Time for some Giro route speculation

There are a couple of Italian stories from today, at both Tutto Bici and Ciclonews, but CN have thoughtfully translated all the best bits for us (so I don't even have to worry about upstaging Gavia).

Amsterdam has made damn sure that it gets value for its money, with an opening TT in town, the start of stage 2 to Utrecht, then dragging everyone back to start stage 3 there as well. Stage 3 is a short one to Middleburg, finishing at about 1pm near the airport to enable the riders to catch a plane, either to Turin or to the the little airport at Levaldigi. So they will be nicely refreshed and ready to start stage 4 the next day (Rest day? Who said anything about rest day?). But pity the team mechanics and bus drivers who have a 1150km drive to Cuneo instead, and then have to set up the TT bikes for a team TT. I hope that no-one's planning to get some dope free urine from their mechanic. In fact the whole of next year's Giro looks like a real pig as far as transfers go. Afer a couple of stages around Cuneo they are then planning to head all the way south to Puglia then all the way back to a grand finish in Verona. I wouldn't fancy that for a 2 week holiday in a car.

over 2 years ago Monty. 26 comments 0 recs |

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I also had a bunch

of route info about the mountains in last week’s Wednesday column.

by Jen See on Oct 8, 2009 4:29 PM EDT reply actions

I missed that one

not in the sense of ’didn’t read’ but in the ‘am I talking to an empty room if I reply here’ way.

by Monty. on Oct 8, 2009 4:51 PM EDT up reply actions

Having returned yesterday evening from Amsterdam I can say, without a doubt...

… that a time trial there will be badass. It will annihilate all traffic in the city all to hell and back with ruthless ferocity, but who cares…

I just hope they get good weather. Those cobbles are slick as shit when it’s wet.

"Jens! is my favorite rider. I love watching him handing out plates of hot, steaming suffer!" - Mahatma Gandhi

by crashdan on Oct 8, 2009 4:43 PM EDT reply actions

I want a full update Chrash!

by Frinking on Oct 8, 2009 4:56 PM EDT up reply actions

bit of a mistranslation in the cyclingnews article

cyclingnews says: “The riders will then travel through Liguria and Toscana before the first rest day and transfer to Puglia.”

But the original Tuttosport article, reproduced at Ciclonews in Monty’s link, says: “Dal Piemonte si andrà in Liguria e poi in Toscana, scendendo successivamente e con brevi trasferimenti sino alla Puglia”

I would translate that as: “From Piemonte it will go to Liguria and then Toscana, descending subsequently and with brief transfers until reaching Puglia.”

No mention there of when the rest day will be, but the cyclingnews translator might have thought “rest day” when s/he saw the word “transfers.” A post on the cicloweb forum today quotes Il Mattino, a Napoli newspaper, as saying there will be a stage start in Avellino, in Compania, and possibly a stage finish at Cava dei Tirreni, near Salerno. This suggests that rather than transferring from Toscana to Puglia, the race might go from Tuscany down to Campania, then over to Puglia, with presumably a rest day somewhere along the way.

by Susie Hartigan on Oct 8, 2009 4:53 PM EDT reply actions

any suggestion of where in Puglia they might be going?

(I have a trip down there which has been planned three times & has never happened)

by civetta on Oct 11, 2009 12:50 PM EDT up reply actions

The Tuttosport article mentions Foggia as the destination in Puglia.

And a poster on the cicloweb forum cited an article from a local paper saying that the mayor of Bitonto had met with Zomegnan to lobby for a stage finish in Bitonto.

That’s all I’ve seen, so far.

I’ve never been to Puglia, but it sounds fantastic. Have you been there before?

by Susie Hartigan on Oct 11, 2009 1:34 PM EDT up reply actions

For me, the one problem with the Giro

is that it is too early in the year to climb some of the truly spectacular climbs there.

It’s a HUGE shame

Moo

by Willj on Oct 8, 2009 5:23 PM EDT reply actions

Zoncolan, Plan de Corones, Gavia, Mortirolo, Colle de Finestre, Terminillo, Stelvio

aren’t spectacular enough for you?! You are quite a tough critic Will :)

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 8, 2009 7:40 PM EDT up reply actions

No that's my point

Those climbs are beyond belief BUT

they can’t have those climbs in May …. they are under a few metres of snow

Moo

by Willj on Oct 9, 2009 4:28 AM EDT up reply actions

OK I must be wrong

I am amazed if they can open Gavia in May ….. impressive

Moo

by Willj on Oct 9, 2009 4:31 AM EDT up reply actions

Er..

They’ve opened the Gavia any number of times in May. Also, the Stelvio. But I don’t expect them to use them both this time. And the rumors I saw about the Finestre sounded more like wishful thinking than reality.

by Jen See on Oct 9, 2009 12:21 PM EDT up reply actions

I stand corrected .... still pretty amazing

there would be a LOT of snow in May @ 2600 metres. Nothing in France would open at that altitude in May

Moo

by Willj on Oct 9, 2009 12:32 PM EDT up reply actions

There is typically

snow on the roadsides, natch. But the Giro has used those passes for many, many editions. The Gavia and Stelvio are signatures climbs for that race.

by Jen See on Oct 9, 2009 12:35 PM EDT up reply actions

thanks for response

shows what little I know about Italy and the Giro (I did get lightly snowed on doing Stelvio this July)

Moo

by Willj on Oct 9, 2009 12:45 PM EDT up reply actions

Think the Stelvio has only been used 9 times since first appearing in 1953:
1953 Coppi
1956 Del Rio
1961 Gaul
1965 Battistini
1972 Fuente
1975 Galdos
1980 Bernaudeau
1994 Vona
2005 Rujano

by Vlaanderen2010 on Oct 11, 2009 4:04 PM EDT up reply actions