Giro d'Italia 2018 stage 15: Tolmezzo – Sappada 176 km

neris · 20-05-2018 10:44am #1

On Sunday, the Giro d'Italia finishes in Sappada for the first time since 1987, and it's hard not to think of Stephen Roche, Roberto Visentini, and all that. Memories of that internecine strife seemed even more apposite a week ago, when Esteban Chaves was still vying with Simon Yates for leadership of Mitchelton-Scott, but the basic lesson of that day 31 years ago still applies: this is ambush country.

Lumpy stage again today with a cat 3 & Cat 2 climbs. Maybe a shake up today with Froome possibly hitting form and the TT still to come next week.

Technical Overview:
The Giro hits the Dolomites with a very nice stage at low altitude (it could probably be classified as medium mountain...). Starting from Tolmezzo, the peloton will begin climbing straight away, first with an ascending false flat and then with the proper first climb of the day, Passo della Mauria (GPM3, 8.8 km at 4.4%), whose official numbers only include the last, steady section, which is preceded by some slightly harder but irregular ramps. After a long descent with a very twisty first part, the route goes along a long false flat in the Cadore Valley, all the way to the end of it, the famous town of Cortina d'Ampezzo, where the second climb of the day starts. Passo Tre Croci (GPM2, 7.9 km at 7.3%), very steady and consistent, is a classic of the Giro, mostly known for being the lead-up to the Tre Cime di Lavaredo. The riders however are not headed there. In fact, after the top the will turn back east, and enter the other end of the Cadore Valley, this time descending until Auronzo, where the final sequence of climbs start. The first one is Passo di Sant'Antonio (GPM2, 8.3 km at 7.5%), a steep, short climb with a central section of 6 km at 9.5%. Its tricky descent will lead the pack directly to another climb, Costalissolo (GPM2, 3.8 km at 8.8%), with the initial 2.5 km at 10.6% before an easier final drag. After another interesting descent, the riders will only need to reach Sappada, after an 8.5 km drag which somehow is not categorized, but has a central ramp of 2.5 km at 6.5%, before a flattish final 2.5 km.

retalivity · 20-05-2018 12:35pm

Relentless first 40k, multiple attacks but no-one getting let away. Aru is one who has tried to go up the road

dastardly00 · 20-05-2018 12:39pm

It's fascinating watching the breakaway trying to form.
Aru was never going to be let of the leash.

All My Stars Aligned · 20-05-2018 12:57pm

FFS, Kelly & co banging on about Froome is making me sick. No mention whatsoever of the charge hanging over him. As good as Kelly was in his day his attitude to doping over shadows anything he did on the bike.

neris · 20-05-2018 1:01pm

Kelly stating the bleedin obvious "no one can control the weather"

Weepsie · 20-05-2018 1:05pm

All My Stars Aligned wrote: »

FFS, Kelly & co banging on about Froome is making me sick. No mention whatsoever of the charge hanging over him. As good as Kelly was in his day his attitude to doping over shadows anything he did on the bike.

I imagine they may well have their hands tied by Eurosports legal bods

All My Stars Aligned · 20-05-2018 1:07pm

Weepsie wrote: »

I imagine they may well have their hands tied by Eurosports legal bods

Maybe then just don't talk about him.

flatty · 20-05-2018 1:08pm

All My Stars Aligned wrote: »

FFS, Kelly & co banging on about Froome is making me sick. No mention whatsoever of the charge hanging over him. As good as Kelly was in his day his attitude to doping over shadows anything he did on the bike.

Oddly, whilst I think Brailsford is a stain on the sport, as is wiggins, who we know lied through his teeth about injections, and thus, likely, everything else, I cannot imagine that froome was doped yesterday, which in some ways makes his perdormances in general slightly more possible. I may be clutching at straws as he seems a pleasant and likeable soul.

All My Stars Aligned · 20-05-2018 1:16pm

flatty wrote: »

Oddly, whilst I think Brailsford is a stain on the sport, as is wiggins, who we know lied through his teeth about injections, and thus, likely, everything else, I cannot imagine that froome was doped yesterday, which in some ways makes his perdormances in general slightly more possible. I may be clutching at straws as he seems a pleasant and likeable soul.

I have always quite liked him but he is racing under a cloud and ES commentators refuse to mention this. With all the talk of trying to clean up the image of pro cycling this attitude speaks volumes. BTY, I am in no way saying CF was anything but clean yesterday.

Sprinter Sacre · 20-05-2018 1:29pm

Lazarus Froome to one leg cycle backwards up Sant'Antonio putting a minute into everyone before over the handlebars washing machine descending putting another minute into everyone. Kirby punches Hatch off the commentary seat just to utter his usual "ohhh this is just glorious".

MPFGLB · 20-05-2018 1:37pm

Re Froome : I think he should not be riding the Giro but the rules allow him and there is not much more the commentators can say that hasnt been said a million times

Froome & Braislford pushed the envelope of what was acceptable with medication and Tues but the UCI allowed this

I still dont understand what happens if Froome is banned ...esp in the final week because before the Giro we were told the decision would come during the Giro ?

As for Kirby's constant glorificaction of SKY and Froome ...this is at best idiotic

Boscoirl · 20-05-2018 1:39pm

Nico didn’t start today

CrowdedHouse · 20-05-2018 1:43pm

I really miss the commentary free feed, I suppose the TDF is going to be like this too. Oh well - volume down to 1 cos 0 brings a speaker with a x through it on the screen

MPFGLB · 20-05-2018 1:44pm

Boscoirl wrote: »

Nico didn’t start today

Not a good GT for him from the start

Picture on Instagram the other day of his back being taped up by an oestopath ...

