016 » 99th Giro d'Italia (2.UWT) Stage 13 » Palmanova › Cividale del Friuli

Pudsy33

Route

After a golirified rest day on Thursday, the real Giro kicks off again on Friday. Stage 13 brings us from Palmanova to Cividalie del Fruili, covering 170kms and 4 categorised climbs on the way. This is not going to be much fun for the sprinters or anyone struggling. Here is what the roadbook has to say about the stage.

This is a very challenging mountain stage. The route takes in 4 categorised climbs in a row, with just a few stretches to let the bunch catch their breath. The first 45 km run on apparently flat ground, and are followed by three typical pre-Alpine climbs, marked by narrow roadway, high gradients and endless turns, both while climbing and while descending. After a flat drag including a passage over the finish line, the route heads towards the two final climbs in Porzùs and Valle, with a very winding and undulating profile, and high uphill gradients. The road narrows at point while crossing urban areas. The route features some technical descents, especially when climbing down form Passo San Martino at km 64.




Contenders.

With regards GC, it will be hard to take a big gap with the long run in to the finish. Nibali and Valverde are fantastic descenders, so look for them to make a move. Chaves stuck with them on a tricky descent on stage 11 so he might try something also. Jungels will be desperate to try hang on to the pink jersey, and he may find this a stage too much. Amador is primed to bring the Maglia Rosa to Movistar, sitting pretty in 2nd.
That said, I think someone from the break will win. The whole of team sky have to be regarded as candidates. They’ll be eager to get a stage win after the withdrawal of Landa, look to Roche, Nieve, or Henao to get in the break. KOM candidate will be trying to mop up points too; guys like Visconti, Ciccone, Cunego, and Wellens could all be present.

Prediction

One of the Sky boys, hopefully a paddy.

Random Trivia

Here is some fascinating info about the start city of Palmanova, shamelessly stolen from Wikipedia

Palmanova was built following the ideals of a utopia. It is a concentric city with the form of a star, with three nine-sided ring roads intersecting in the main military radiating streets. It was built at the end of the 16th century by the Venetian Republic which was, at the time, a major center of trade. It is actually considered to be a fort, or citadel, because the military architect Giulio Savorgnan designed it to be a Venetian military station on the eastern frontier as protection from the Ottoman Empire.

MPFGLB

It could be anyone ...I expect more than one SKY rider in the break

pelevin

Cool trivia thing on Palmanova!

Brian?

Someone like Cunego for the stage. Nibali in pink by the end of the day. Sense of inevitability about Nibali winning begins

TheBlaaMan

They are in for a touch day in the saddle - anyone not in top form could loose serious time today....

Two early climbs :
Montemaggiore is 8.3km at 9.3% and then the Crai - 8.8km at 6.4% with 3km at over 10%,
Later two:
The Cima Porzus at 8.9% for virtually all of its 6.7km length while the Valle climb is a kilometre shorter but almost as equally steep.

Maybe Deignan if he is given the opportunity, sounds too much for Roche IMO....

MPFGLB

TheBlaaMan wrote: »

Maybe Deignan if he is given the opportunity, sounds too much for Roche IMO....

I think the opposite ...those climbs are steep but not long so will need someone who can climb fast and descend fast .

Deignan more suited to the longer higher climbs in the Alps with a mountain top finish

lissard

Looks like a stage tailor made for Nibali. The Giro turns into a absolute horror-fest for all non climbers from here on in.

dastardly00

MPFGLB wrote: »

It could be anyone ...I expect more than one SKY rider in the break

Correct me if I'm wrong, but I don't think Sky have had anyone in a breakaway so far in the race?

Pudsy33

dastardly00 wrote: »

Correct me if I'm wrong, but I don't think Sky have had anyone in a breakaway so far in the race?

They haven't but circumstances have changed.

Pudsy33

pelevin wrote: »

Cool trivia thing on Palmanova!

It class! I couldn't believe the photo when I saw it

neris

Pudsy33 wrote: »

It class! I couldn't believe the photo when I saw it

now you know where the yanks got the idea for the pentagon

MPFGLB

Looks like Nieve only SKY rider in break

MPFGLB

And Knees ..Roche & Deignan not there ....balls

Brak really big so has a good chance of going all the way and EQS not interested in it too much

MPFGLB

Its Henao & Knees but so many top riders in there including Ulissi, Betencur, several Cannondale ...30 in total

MPFGLB

This group may be too big though Hard day for EQS

MPFGLB

Looks like Movistar are fighting already fro the Pink Jersey


And now more riders attacking out of the peloton

Could be a mega stage

neris

a sky rider on the front, that must be a 1st for this race

neris

Nicos with the Maglia Rosa group 2:30 back

MPFGLB

Nieve at front , Roche with favs of about 20 riders

kilns

Roche with the pink jersey group going ok so far at the back of that small select enough group

MPFGLB

Oh dear

neris

roche getting dropped out of the MR group

kilns

Roche just cracked or a mechanical?

Andre 3000

Juengels and Amador are cracking

neris

would it be consider bad form by a spectator to attempt to trip up one of those muppets in stupid costumes who try to run beside the riders?

