Giro Valle d'Aosta *Spoilers*

FJS
FJS Posts: 4,820
edited July 2014 in Pro race
Something to cheer Frenchie up, started yesterday. U23 stage race with lots of climbing, and some recent pedigree (Aru, Pinot).
A region so mountainous that even the prologues are won by Colombians, young Diego Ochoa (5 km @ a 34 km/h average, so must have been hilly).
5 days: 1 uphill prologue, 1 mountain time trial, 2 mountain top finishes and 1 uphill finish :D
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Giro-Ciclistico-della-Valle-d-Aosta-Mont-Blanc-Stage-2-1405497971.png
Giro-Ciclistico-della-Valle-d-Aosta-Mont-Blanc-Stage-3-1405499046.png
Giro-Ciclistico-della-Valle-d-Aosta-Mont-Blanc-Stage-4-ITT-1405499306.png

Comments

  • dsoutar
    dsoutar Posts: 1,746
    I've cycled a bit round here and yes, there's very little flat.

    Aosta - Cogne
    Aosta - Cervinia
    Aosta - Gressoney


    Lovely cycling with stunning scenery and even in summer the southern valleys (Cogne / Valsavarenche) don't get the sun too much as they are so steep sided so remain fairly cool. However he northern valleys can be like furnaces.

    I can imagine it being a very testing place to race indeed
  • frenchfighter
    frenchfighter Posts: 30,642
    Nice thanks FJS. Completely forgot about it but now will follow with interest.
    Contador is the Greatest
  • dsoutar
    dsoutar Posts: 1,746
    Prologue highlights (sort of). Hopefully better coverage of the longer stages

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y8D2yk5XvOg
  • Turfle
    Turfle Posts: 3,762
    edited July 2014
    Ochoa, Eisenhart, Svendsen, Martinelli (Sky stagiaire again this year) is a really strong top 4.

    Can't see any big Italian climbing talents on the list, but I'm sure a couple will jump out. Ochoa, Svendsen, Kozhatayev, Arslanov in the hills, hopefully Dan Pearson too.

    Herklotz is riding! I didn't see him on the list. HERKLOTZ!
  • Coriander
    Coriander Posts: 1,326
    If exposure for sponsors is what drives cycling and races, I'm always intrigued that any races overlap with the Tour as surely it means an utter lack of that essential exposure?
  • dsoutar
    dsoutar Posts: 1,746
    Interesting article about Dan Pearson's DS

    http://www.wheelsuckers.co.uk/page/flav ... -interview
  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Posts: 79,667
    I know the chap mentioned - Chris Boote. Did a sailing season with him. Very smart chap who was about to start at Oxford Uni, I recall. Must be mid 20s now. I presume Luke must have ridden with him?
  • Turfle
    Turfle Posts: 3,762
    Highlights of today's MTF are going to be interesting! Big gaps to all of the pre-race favourites.

    http://www.procyclingstats.com/race/Gir ... l_Cervinia
  • FJS
    FJS Posts: 4,820
    Senni wins today too, both the mountain stages.
  • frenchfighter
    frenchfighter Posts: 30,642
    Impressive!
    Contador is the Greatest
  • dsoutar
    dsoutar Posts: 1,746
    Dylan Teuns of the BMC won today's stage. Apparently he's just signed pro terms with BMC so maybe that had something to do with it.

    Just tomorrows 5.9km TT to decide the final GC.

    Dan Pearson in 9th. What's his (uphill) TT like ? Can he move up the GC ?

    1. SUAZA ARANGO Bernardo Albeiro 4-72 COLOMBIA 13:29:45"
    2. SENNI Manuel TEAM COLPACK a 10"
    3. EIKING Odd Christian NORWAY NATIONAL TEAM a 23"
    4. RAVASI Eward TEAM COLPACK a 43"
    5. LUNKE Sindre NORWAY NATIONAL TEAM a 44"
    6. BIANCHINI Paolo DELIO GALLINA a 01'06"
    7. CICCONE Giulio TEAM COLPACK a 02'17"
    8. MAMYKIN Matvey RUSSIA NATIONAL TEAM a 02'33"
    9. PEARSON Daniel ZAPPI'S RACING TEAM a 02'59"
    10. DE TIER Floris EFC - OPQS a 03'38"
  • dsoutar
    dsoutar Posts: 1,746
    Despite finishing 30th in the TT, Dan Pearson managed 8th in the overall

    Final GC

    http://www.girovalledaosta.it/images/ed ... eneral.pdf
  • inseine
    inseine Posts: 5,788
    madasahattersley wrote:
    And of course commiserations to the Zappis boys who drove the van all the way to France and spent the week helping the team out, not in the knowledge that when they got there they would be told by the team manager that they aren't going to be riding.

    Fair to say that he won't have any riders next year, and rightfully so!

    I was going to say well done to ( Oxford based ) Zappi team, but this sounds a bit poor.
    http://cyclinganddesign.blogspot.fr/
  • inseine
    inseine Posts: 5,788
    madasahattersley wrote:
    inseine wrote:
    madasahattersley wrote:
    And of course commiserations to the Zappis boys who drove the van all the way to France and spent the week helping the team out, not in the knowledge that when they got there they would be told by the team manager that they aren't going to be riding.

    Fair to say that he won't have any riders next year, and rightfully so!

    I was going to say well done to ( Oxford based ) Zappi team, but this sounds a bit poor.

    An awful, awful lot of stuff goes on backstage which isn't broadcast on social media. A large reason I left is because I'd just had enough of being treated like the lowest level of sh!t, and all of us (me included up to a point) were/are so intimidated by him and his absolutely wild and unpredictable personality we were/are too afraid to do anything about it.

    A mate is a good friend of his (tenuous I know) and adores him. Shame you, and others, found another side of his character.
    http://cyclinganddesign.blogspot.fr/

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