Giro 2018: Stage 6, CALTANISSETTA - ETNA 10 May 2018 / Thursday / 164 km *Spoilers*

blazing_saddles
blazing_saddles Posts: 22,725
edited May 2018 in Pro race
STAGE 6
CALTANISSETTA - ETNA 10 May 2018 / Thursday / 164 km


The 6th stage of the Giro d'Italia not only amounts to 164 kilometres, the last 30 kilometres are played out on the slopes of Mount Etna. Earlier Giro-ascents of the active volcano ended at Rifugio Sapienza, yet the riders are going to climb up a different road this time.
The 4th stage of the last edition of the Giro ran to the shelter Rifugio Sapienza, located at an elevation of 1,892 metres on the south flank of Mount Etna. The closing climb amounted to almost 18 kilometres, while the average gradient was 6.6%. The riders were plagued by constant headwinds and the race never really took off. Early attacker Jan Polanc took the win.
The Giro d’Italia visited the Etna before in 1967, 1989, 2011, 2017, and every time the finish was near the Rifugio Sapienza.
For 2018 the pink race uses a road never covered before. The official climb begins in Ragalna and travels up to the 1,736 metres high finish near an Observatory via a 14.1 kilometres climb at 6.5%. But actually the route has been climbing for some 15 kilometres when the riders move through Ragalna. The most tricky section of the official climb is almost 4 kilometres at 8%. It starts 5 kilometres before the crest until 350 metres before the flamme rouge. Then the climb flattens out to 3.1%. Over the first 10 km, the road is relatively wide, yet steep at points (max. gradient: 16%). The roadway narrows 5.5 km before the finish, as the route travels short lengths in the woods and on lava fields. Red flag: the route climbs and bends slightly until the final 150 m, where the road stretches out, with gradients around 6% (the finish line sits on a 6-m wide asphalt road).


Obviously, the finale is the toughest part of the race, but the first 80 kilometres are not easy either. Following the start in Caltanissetta the route winds its way to the west of Sicily on hilly to mountainous terrain. After Aidone the riders drop from 816 metres to 64 metres at the base of the closing climb. Ragalna – as said, the official start of the last ascent – lies at an elevation of 813 metres. Like the previous two, the stage has a very wavy profile, and features an endless series of bends over the first 120 kms.

Profile:-
G18_T06_Etna_alt_jpg.jpg

Map:-
G18_T06_Etna_plan_jpg.jpg

Climb:-
G18_T06_S01_Etna_alt_jpg.jpg

Finish:-
G18_T06_Etna_ukm_jpg.jpg
stage-6-finish.jpg?01

3D route:-
https://video.relive.cc/3317577269_reli ... site-embed

CALTANISSETTA

Caltanissetta – the nineth largest city in Sicily in terms of inhabitants – stands in an important position dominating the whole valley of the Salso, which even includes the near-by city of Enna. Its origins are uncertain, possibly Sicans founded it. Its name dates back to the Arabs who conquered Sicily in the IX century.

ETNA

Catania’s INAF (National Astrophysic Institute) Astrophysic Observatory Mario Girolamo Fracastoro stands at the heart of Etna’s park, in Serra la Nave, Piano Vetore. The Observatory, at an altitude of 1,725 m, is home to the professional astrophysics telescopes that are located at the highest elevation in the country.

etna-italie-puzzle-1000-pieces.62426-1.fs.jpg

The winner will be the...

etna%2Bwine%2Bbottle%2B2a.jpg

But maybe this is what Froome needs?

758517768_0a1579ec4a_b.jpg
"Science is a tool for cheaters". An anonymous French PE teacher.
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Comments

  • milton50
    milton50 Posts: 3,856
    Weather forecast apparently suggests that there will be a headwind for the final 5km. So it may make attacks particularly hard like last year.
  • Pross
    Pross Posts: 43,462
    Has anyone found a stable English language stream for previous stages? I'm work from home tomorrow so hope to have this on, used a French feed yesterday but it crashed with a few I'm left!
  • blazing_saddles
    blazing_saddles Posts: 22,725
    Pross wrote:
    Has anyone found a stable English language stream for previous stages? I'm work from home tomorrow so hope to have this on, used a French feed yesterday but it crashed with a few I'm left!

    They are like hen's teeth these days. It's getting really difficult.
    How about the hosts with a proper HD feeds?
    Coverage in Italy is split between Rai 2 and Rai Sport, who will be first up in the morning. Rai 2 take over mid afternoon.
    There is also the Swiss Italian station RSI LA 2, that is covering tomorrow's stage.

    All 3 can be found here, just click on the icon and wait for the ad to finish:-
    https://www.firstonetv.net/Live/Italy

    UK Eurosport doesn't work for me on their site. I'll check out a few others and see if they happen to be in English.
    "Science is a tool for cheaters". An anonymous French PE teacher.
  • blazing_saddles
    blazing_saddles Posts: 22,725
    Right. This one works for me, Pross.
    UK Eurosport 1.

    http://www.liveonlinetv247.info/eurosport.php
    "Science is a tool for cheaters". An anonymous French PE teacher.
  • topper_harley
    topper_harley Posts: 597
    Chris "the dawg" Froome grand tours will be no more after todays stage.its been fun but his time is up
  • larkim
    larkim Posts: 2,485
    Intrigued to see if we see a more "normal" Team Sky performance today on a climb. If we don't, would agree that it would look very unlikely that Froome would be troubling the podium. Still early days though.
    2015 Canyon Nerve AL 6.0 (son #1's)
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  • phreak
    phreak Posts: 2,953
    What time are they estimated to hit Etna?
  • Right. This one works for me, Pross.
    UK Eurosport 1.

    http://www.liveonlinetv247.info/eurosport.php

    There are also 1 hour nightly highlights via Europsort on Quest (Freeview channel 37).

