Alle Strade Bianche!
by Chris Fontecchio on Mar 6, 2009 1:09 PM EST
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Pausing briefly from my steady stream of worship for cycling's traditional races, it's actually kind of cool that the sport also continues adding new routes. Tradition is nice, particularly where the years of experience have shown, for example, that the hellingen of Flanders make for good racing. But there are traditions that haven't held up as well (Paris-Brussels, anyone?). The roadmaps look nothing like they did in 1900. And there are storehouses of knowledge on what makes a good course... all of which is an open invitation to make a cool new event. For more, read the 275 posts we've written celebrating the Tour of California.
Monte Paschi Eroica -- now lengthened out to Montepaschi Strade Bianche Eroica Toscana -- is probably the new race that has drawn the most attention. Its signature white gravel roads make it Tuscany's version of Paris-Roubaix, even if the only thing those races have in common is dust. But apart from the visual spectacle, it's a well-planned course, touring the rolling hills of Italy's most celebrated region, and making for a Breton-style classic course. Much as I hate profiles of mountain courses, in the case of the classics they're of some use. Check it out:
Not going to kill anyone, but I count about 17 discernible inclines. After a while this is going to get hard, and the last 2km include risers of 9% and 16% before the finish in the Piazza del Campo in Siena. Whoever wins will earn it, which is what you expect in a classic. Frankly, it's not clear to me what type of rider this favors, but I'll go with the Flanders climber-types until experience proves otherwise. Assuming its funding and calendar spot are secure, this race should be around for a while.
CSC have won both editions so far, with autumn warrior Kolobnev taking the original (October) version and Fabian Cancellara last spring. Cance is nursing his wounds at home, and Kolobnev undoubtedly won't see his shadow for another month or so. But from the startlist you can see Riis is bringing plenty of mettle to the race: Andy Schleck, Kurt-Asle Arvesen, and Stuart O'Grady, among others. Getting most of the attention will be world champion Alessandro Ballan of Lampre, racing at home in his beautiful jersey for the first time in a major race. Other notables from the home country (who will be looking to hold serve, for once): Giovanni Visconti, Francesco Ginanni, Daniele Bennati, Manuel Quinziato, Filippo Pozzato, and a succession of continental pros. The foreigners include favorites like Aurelien Clerc, Roger Hammond, Andreas Klier, Martyn Maaskant, Svein Tuft, Linus Gerdemann, Gerald Ciolek, and a stacked Columbia team including Edvald Boasson Hagen, Mark Cavendish, Bernhard Eisel, Mick Rogers and Thomas Lovkvist.
Great startlist. Beautiful scenery. Excellent course. We'll be here tomorrow morning, live, as long as there is a video source to be had. Oh, and my pick: Filippo Pozzato. He's very hungry, was on form last weekend, and will have plenty of support.
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Bellissimo !
It’s a great race and becoming an instant classic, thanks to its beauty but also some practical elements: bringing some aspects of the Northern Classics to Italy for the weekend, allowing riders to fine tune for the classics on the eve of Tirenno-Adriatico.
Amateurs should note the Eroica
Live feed?
Since I missed both races last week, I’m running on empty and need a fix. (No, Murcia is not enough).
Bork, bork, bork!
Doubt you will have any luck with video
Rai is showing only highlights, plus Rai hates international exposure and geo-restricts its content(yes that was intended to be a snarky comment, because I really want to watch Rai sport….every day!)
I don't know if you knew this, CTV is run by Bernard Madoff
i saw in myp2p forum
Eroica / Montepaschi Strade Bianche 7.3.2009
16 35 rai3 with flv player and 19 45 raisport+ with tvants – only highlights, final maybe 16 00
Hm
Worth trying/hoping.
CQRanking.com, you complete me.
by Chris Fontecchio on Mar 6, 2009 7:03 PM EST up reply actions
most likely georestricted to italy
"Wizard's first rule. People are stupid. They will believe anything they want to be true or fear to be true." -- Terry Goodkind
if raisport is giving live
isn’t georestricted, because i saw last year T-A and some Giro stages through a program named SopCast.
I need to find a 12 yearold to teach me some of this tech stuff
Is it really true the computer can be used as more than a fancy typewriter?
Gazzetta reporting Ballan possibly out with fever
Ballan has a 38 degree fever. He went out to preview the course, but felt really bad and returned to the hotel after 30 kilometers. Gazzetta’s comment is that though Lampre entered him on the start list, his participation looks to be “only a dream.”
