Giro d'Italia 2016, May 27, Stage 19: Pinerolo/Risoul *SPOILERS*

Melodeon

Date: Friday 27th May
Type: Mountains
Distance: 162Km
Start/Finish: Pinerolo/Risoul


Stage Map:



Stage Profile:



1st Climb - Colle dell'Agnello - Category 2
Start: Km 85/1 - Peak: Km 106.4 - Length: 21.3 Km
Vertical Distance: 1452m
Average Gradient: 6.8%
Maximum Gradient: 15%



This is what the Colle dell'Agnello looked like a week ago, but we're reliably informed that the roads are currently passable and the race will go ahead:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=67wf0p94Gjw

2nd Climb - Risoul - Category 1
Start: Km 149.1 - Peak: Km 162 - Length: 12.9 Km
Vertical Distance: 887m
Average Gradient: 6.9%
Maximum Gradient: 10%



Finale



The route to Risoul is somewhat convoluted:



The General Classification after Stage 18:



Preview (© www.cyclingnews.com):

Climbed only thrice by past Giri, the 2,744m Agnello is a towering behemoth of a mountain road and the highest in this year’s race, its Cima Coppi. The long descent into France might deter would-be attackers on the Agnello’s airless upper reaches but the 2014 Tour stage to Risoul, won by Rafal Majka with Vincenzo Nibali in the yellow jersey, proved that there is enough bite to the stage to leave a nasty mark.

LIVE TV:
Eurosport 1 - 1.45pm

HIGHLIGHTS:
Eurosport 1 - 8.30pm

retalivity

Lol a 70k climb... gotta love the giro!

Andre 3000

For the sake of excitement hopefully S.K. has an off day but I'd love to see him win a stage at the same time because he's been incredible. A duel between himself and Chaves would be lovely. Anyone but Valverde tbh. Hopefully Zakarin is feeling good to cause a sh*tstorm.

MPFGLB

I wonder will the little prince be 1st over the Cima Coppi. tomorrow?

Or will it be Vincenzo Nibali ??

dastardly00

MPFGLB wrote: »

I wonder will the little prince be 1st over the Cima Coppi. tomorrow?

Rob Hatch on Eurosport had a great one-liner during Tuesday's stage about Cunego. Hatch and Kelly were talking about Cunego being annoyed that he couldn't get into the breakaway or something along those lines. Kelly had no sympathy for him anyway. And Hatch stated that 'The king has no sympathy for the prince'. I just thought it was great by Hatch to think of saying that!

MPFGLB

Good that

TheBlaaMan

Colle delle Agnello looks beautiful, and seems to be fully cleared of snow. Forecast is good, so visibility will be too and great heli shots should be broadcast.

Here's a recent ride up the pass and lots of great pics
http://www.cycling-challenge.com/colle-dellagnello/

irishrover99

I have a feeling that by the time live coverage starts on Eurosport the peloton will already be blown to pieces by Astana. It seems Nibali's best form of defence now is attacking and he has try something which he almost always does,even when he's not on form.

And its only 162KM long so i'd say its gonna be a fast stage.

Itziger

This could go either way. Are most of the GC fellas too tired now for an explosive showdown? Is the descent too long anyway?

Then again if a contender is having a bad day and drops off the group with 7 or 8 kms to the summit, they might never get back again. Teammates would be crucial then. 56k from the Agnello summit to the finish.

MPFGLB

irishrover99 wrote: »

I have a feeling that by the time live coverage starts on Eurosport the peloton will already be blown to pieces by Astana. It seems Nibali's best form of defence now is attacking and he has try something which he almost always does,even when he's not on form.

And its only 162KM long so i'd say its gonna be a fast stage.

I agree Astana will be going for it big time today. Nibali is very proud

neris

irishrover99 wrote: »

I have a feeling that by the time live coverage starts on Eurosport the peloton will already be blown to pieces by Astana.

And its only 162KM long so i'd say its gonna be a fast stage.

Really hope Eurosport having got their timings wrong for this one when it goes live

dastardly00

If Eurosport coverage starts at 1.45pm and let's say they go straight to live pictures, then according to the timetable for the stage the riders will just beer starting the Colle dell'Agnello climb. Some of the action may already have happened by then though

dastardly00

The feed zone is actually on the Colle dell'Agnello climb.... that's a bit weird. If the tempo is very high then riders mightn't have much of a chance to grab musettes and eat!

Inquitus

MPFGLB wrote: »

I agree Astana will be going for it big time today. Nibali is very proud

Yep if you can crack Kruijswijk on the first climb you can still win the Giro, that said he seems to be the strongest or 2nd strongest climber in the race along with Chaves. If anyone can do it Astana can, 2-3 lads up the road in the break to bridge to and drive it down the descent. Anyways my money is on Kruijswijk dropping Nibali and Co again and fighting with Chaves for the stage win....

neris

This is where chaves can take back time i think. However he lacks a few team mates that astana will be putting to work for nibbles.

Inquitus

neris wrote: »

This is where chaves can take back time i think. However he lacks a few team mates that astana will be putting to work for nibbles.