But must be the first GT in about 18 GTs.he did not finish ..he hates to abandon so must be quite ill

Not surprised as he was way down on every stage and not even going in the break

Sprinter Sacre · 20-05-2018 1:59pm

My favourite commentary ever was the Spanish lads that used to be around 10 years ago or so, they're probably still going now. Delgado was one of them, he was like the Sean Kelly of it but the main guy was brilliant, can't place his name now. My Spanish would be patchy but through his passion and voice alone you'd have goosebumps. He used have some great phrases too. They were biased as well but nothing like the drawl that's on ES now and they spread it around the Spanish lads, when Valverde, Purito and Contador were at their best and it really added to the spectacle. When one of them used attack the main guy would lose his sh*t altogether and he'd be bellowing out the vamos vamos bueno bueno bueno and a slew of other beautiful sounding Spanish. Spine tingling stuff.

Kirby is horrific, Hatch over emphasises his words and pronunciations but he can call a race very well, he's unbiased and doesn't try and predict things or try and stir up more drama just for the sake of hearing your own voice. He's equally passionate about the lesser races too whereas Kirby would be as a dead as a door knob unless one of his favourite is in the breakaway or a British lad is on the screen. Hatch also gives Sean a free reign to say what he wants instead of Kirby always subtly influencing his words. Phil and Paul had their faults and biases too but they were night and day above what's going on now.

dastardly00 · 20-05-2018 2:04pm

That's a shame for Nico. As MPFGLB said, he doesn't abandon GTs nornally.
It was a bad mistake on BMCs part to take him. It wasn't part of his racing plan for 2018 and he was well undercooked coming into the Giro.

MPFGLB · 20-05-2018 2:05pm

Sprinter Sacre wrote: »

My favourite commentary ever was the Spanish lads that used to be around 10 years ago or so, they're probably still going now. Delgado was one of them, he was like the Sean Kelly of it but the main guy was brilliant, can't place his name now. My Spanish would be patchy but through his passion and voice alone you'd have goosebumps. He used have some great phrases too. They were biased as well but nothing like the drawl that's on ES now and they spread it around the Spanish lads, when Valverde, Purito and Contador were at their best and it really added to the spectacle. When one of them used attack the main guy would lose his sh*t altogether and he'd be bellowing out the vamos vamos bueno bueno bueno and a slew of other beautiful sounding Spanish. Spine tingling stuff.

Kirby is horrific, Hatch over emphasises his words and pronunciations but he can call a race very well, he's unbiased and doesn't try and predict things or try and stir up more drama just for the sake of hearing your own voice. He's equally passionate about the lesser races too whereas Kirby would be as a dead as a door knob unless one of his favourite is in the breakaway or a British lad is on the screen. Hatch also gives Sean a free reign to say what he wants instead of Kirby always subtly influencing his words. Phil and Paul had their faults and biases too but they were night and day above what's going on now.

++++1

Loved the Spanish crew ...and Juan Carlos out on the moto

And so correct re Kirby and Hatch

dastardly00 · 20-05-2018 2:08pm

Today would have been a good opportunity to pick up some points for the Points jersey via the intermediate sprints, if Sam was interested in it.

MPFGLB · 20-05-2018 2:09pm

dastardly00 wrote: »

That's a shame for Nico. As MPFGLB said, he doesn't abandon GTs nornally.
It was a bad mistake on BMCs part to take him. It wasn't part of his racing plan for 2018 and he was well undercooked coming into the Giro.

I think they wanted him to do a GT so he would be better for th Tour de France as he is always better in his 2nd GT...that is my guess

He is needed to be top for Porte who will have Caruso and TJ but as we know TJ is not a domestique

Nicolas Roche is atrocious until after his first GT and by end of July ...not sure why but its a definite pattern

dastardly00 · 20-05-2018 2:28pm

Fair play to Michael Woods and EF-Drapac-something-something for giving it a go today. I don't think it will work out for him, but he's certainly not afraid to attack

MPFGLB · 20-05-2018 2:29pm

dastardly00 wrote: »

Fair play to Michael Woods and EF-Drapac something somethin for giving it a go today. I don't think it will work out for him, but he's certainly not afraid to attack

I think he should have maybe waited a while to attack...too far out imo

dastardly00 · 20-05-2018 3:23pm

Fabio Aru having an absolute nightmare

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Dr. Bre · 20-05-2018 3:33pm

Yates is a phenomenon

velo.2010 · 20-05-2018 3:59pm

Dumoulin getting done over here. Looks like its just a case of small climbers against a top time trialist. Yates, though, looks like he'll lose less than a minute in the TT.

Don't know what to make of Froome.

selwyn froggitt · 20-05-2018 4:04pm

Great stuff from Yates

Boscoirl · 20-05-2018 4:06pm

massive blow up from Froome, got dropped from his group also

dastardly00 · 20-05-2018 4:06pm

That was a cracking stage

MPFGLB · 20-05-2018 4:08pm

That stage looked so hard

Kaisr Sose · 20-05-2018 4:09pm

Dominant performance from Yates. Small test attack and then killer blow.

dastardly00 · 20-05-2018 4:09pm

Yates now 2'11" ahead of Dumoulin...
That might be enough to even keep him in pink after the ITT!! Yates definitely big favorite now to win overall

retalivity · 20-05-2018 4:10pm

Boscoirl wrote: »

massive blow up from Froome, got dropped from his group also

He got dropped by rohan dennis and denz from the breakaway! Yo-yoing qll over the shop between yday and today.

Would nearly expect him to win the tt on tues now!

Giro d'Italia 2018 stage 15: Tolmezzo – Sappada 176 km

The most underwhelming/disappointing team so far is 15 votes

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