Well that guarantees it then
Leenooos will win!
I don't know if you knew this, CTV is run by Bernard Madoff
Gazzetta also says weather is looking good
Bennati, Pozzato, Breschel, Schleck and OGrady named the favorites.
Is the finishing-straight still the same as last year?
Anyone know?
It seems to me that in a square the should be able to make a better finish.
The approach to Piazza del Campo in Siena will be different this year
But I don’t know whether it will be an improvement.
According to a press release I got from RCS a few weeks ago:
“L’ingresso in Siena avverrà non più da Porta Pispini ma da Fontebranda, con pavimentazione lastricata dai 900 metri all’arrivo e ingresso in piazza del Campo con curva a destra, a 70 metri dal traguardo.”
Translation: The entrance in Siena will no longer be from Porta Pispini but from Fontebranda, with [some sort of pavement, perhaps cobbles?] from 900 meters to the finish, and entrance into the Piazza del Campo with a curve to the right, at 70 meters from the finish line.
by Susie Hartigan on Mar 6, 2009 6:17 PM EST up reply actions
VDS Points
Is this a top 15 or top 10 for VDS points? I like O’Grady to contend. Bennati has also been going well so he should be right up there.
It's a Category 5
Top 10 are scored thusly: 150-125-100-80-60; 50-40-30-20-10
He has no charisma--Thomas Dekker, on Cadel Evans
I have a doubt
the grey color under the patch norally means coobles. But the photos that i saw from this race mainly was land roads, not cobbles, at least i can’t remember. So, the grey colour in this race means cobbles roads, or land roads like the BTTs tracks?
land roads
It’s white gravel. Someone remind though, is the finish on a cobbled road? Anyway, it’s not like Flemish races.
It's sort of cobbled in Siena
but pretty smooth. It’s more like flagstones, paving slabs, or whatever you call them.
Lane roads
they don’t put tarmac over lots of these little roads because the snow and frost destroys it too quickly. Instead they use little stones, gravel.
loosely translated it is:
Mountain Paschi Roads White Heroic Tuscany
The nickname “L’Eroica” is “The Heroic” in english
So if you win you are the Hero of Tuscany. Yeah!
I like to try to translate because I have a hard time remembering the foreign (to me) language titles
helps me to recall if I can relate it to something in my mind.
Eroica = Beethoven's Third Symphony...
as conducted in this oddly creepy video by Herbert von Karajan.
Dude... why WOULDN'T Thor ride the chicken?
I thought you had to remove your T
before it got erotic? anyone?
CYCLING TV SUCKS. DO NOT GIVE THEM YOUR MONEY
Beware - they will bill you automatically unless you cancel recurring payments... Login to PayPal -> select MyAccount -> Profile -> Recurring Payments and cancel Cycling TV. Check your history to confirm that it worked. Then crack open a fine Belgian beer and toast your future happiness.
Not if your name is Michael Rasmussen
Did your favourite rider just win Montepaschi Strade Bianch Eroica Toscana? OK then.
Actually has anyone ever raced on gravel? Way back when I was pretending to be a bike racer, there was a race in my hometown that was partially on gravel – man, some weird things happened on there – becomes very difficult to catch breaks, for example, I remember that people stayed away who really should not have stayed away. Anyways blah blah blah
never raced on gravel
But I have rode many many miles on roads with gravel. Where I grew up, there was a packed gravel road just like the one pictured above that was on top of a levee that went alongside the Mississippi River. Dead flat and dead straight for miles, and you were above any trees, buildings or hills, so completely exposed to the wind. God, I hate that road thinking about it now. But, the gravel wasn’t that big of a deal.
Hey...
When do you leave for your trip over yonder?
"The most wasted day is that in which we have not laughed."
Sweet! ....so jealous!
Are you sticking to your dual sport thingy or thinking of any bike racing this year? We’ve got a week of crits coming up in 2 weeks. Hard to do after work but I’m checking to see if I can guarantee getting out to help officiate.
"The most wasted day is that in which we have not laughed."
I'll be there!
Not sure if I’m going to race every day, but at least two or three days. Then, racing in Beloit the following Saturday.
I have
but it was a short stretch, maybe a mile, and everyone just lined up and rode cautiously. There was a nasty right-hander going into it, and huge puddles, so everyeon was in survival mode.
