Strade Bianche

TheBlaaMan

Coming up this weekend (Saturday). Always an interesting race, none moreso that last years win by Cancellara (pity that it was the height of his year...).

http://www.gazzetta.it/Speciali/StradeBianche/en/?lang=en&t=01

Dan Martin is down to take part, though not to lead the team.

ROUTE (grey sections = Strade Bianche)



PROFILE

Flandria

A great race, and live on Eurosport afaik. Sagan, Valverde, Cancellara and Cunego should all be in the mix, but much will depend on the weather. I get goose bumps thinking about the 2010 Giro over the same roads in pissing rain - probably the best GT stage of the last decade...

crumliniano

Weather forecast is good. At least according to accuweather for Siena

sy

Flandria wrote: »

....I get goose bumps thinking about the 2010 Giro over the same roads in pissing rain - probably the best GT stage of the last decade...

+1

Flandria

Rastadoyle

looking at that video lets hope it pisses then.

Lusk Doyle

sy wrote: »

+1

Wow, cadel looked very lean in the upper legs then when compared to the last couple of years. Maybe he shrank and proportionally his legs now look bigger?

manafana

That year was a great giro, pity cadel now decides he only can do a tour rather than focus on winning something else.

Chips Lovell

We've also got a new race this year the day after in Italy, the Roma Maxima.

Chips Lovell

Vladimir Kurtains wrote: »

We've also got a new race this year the day after in Italy, the Roma Maxima.

Apparently it takes in the cobbles of the Appian Way.

manafana

used be giro del lazio or the like, good to see italian cycling still alive and kicking with Spain suffering, great way to sell tourism i think cycling, good id even consider oman after some of the stuff i saw.

Chips Lovell

There's a piece about the health of Italian races in Cycling News today. Essentially they're saying that it isn't all good news and some races have gone, such as Giro della Provincia di Reggio-Calabria, Giro di Sardegna and Brixia Tour.

I noticed that the GP della Costa Etruschi wasn't held this year too. Not sure why.

manafana

Didnt they have some issues with locals and protests and the likes, the small races will always suffer a bit depending on regions but good at these two races are going now as good warm up for classics in Belgium and Holland.

Theirs always issues with closing roads etc that get in way, but look at ourselves a thriving cycling country yet our biggest race is the RAS, country is crying out for a one day race like the brits now have

Chips Lovell

To be honest, I just don't think the sponsorship money is out there at the moment to get a high level one-day race off the ground.

manafana

Vladimir Kurtains wrote: »

To be honest, I just don't think the sponsorship money is out there at the moment to get a high level one-day race off the ground.

I will tell you who does have the money, Failte Ireland, or Tourism Ireland . Huge budgets and money been spent left right and centre. It would be just another project for them. I know what was discover ireland used sponsor tour of ireland when it ran, really would be more cost effective than some of the projects the undertake.

TheBlaaMan

FYI, Eurosport2 have coverage scheduled to start at 2:30 for 90 minutes..........but the race is due to finish around 2:40pm.......so that ES coverage is NOT live coverage. Given that LIVE snooker :rolleyes: is being broadcast for the previous three hours, you can nearly guarantee ES to be late showing even these delayed highlights/coverage.

From d'interweb

"Saturday's Montepaschi Strade Bianche departs Gaiole in Chianti at 10:00am GMT and is expected at the finish in Siena at around 2:42pm.

Live coverage on RAI is scheduled to begin at 12:00pm GMT but it likely will be geo-restricted. Note that there is no longer a free stream via Gazzetta TV.

There's a good line-up: Fabian Cancellara (RadioShack) won the 2012 edition and he is back to defend. Riders also announced on the start line include: Evans, Schleck, Sagan, Flecha, Belletti, Pellizotti, Paolini, Cunego, Pozzato, Cobo, Valverde, Boom, Slagter, Vanmarcke, Phinney, Van Avermaet, Farrar, Nuyens, Dekker, Peterson, Garzelli,

Weather forecast for tomorrow in the area says sunny but cold, no rain, so no repeat of the Giro stage drama.......find your own means of watching.

Teaser........

manafana

Yeah may have go online if you want catch it live

I Previewed the race on my blog for anyone interested here


A great race, and sagan will no doubt play his part here winning mid week.

Flandria

Sporza will have the usual feed

Dermot Illogical

11.55 on Rai Sport 2.

Dermot Illogical

Dermot Illogical wrote: »

11.55 on Rai Sport 2.

On now, and it's not geo-restricted.

Flandria

Dermot Illogical wrote: »

On now, and it's not geo-restricted.

Grazie!

TheBlaaMan

Dermot Illogical wrote: »

On now, and it's not geo-restricted.

Eh. .... Still showing as Not available due to copyright restrictions...???

Flandria

http://88.80.15.211/b00ha/20130301/vv5130b67d126c9589382192-533929.html

Flandria

Jered Gruber posted a pic of wicked crosswinds http://instagram.com/p/WWqjGGutMU/ . Strong man day!

Flandria

Better quality http://sports-livez.com/channel/ch-5.php Dutch waffle rather than Italian waffle, though still not yet live...

Dermot Illogical

TheBlaaMan wrote: »

Eh. .... Still showing as Not available due to copyright restrictions...???

Sounds like you're watching online? I'm doing it old school, satellite and telly.

luapenak

I take it people noticed that Eurosport 2 started showing it earlier then scheduled, around 2 I think

riparooo

As far as I can see Dan Martin didn't start the race today.

dastardly00

riparooo wrote: »

As far as I can see Dan Martin didn't start the race today.

He was on the start list. And only 79 riders finished the race. So maybe he started but didn't finish?

ednwireland

Vladimir Kurtains wrote: »

We've also got a new race this year the day after in Italy, the Roma Maxima.

watching pozzatto celebrate the win after kadri took a classic win was fairly amusing, whats with ag2r now nico's gone

manafana

riparooo wrote: »

As far as I can see Dan Martin didn't start the race today.

could well not have started, garmin have had few riders ill and i know a few like boom did race but others didnt.

mahoo

ednwireland wrote: »

watching pozzatto celebrate the win after kadri took a classic win was fairly amusing, whats with ag2r now nico's gone

that was a seriously good ride from kadri. never thought he'd able to hold off the chasers. lack of race radio played a big part i guess but the nibali group new he was there and still couldnt pull him back. impressive

Flandria

Some great pics by the Grubers (streets ahead of jaded Watson) of the Strade Bianche http://www.cyclingtips.com.au/2013/03/strade-bianche-in-photos/

manafana

Flandria wrote: »

Some great pics by the Grubers (streets ahead of jaded Watson) of the Strade Bianche http://www.cyclingtips.com.au/2013/03/strade-bianche-in-photos/

yeah watson is a bit of a bum licker, theirs great guy dutch lad whos name eludes me.

Flandria

Tim de Waele? http://www.tdwsport.be

TheBlaaMan

Flandria wrote: »

Some great pics by the Grubers (streets ahead of jaded Watson) of the Strade Bianche http://www.cyclingtips.com.au/2013/03/strade-bianche-in-photos/

Fantastic pics - thanks for the link

TheBlaaMan

Flandria wrote: »

Tim de Waele? http://www.tdwsport.be

Hmmm........be careful what you browse for there.....
Boonen getting eh, a water bottle from a team-mate
http://www.tdwsport.com/get-pic.php?repID=1&picID=162107&t=small

:eek:

manafana

Flandria wrote: »

Tim de Waele? http://www.tdwsport.be

thats the one, bought a collection of his photos in airport one day on impulse fantastic.