MPFGLB

Gosh todays climbs are nothing compared to what has to come yet in the Giro

stecleary

neris wrote: »

would it be consider bad form by a spectator to attempt to trip up one of those muppets in stupid costumes who try to run beside the riders?

Nope

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_IH86pk-Zfo

neris

stecleary wrote: »

Nope

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_IH86pk-Zfo

Thats brilliant, I,d be so tempted to do that

Andre 3000

Nibali is weak I'd say. His effort on the descent was a bluff.

Edit: Never mind, he was bluffing feigning weakness when Chaves attacked :pac:

Itziger

Jungles scrapping well to stay in Pink. Has some company for descent. Could hold on.

stecleary

4km and 52" what a ride by Nieve

neris

if amador goes into pink id say toys will be getting thrown out the pram in the movistar hotel for the night

Itziger

Once Amador got back onto the Nibali/Valverde group he was guaranteed pink.

stecleary

Jungels, brave fight, but he's lost the pink jersey. Amador now leads

Andre 3000

Nibali Valverde'd Valverde there for the sprint.

MPFGLB

All of Costa Rica must be going mad

Great ride by Nieve ...I expect more SKY wins yet

neris

Alesandro Valverde now

pelevin

Nibali starting to look good. Very aggressive & even beating Valverde in the sprint!

Andre 3000

MPFGLB wrote: »

All of Costa Rica must be going mad

Great ride by Nieve ...I expect more SKY wins yet

From who though?

kilns

Roche if he gets into a break, should go close.

He can stay with main contenders to a certain point but cant maintain their pace. It seems once he realises this he just drops right off and conserves energy

Today would have been an ideal stage for him

MPFGLB

Andre 3000 wrote: »

From who though?

Tomorrow maybe Henao ..maybe Deignan (not sure of his form)

Tuesday : Boswell or Nieve again

Thursday ..Maybe Nico

Friday : Nico or Boswell

Saturday : Nieve /Henao or Deignan


Nieve looks good enough to win another . Henao is going well too
Roche .was in last 20 of GC group today so on the way up I'd say

pelevin

Funny seeing Brambilla who'd sacrificed himself when in Pink for the presumed stronger Jungels of a couple of days ago, now waiting on, after presumably being the stronger on the climbs, to help Jungels again. On the day he sacrificed himself & the jersey to Jungels, knowing how he felt guessing it was probably the right decision, but given his superiority today, a very selfless attitude overall.
. . . Or was he part of an earlier break that allowed Brambilla be further up the road & wait for Jungels?

MPFGLB

Really wish Irish riders were not at SKY (for selfish reasons)

Very few opportunities for Deignan.. SKY DS said they rode to get Nieve & Heano in group today as best bets for win....but you never know on he road..Nieve obviously one of the best climbers in the peloton but hard for Deignan

As for Roche he used to climb alot better in GTs before SKY ...and last year asking him to put on weight for the Tour killed all his climbing ability or ambitions imo. Not sure he knows what kind of rider he is now...Never a top climber but so much better before

ThisRegard

MPFGLB wrote: »

..maybe Deignan (not sure of his form)

Want he in the grupetto from early today?

pelevin

Roche'd certainly be far higher up the pecking order if still at Tinkoff all right.

Pudsy33

ThisRegard wrote: »

Want he in the grupetto from early today?

He was, but no point riding any faster if youve nothing to aim for. We'll see him in a break yet fingers crossed

Pudsy33

From a GC standpoint I'd absolutely love to see Chaves or Amador win. Chaves especially seems like the most likable genuine guy from the BSP videos.

Andre 3000

I think Kruiswijk has a great chance, he looks very good so far and it was his attempts trying to keep up with Contador, Landa and Aru that f*cked him over last year. The Giro this year isn't anywhere near as strong as last years. Contador must be gutted he didn't do his Giro/Tour bid this year.

pelevin

Given Amador though is struggling though to hold on on a day like today, a kind of taster before the real hard mountain days, I'd not expect him to have any real chance. Chaves would be much less of a surprise to be battling it out - for me anyway.
Feels to me that Nibali is starting to look like on his last 2 GT wins - better than the rest. The real race still hasn't quite started though so we'll quickly begin to see the real picture.

pelevin

Andre 3000 wrote: »

I think Kruiswijk has a great chance, he looks very good so far and it was his attempts trying to keep up with Contador, Landa and Aru that f*cked him over last year. The Giro this year isn't anywhere near as strong as last years. Contador must be gutted he didn't do his Giro/Tour bid this year.

Though you swap Nibali for Aru & Landa with a free hand as leader this year, in terms of GC guys it's much of a muchness - with arguably Nibali a tougher nut to crack, if on form obviously. We even have Landa leaving early like Porte did - who was probably 2nd favourite starting.

MPFGLB

pelevin wrote: »

Roche'd certainly be far higher up the pecking order if still at Tinkoff all right.

Not so much where he is in the pecking order ...its the weight on and off and not sure what kind of rider he is...I know he was never going to win the Tour but at least he was in the mix in GTs ...top 10s and he could climb
I suppose he has now become a rouler but not able to climb like he used to and not really given opportunities as a rouler . He obviously didn't fit the profile of a SKY rider who can lose 8KGs and climb like a goat so they made him a rouler ...not sure it was the right way to go esp without the opportunities and if your key role is riding GTs