CQRanking.com, you complete me.
by Chris Fontecchio on Mar 6, 2009 4:54 PM EST up reply actions
tunis-roubaix
a couple of years ago—flatted lap two in the nasty rocky dirt road section (with wet sandy gravel sections that functioned like quicksand if your line was wrong). Finished, stupidly, although it was fun watching Pat McCarty stop to help the cat5s who’d flatted change their tires . . .
I've raced on gravel and it's fun.
You need to know how to handle the bike. Gravel filled road races are my favorite.
Wow, I really really wanna watch this race.
I hope video shows up. It sounds like it’ll be one very cool spectacle.
Awesome!
Who got second, Bruce?
CQRanking.com, you complete me.
by Chris Fontecchio on Mar 6, 2009 4:53 PM EST up reply actions
Followed up the the stealthy (yet to be seen) Garmin.
"The most wasted day is that in which we have not laughed."
times
not that we can see it, but it’s listed here as being
Monte Paschi Eroica, RAI Sports Più, Sat, 07 Mar 2009, 1945-2040 CET.
http://www.timezoneconverter.com/cgi-bin/tzc.tzc
says that means starting
13:45:00 Saturday March 7, 2009 (EST)
Unless they've started fitting lights to pro bikes
that’s almost definitely a highlights show. The actual finish should be around 4 hours earlier.
And it has begun....
Sharks with Lasers 2009.
"The most wasted day is that in which we have not laughed."
America's Queen of the Classics
Tour of the Battenkill All this talk of dirt roads reminded me that this race is due. April 19 Salem, NY
BMC, Bissel and Jittery Joes are among the pro teams that will be there.
Speed on the descent can easily be lost when you slam into a tree.
Jittery Joes?
I thought they shrunk down? Or is this the smaller team who made it?
"The most wasted day is that in which we have not laughed."
It looks like
07.03 Monte Paschi Eroica
Andy Schleck
http://www.team-saxobank.com/races.asp?r_id=1720
08.03-15.03 Paris-Nice
Fränk Schleck
http://www.team-saxobank.com/races.asp?r_id=1721
Lövkvist wins infront of Wegmann
shut your fucking mouth Jens, I don’t want to hear it!
I don't know if you knew this, CTV is run by Bernard Madoff
AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I could kiss you right on the mouth!
Well I'm happy for you
and I’m pleased myself for Wegmann taking second. There will probably be video of the fin al kim’s later in the day, or tomorrow, I want to see this as well.
I don't know if you knew this, CTV is run by Bernard Madoff
Last year someone was very quick to post the RAI coverage
on Dailymotion. I will be searching for sure.
Post it if you find it.
Yay, Lovkvist! Martin Elmiger was third.
He has no charisma--Thomas Dekker, on Cadel Evans
Dear Lord Baby Jesus!
Let me watch the RAI summary in an hour. I will be nice to everyone for a year.
I just realized I got 2nd,4th, and 5th for my VDS
Wegmann, EBH, and Leenooos getting me some points.
I don't know if you knew this, CTV is run by Bernard Madoff
Where are you finding full results?
Please post! I have Lovkvist, EBH and Leenooos.
He has no charisma--Thomas Dekker, on Cadel Evans
Top 11 or so posted on CN
and another note, Milram had 3 in the top 10 whule no one else had more than 1, this team is outting together a really nice team.
I don't know if you knew this, CTV is run by Bernard Madoff
and whule should be while.....one can tell I just woke up an hour ago
I don't know if you knew this, CTV is run by Bernard Madoff
RAI 3 is showing something right now
if you can find it I had thought it was live but obviously not.
how deep we scoring this one?
I have
3. Elmiger (2 pt)
10. Hesjedal (2 pt)
This will be my “year of the 2 pointers”!
Top 10 get VDS points:
1. Thomas Lovkvist: 150
2. Fabian Wegmann: 125
3. Martin Elmiger: 100
4. Edvald Boasson Hagen: 80
5. Linus Gerdemann: 60
6. Giovanni Visconti: 50
7. Peter Velits: 40
8. Andy Schleck: 30
9. Daniel Lloyd: 20
10. Ryder Hesjedal: 10
He has no charisma--Thomas Dekker, on Cadel Evans
Good lord
a German-Scandinavian wipeout! Not sure what to make of that. Was the prize a giant sausage?