Agreed the only way Chaves can get back 3 mins is if Nibali can drop Kruijswijk and he can hitch a ride on the Astana train...

MPFGLB

Funny I am not sure about Chaves ....I think he will break before Kruijswijk

Maybe Valverde/Movistar will work with Nibali/Astana

SKY could win from the breakaway today but who
Nieve, Henao, Nico, Lopez , Boswell

But I am hoping Deignan can get in the break and show something
Wonder if he is staying at SKY ?

Itziger

For anyone watching live, is the gradient noticeable already, Are they climbing yet?

Andre 3000

Itziger wrote: »

For anyone watching live, is the gradient noticeable already, Are they climbing yet?

Just about getting there now. Here's a graph from the giro website showing where they are:

http://www.giroditalia.it/eng/live/

dastardly00

75 km gone and still no breakaway!

Itziger

Andre 3000 wrote: »

Just about getting there now. Here's a graph from the giro website showing where they are:

http://www.giroditalia.it/eng/live/

Yeah, I was looking at the profile, just wondered what it was like in real life. Hope the Luxembourg TV stream starts a bit earlier today.

neris

Daniel Lloyd ‏@daniellloyd1 10s10 seconds ago
28 man break inc. Cunego, Scarponi, Roche, Nieve, Lopez, Boswell, Moser, Wellens, Monfort, 3 from Movistar, Plaza, Denifl.

Daniel Lloyd ‏@daniellloyd1 24s24 seconds ago
Teams not represented, BMC, FdJ, Gazprom, Lotto NL, Trek, Wilier.

Andre 3000

As much as I enjoy tennis, and especially Roland Garros, there's another bloody week of it, the 3rd round is irrelevant. The Giro finishes Sunday!

MPFGLB

As I anticipated ...full of SKY riders in break

Inquitus

#Giro We've at the halfway point of Stage 19 and there's still no breakaway. An already tough stage is about to get even more difficult!

This from @BMCProTeam a minute ago? is there a break or not?

neris

MPFGLB wrote: »

But I am hoping Deignan can get in the break and show something
Wonder if he is staying at SKY ?

im wondering if sky even remember they have deignan at the race

MPFGLB

Eurosport talking about Nibs deliberately letting Valverde's wheel go yesterday to allow a gap to Kruijswijk

Nibs seems like a bad loser

neris

MPFGLB wrote: »

Eurosport talking about Nibs deliberately letting Valverde's wheel go yesterday to allow a gap to Kruijswijk

Nibs seems like a bad loser

id say he is, he comes across as one lifes not nice people

neris

another day of ads interrupted by cycling on eurosport

MPFGLB

neris wrote: »

id say he is, he comes across as one lifes not nice people

I think its a matter of all these guys are nice when things are going their way but when under immense pressure as Nibali is their worst side come through

Nibali is not the only one ...they are very competitive

But there are some very nice guys ...but I'd expect they are not the top top guys ...maybe becasue they are nice

MPFGLB

Moser getting dropped from breakaway already ....

Andre 3000

Kruijswijk definitely has some Irish in him

MPFGLB

Andre 3000 wrote: »

Kruijswijk definitely has some Irish in him

Wasn't long before we started claiming him

There are sways of red haired people across Europe with no connection to Ireland except they are also descendents from Celts...like in Northern France and even parts of Italy

MPFGLB

Do the French ever stop striking

Andre 3000

MPFGLB wrote: »

Wasn't long before we started claiming him

There are sways of red haired people across Europe with no connection to Ireland except they are also descendents from Celts...like in Northern France and even parts of Italy

Haha very good! I say it mainly due to the fact he's the spit off one of my good friends, minus he shoulders of course. To be fair yeah, quite a few Dutch people could pass for Irish or British

neris

MPFGLB wrote: »

Do the French ever stop striking

theres air traffic controllers strikes planned for the day after 1 of irelands euro matches. be a heap of drunk irish soccer fans stuck in france then

godtabh

What's the gap between what is left of the breakaway and the leaders?

MPFGLB

godtabh wrote: »

What's the gap between what is left of the breakaway and the leaders?

5min 45 secs


Ulricka are attacking

Eamonnator

Just started watching. Are there many riders between Scarponi and pink jersey group?

Andre 3000

It's mad to think that Scarponi has the same amount of Giro wins as Nibali on paper

MPFGLB

Nibs dropped by top 3

MPFGLB

Eamonnator wrote: »

Just started watching. Are there many riders between Scarponi and pink jersey group?

Bout 20 riders

Itziger

Where's Bobby Jung?

MPFGLB

Tinkoff saving Nibs blushes but contacting lead 3

MPFGLB

wonder how Ulissi's asthma is these days

MPFGLB

Attapuma attacking from the peloton....very ambitious

surripere

neris wrote: »

another day of ads interrupted by cycling on eurosport

Just don't watch it live. Hit record, then start watching half an hour after the start, when it goes to the ads, fast forward.

MPFGLB

Roche dropped by Nieve & Boswell

godtabh

Chaves attacking

MPFGLB

Valverde cracking

godtabh

iS valverde cracking?