    I only discovered this by accident last year so thought i'd share it in case it's useful!
  • shirley_basso
    shirley_basso Posts: 6,195
    phreak wrote:
    What time are they estimated to hit Etna?

    stage-6-times.jpg

    Around 4pm local time at the very base I think, so 3pm UK time.
  • phreak
    phreak Posts: 2,953
    phreak wrote:
    What time are they estimated to hit Etna?

    stage-6-times.jpg

    Around 4pm local time at the very base I think, so 3pm UK time.

    Super, thank you.
  • Pross
    Pross Posts: 43,462
    Right. This one works for me, Pross.
    UK Eurosport 1.

    http://www.liveonlinetv247.info/eurosport.php

    Cheers, will give it a go otherwise I'll try the Italian. I ought to get ES Player but always miss their deals!
  • ducknumber1
    ducknumber1 Posts: 1,172
    Anyone else having trouble getting a series link on recording the Giro on Eurosport? Sky HD that is.
  • jimmythecuckoo
    jimmythecuckoo Posts: 4,718
    Yes, it doesn't work :(
  • blazing_saddles
    blazing_saddles Posts: 22,725
    Headwind it is.
    meteo-etna.png

    Not nearly as strong as last year, though. Mostly light, with some bigger.............................puffs. :P
    "Science is a tool for cheaters". An anonymous French PE teacher.
  • blazing_saddles
    blazing_saddles Posts: 22,725
    Rai now live, 20 minutes and 14kms in with no break yet.
    "Science is a tool for cheaters". An anonymous French PE teacher.
  • blazing_saddles
    blazing_saddles Posts: 22,725
    Poels has already tasted tarmac apparently. Sky's bad omens continue.
    "Science is a tool for cheaters". An anonymous French PE teacher.
  • gsk82
    gsk82 Posts: 3,598
    phreak wrote:
    phreak wrote:
    What time are they estimated to hit Etna?

    stage-6-times.jpg

    Around 4pm local time at the very base I think, so 3pm UK time.

    Super, thank you.

    4pm uk surely?
    "Unfortunately these days a lot of people don’t understand the real quality of a bike" Ernesto Colnago
  • kingstongraham
    kingstongraham Posts: 28,119
    50kmh average for the first half hour. Bit different from yesterday then.
  • tailwindhome
    tailwindhome Posts: 19,431
    These are top quality spoiler thread OPs.
    Well done you.
    “New York has the haircuts, London has the trousers, but Belfast has the reason!
  • the article don
    the article don Posts: 578
    edited May 2018
    If Sky and Froome pummel everyone today in an AX3 Domaines display of dominance then I predict The Clinic, most of the internet and possibly the very fabric of space-time will melt.
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  • above_the_cows
    above_the_cows Posts: 11,406
    gsk82 wrote:
    phreak wrote:
    phreak wrote:
    What time are they estimated to hit Etna?

    stage-6-times.jpg

    Around 4pm local time at the very base I think, so 3pm UK time.

    Super, thank you.

    4pm uk surely?

    From that table I take it they reach the climb of Etna at 15.58 CET so 14.58 UK time. They are scheduled to finish at 17.14 CET.
    Correlation is not causation.
  • Mad_Malx
    Mad_Malx Posts: 5,182
    gsk82 wrote:
    phreak wrote:
    phreak wrote:
    What time are they estimated to hit Etna?

    stage-6-times.jpg

    Around 4pm local time at the very base I think, so 3pm UK time.

    Super, thank you.

    4pm uk surely?

    I'm reading 5pm local (4pm uk) for the finish, so 3pm UK to see the finale.
  • topper_harley
    topper_harley Posts: 597
    If Sky and Froome pummel everyone today in an AX3 Domaines display of dominance then I predict The Clinic, most of the internet and possibly the very fabric of space-time will melt.
    But you could tell back then Froome was like a bomb waiting to explode, not getting that same feeling at this giro so he will be lucky to hang on today
  • rick_chasey
    rick_chasey Posts: 75,661
    If Sky and Froome pummel everyone today in an AX3 Domaines display of dominance then I predict The Clinic, most of the internet and possibly the very fabric of space-time will melt.

    If they were paying attention, QS this season should have already made them melt(s).
  • above_the_cows
    above_the_cows Posts: 11,406
    If Sky and Froome pummel everyone today in an AX3 Domaines display of domnance then I predict The Clinic, most of the internet and possibly the very fabric of space-time will melt.

    Well either that or it will be Israel, Iran and the US starting World War Three.
    Correlation is not causation.
  • blazing_saddles
    blazing_saddles Posts: 22,725
    OK, so we have our break of the day and it's a doozy.
    Huge in numbers, Chaves, Oomen, Henao, de la Cruz, Ulissi, Gesink and Polanc have all gone up the road.
    "Science is a tool for cheaters". An anonymous French PE teacher.
  • milton50
    milton50 Posts: 3,856
    Absolutely huge break. Some big names in there. Can Polanc pull it off again?
  • mididoctors
    mididoctors Posts: 18,908
    chaves and henao up the road is a bit of a coup.
    "If I was a 38 year old man, I definitely wouldn't be riding a bright yellow bike with Hello Kitty disc wheels, put it that way. What we're witnessing here is the world's most high profile mid-life crisis" Afx237vi Mon Jul 20, 2009 2:43 pm
  • Very handy looking break there. Gonna make things interesting...
  • blazing_saddles
    blazing_saddles Posts: 22,725
    Bike change for Campenaerts. Looks to have tasted a little tarmac.
    Eg certainly has.
    "Science is a tool for cheaters". An anonymous French PE teacher.