear to be true." -- Terry Goodkind

by umwolverine on Oct 25, 2009 8:23 AM EDT up reply actions

So if Contador enters any GT

all other riders should just forfeit up front?

by tedvdw on Oct 25, 2009 8:31 AM EDT up reply actions

no... but menchov implies that he can climb as well as conta, if not better

"Wizard's first rule. People are stupid. They will believe anything they want to be true or fear to be true." -- Terry Goodkind

by umwolverine on Oct 25, 2009 10:10 AM EDT up reply actions

I'm with ted on this one

he can’t just up front say “well I’m getting smoked against Bert so I’m going for second!”, he has to play up his chances for his own good. Plus I think Menchov is making the Giro his top goal next year(unlike in 08) and if he is in top form and Bert is just there to get ready for July then he does have a real chance to beat him. Remember that in 08 Bert knew he wasn’t doing the Tour so he could waste all the energy he had at the Giro, next year, even if he does the Giro, he will probably hold something back with the Tour win as he main goal again. Really I’d love to see Bert go for the win at the Giro but because I doubt he would go all out I rather see him try the Tour-Vuelta double.

Dammit Elk! I don't care if it's your mating season, you are disturbing my peaceful sleep! Just STFU!

by Phil H. on Oct 25, 2009 12:33 PM EDT up reply actions

if conta doubles next year, mostly like the tdf and vuelta...

he wouldn’t want to take any chances to defend his tdf title….

i’d love to see conta to the giro as well… more mountains…. do the vuelta… meh to the tdf…

of course, as stated elsewhere, if his allergies didn’t bother him so much, i think he’d ride the giro. prior to the 2008 giro, the latest in the spring conta had riden was romandie (i think 2005 or maybe 2006)… otherwise, he’d take may off and then start gearing up at the start of june….

i’d have to check to see if he ever even rode catalunya

"Wizard's first rule. People are stupid. They will believe anything they want to be true or fear to be true." -- Terry Goodkind

by umwolverine on Oct 25, 2009 2:17 PM EDT up reply actions

I don't think he's deluded, just hopeful

and being dismissive of him serves no purpose. I for one hope that grand tours don’t become so predictable, that if we see Bert racing, we simply switch off … race over before it’s begun. And i love the way Menchov celebrates ;)

"How strange it was to see men doing something beautiful. Something pointless and elegant." Tim Winton, 'Breath'

by Seahorse on Oct 25, 2009 9:24 AM EDT up reply actions

i'm there for stages 1-3

even if my friend (who is doing two terms of study in amsterdam) doesn’t know it yet.

"well...you live in england so: you love the rain. loves the queen. hates cycling. based on mr bean had a tremendous amount of humour. all ride in a mini cooper. all getting drunk before the age of 12. getting drunk at least 3 times a day."- frinking, 7/9/09

by Ben Shave on Oct 24, 2009 7:57 PM EDT reply actions

Cool

I would hope you can find the PDC contingent, but I know Holland is a huge country and our Dutch friends might not be able to make the journey.

"Harder! Better! Faster! Stronger!" Philippe Gilbert

by Chris Fontecchio on Oct 24, 2009 9:49 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions

Amsterdam you say?

Well.. It’s an hour away.. And it’s in the weeknd so I have to pay my own ticket.. Hmm.. Maybe it’s oing to be just the tellie

by Frinking on Oct 25, 2009 4:46 AM EDT up reply actions

Dude

finish in Utrecht. THink you can swing it?

"Harder! Better! Faster! Stronger!" Philippe Gilbert

by Chris Fontecchio on Oct 25, 2009 10:59 AM EDT up reply actions

Depends on the weather

I hear he lives on the outskirts of town, it’s at least 15 minutes by bike. So, you know, if it rains… Probably safest to watch it on TV.

by tedvdw on Oct 25, 2009 11:52 AM EDT up reply actions

P.s.

Gavia and I decided not to insult your intelligence with a post about the key stages. Not til April at least.

"Harder! Better! Faster! Stronger!" Philippe Gilbert

by Chris Fontecchio on Oct 24, 2009 9:51 PM EDT via mobile reply actions

totally

we wouldn’t want to have all the fun now :-)

by Jen See on Oct 24, 2009 11:04 PM EDT up reply actions

Good,

that leaves time to prepare the haiku.

by Steno on Oct 26, 2009 12:52 AM EDT up reply actions

You guys are forgetting...

Riccccooo!

now assuming he can return to form without CERA remains to be seen… But I kinda hope so.

by Huntero on Oct 25, 2009 9:10 AM EDT reply actions

Is Ceramice going to ride the Giro?!

And they contracted Ricco in July. Forst they have to deal with that although I don’t expect they ride the Giro. Skill and/or VacansOleil will get a wildcard and some other Italien Continetal squads

by Frinking on Oct 25, 2009 9:17 AM EDT up reply actions

Subtract Lpr

and maybe a spot opens? Also, if Astana don’t get a PT license, maybe they don’t show?

"Harder! Better! Faster! Stronger!" Philippe Gilbert

by Chris Fontecchio on Oct 25, 2009 11:01 AM EDT up reply actions

But will they give Ricco an entrance in?

by Frinking on Oct 25, 2009 4:46 PM EDT up reply actions

And BMC supposedly has a spot..

Ballan stated he is going to ride the Giro next year

by Frinking on Oct 25, 2009 4:48 PM EDT up reply actions

This year.

Acqua & Sapone, AG2R, Astana, Barloworld, Bbox, Caisse, CTT, Fuji, Garmin, ISD, Lampre, Liqui, LPR, Rabo, QST, Serramenti, Silence, Colombia, Katushya, Milram, Saxo, Xacobeo.

Probably out next year:
Barloworld, or what’s left of it.
LPR, see Barloworld
Bbox(?), They are no PT next year are they?
Xacebo(?) Why would they be in??
Fuji(?) Why would they be in??

In:
BMC, Ballan statement
RadioShack because eeeh?? lots of GT riders? PT? (Even if that doesn’t matter)
Skill/VacansOleil. Becaue it’s in The Netherlands and they did pretty well

Ok Ceramica seems a solid candidate

by Frinking on Oct 25, 2009 5:04 PM EDT up reply actions