CQRanking.com, you complete me.
by Chris Fontecchio on Mar 7, 2009 1:58 PM EST up reply actions
http://www.tvchannelsfree.com/watch/4823/Rai-Tre.html
by semprenaroda on Mar 7, 2009 11:02 AM EST up reply actions
Team Columbia
does revenge
CQRanking.com, you complete me.
by Chris Fontecchio on Mar 7, 2009 1:58 PM EST up reply actions
Just wait tell Ciolek gets a peace of Cav head to head
I will now lie down and think very deeply of what the hell I just said and come to the conclusion that I’m clearly delirious.
I don't know if you knew this, CTV is run by Bernard Madoff
nice one!
i like Lokvist – so wanted to fit him in…
You may very well think that; I couldn't possibly comment.
See Jens?
That’s why I put him on my team. I knew he’d come around this year and get over your jinx.
"I didn't look for him and I didn't see him. If you base your race on another rider, most of the time you lose."
Tom Boonen
He looks so happy on the podium.
They do love it when they win me points.
He has no charisma--Thomas Dekker, on Cadel Evans
the shape that he shows here
seems he will be at podium in T-A like last year…
by semprenaroda on Mar 7, 2009 11:14 AM EST up reply actions
That ending is nasty
18% on the last gravel section, then a 14% climb in the final k. And surprisingly Cav was up there with the frontrunners right until the 18% bit, not at all what I was expecting. Benna hung on even longer, but the finish killed him off. Cervelo yet again put on a good show, with Dan Lloyd in 9th, plus two others in the top twenty. I think that Hammond was one of them.
the last 10km that i saw
many times Benna was at front leading the group!!
by semprenaroda on Mar 7, 2009 11:28 AM EST up reply actions
I was sure
that when there was a little leading group of Benna, Visconti, Schleck and Hesjedal that they would be pretty certain to stay away. Or at least not be caught so soon.
He's doing the Giro right?
dark horse for the win if he is.
I don't know if you knew this, CTV is run by Bernard Madoff
well there's that thing with the high mountains......
or the three weeks or whatever. But today I do.not.care.
Well he will have to eventually step up to that next level
but yes, winning is probably over reacting on my part, maybe the young rider jersey..if he’s still eligible for it.
I don't know if you knew this, CTV is run by Bernard Madoff
Hey--anybody know what's up with Ciolek?
VeloNews says he didn’t take the start today.
Ballan didn’t either, but I read somewhere he had a temperature of 38 (bad enough if that’s Celsius, but if it’s Fahrenheit he’s been dead for a couple of days).
He has no charisma--Thomas Dekker, on Cadel Evans
Ballan had a nasty fever, yes
and wasn’t expected to start. Odd about Ciolek, Milram doesn’t say anything, nor the German press. I wonder if the VN report is correct.
CN resports Ciolek didn't start as well
I hope he is just not taking any chances before T-A, maybe he’s sick as well. He wasn’t injured before so unless something happened in training, injury shouldn’t be the problem.
I don't know if you knew this, CTV is run by Bernard Madoff
Beautiful finish there
They so know how to throw a bike race there in Italy. Lökvist looked fabulous, such smooth style. Bulba and Cassani approved.
yeah they were loving his style
anche stilistichamente molto bello da vedere questo Lovkvist
I also like the 5 foreigners for the 5 top spots, netto dominio strangero
by plinytheelder on Mar 7, 2009 7:29 PM EST up reply actions
wow. who do i need to send a check to
to get live video of this race next year. That final kilometer looked soul crushingly hard.
Here is a better quality video of the finale. Click on HD in the lower right hand corner
for high quality (if you have the bandwidth)
Thanks for that. Great quality and a great finish.
He has no charisma--Thomas Dekker, on Cadel Evans
Ah, the first Leenooos Gerrrrrrdemann call of the year
hopefully many more to come
I don't know if you knew this, CTV is run by Bernard Madoff
Those Italians
certainly don’t like to waste a good R. And vowels are something to be savored individually, not lumped together in endless strings like the Dutch and Flemish would have them. Nice to find a country with a clearly-defined linguistic philosophy.
He has no charisma--Thomas Dekker, on Cadel Evans
and my personal favourite
rrrrraaaaaaaaaaiiiiderrrrrr essschedall
Did your favourite rider just win Montepaschi Strade Bianch Eroica Toscana? OK then.
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