Giro 2018, Stage 18: Abbiategrasso - Prato Nervoso - 196 km, *Spoilers*

blazing_saddles

Giro 2018, Stage 18: Abbiategrasso - Prato Nervoso - 196 km

The 18th stage of the Giro d'Italia brings a summit finish in Prato Nervoso, a ski resort close to the French/Italian border. Following the start in Abbiategrasso the race is played out on flat roads until the riders tackle the climb to Prato Nervoso, which is 13.9 kilometres and averaging 6.9%.
It’s been quite a while since a Grand Tour last visited Prato Nervoso. In 2008, the 15th stage of the Tour de France finished in the ski and winter holiday resort that was created in the early 1960s. It’s not the hardest climb in the world and Simon Gerrans took the flowers. Prato Nervoso featured twice in the Giro d’Italia. In 2000 Stefano Garzelli climbed to victory and Pavel Tonkov did so in 1996.
Starting in Frabosa Sottana, the Prato Nervoso climb is fairly regular. The first 2.5 kilometres are going up at around 5.5% before the ascent toughens up a bit to gradients of around 8% and a steepest section of 10%. At 13.9 kilometres, the climb to Prato Nervoso is averaging 6.9%.
Actually, the last climb is the only climb of the day. So it will be a sudden transition from flat valley roads to a haul up to the line, a bit like last year’s race to Oropa.

Profile:-



Map:-


Climb:-


3D image of the climb.


Finish:-



ABBIATEGRASSO

A centre of very old origins, namely Celtic and then Roman, Abbiategrasso has been under the Visconti’s domination for a long while. The town is connected to Milan by the Naviglio Grande, one of the major waterways for centuries.

MAIN SIGHTS
Piazza Marconi and the Town Hall, Castello Visconteo (13th century), Basilica di S. Maria Nuova (14th century), Santa Maria Vecchia, Convento dell’Annunciata (15th century), Palazzo Cittadini Stampa (15th century).

HISTORY
Population: 32,500
Foundation: Roman age
Ancient name: Habiate



Perhaps not so much to look at, after all the other gorgeous places, but they something equally gorgeous: Gorgonzola!


PRATO NEVOSO

Located in a privileged position, thanks to the mild slopes facing south, Prato Nevoso is a skiing resort framed by the magnificent Maritime Alps in the province of Cuneo. At an altitude of 1,500 m, included in the municipality of Frabosa Sottana (CN), it is easily accessible because of its optimal location: it can be reached from the main cities in Piedmont and Liguria in just over one-hour drive.
MAIN SIGHTS

Mondolè Ski (Prato Nevoso and Artesina, 100 km of slopes), Grotta del Caudano, Museo Etnografico della Montagna (Ethnographic Museum, in Miroglio), Chiesa Parrocchiale di San Giorgio (17th century).



Favourites 18th stage 2018 Giro d’Italia
*** Tom Dumoulin, Simon Yates, Chris Froome, Miguel Ángel López,
** Thibaut Pinot, Richard Carapaz, Domenico Pozzovivo
* Valerio Conti, Jan Polanc, George Bennett, Giulio Ciccone, Ben O’Connor

Pross

I'm sure there was mention in today's commentary of a chance of snow tomorrow but I just checked the forecast that shows it being 16 degrees and beautiful sunshine at the top of the mountain. It was Kirby that started the conversation though!

lettingthedaysgoby

So, fireworks or everyone too busy marking each other’s moves?

blazing_saddles

Pross wrote:

I'm sure there was mention in today's commentary of a chance of snow tomorrow but I just checked the forecast that shows it being 16 degrees and beautiful sunshine at the top of the mountain. It was Kirby that started the conversation though!

I heard him too. Yes, yet another complete falsehood from Kirby.
Prato Nervoso is the Alpes Maritime for Gawd's sake. Mid 20's for most of the stage.
6C is forecast.......but at 3,000 metres.

And before he starts, 18 degrees at Sestriere on Friday. 17 degrees Cervinia on Saturday.

RichN95.

lettingthedaysgoby wrote:

So, fireworks or everyone too busy marking each other’s moves?

Sunweb and Sky will ride it like a paced negative split time trial.

The_Boy

Froome will end the day in second place.

larkim

A bold prediction!

above_the_cows

The autostrada that runs from Turin to Albisola on the coast (where my dearest friend is from) is the most terrifying road once it hits the coastal range. It's like being on a helter skelter. The two directions of the autostrada split and the coast bound lanes go up and down the peaks and valleys round and round in and out of tunnels. The north bound lanes get nice straight viaducts. I definitely drove my punto on two wheels on some of the seemingly continuous yet really sharp bends. You find yourself crushed between the crash barriers on a precipice cut into the face of a cliff or against the wall of a tunnel cut into a mountain with a shitty old lorry on the inside lane taking up more than its lane. As I said terrifying.

Ne'er a cow or horse to be seen.

Now I'm going to eat some gorgonzola.

DeVlaeminck

Doesn't look like there is a great deal of scope for attacking here I reckon any GC changes will come from tired riders dropping off the back of the group rather than going off the front and making it stick.

iainf72

Is this a hockey stick stage?

RichN95.

iainf72 wrote:

Is this a hockey stick stage?

Indeed it is. I'm still waiting for this phrase to enter general use.

blazing_saddles

RichN95 wrote:

iainf72 wrote:

Is this a hockey stick stage?

Indeed it is. I'm still waiting for this phrase to enter general use.

Sorted.

gweeds

Phoney war before Friday and Saturday IMO.

RichN95.

Gweeds wrote:

Phoney war before Friday and Saturday IMO.

It's a stage that suits Dumoulin and Froome relative to Yates and Pozzovivo, so it's in their interest to make it hard and fast.

gweeds

RichN95 wrote:

Gweeds wrote:

Phoney war before Friday and Saturday IMO.

It's a stage that suits Dumoulin and Froome relative to Yates and Pozzovivo, so it's in their interest to make it hard and fast.

Matron!

Mad_Malx

Blazing Saddles wrote:

RichN95 wrote:

iainf72 wrote:

Is this a hockey stick stage?

Indeed it is. I'm still waiting for this phrase to enter general use.

Sorted.

So it's an ice hockey stick stage then?

RichN95.

Mad_Malx wrote:

Blazing Saddles wrote:

RichN95 wrote:

iainf72 wrote:

Is this a hockey stick stage?

Indeed it is. I'm still waiting for this phrase to enter general use.

Sorted.

So it's an ice hockey stick stage then?

Technically yes. I adapted the term from the phrase 'hockey stick graph' used in climate change science, which comes from America

mfin

iainf72 wrote:

Is this a hockey stick stage?

No, an ice hockey stick stage maybe, as it doesn't go steeper and steeper under they actually end up going upside down at the end, so it can't be a hockey stick.

You might be able to get a hockey stick stage if it was downhill for most of the ride then went up at the end though, it depends which way you're holding it.

It depends what lengths you want to go to get a hockey stick reference to work I suppose.

Oh, someone else just wrote the same thing

mididoctors

I haven't got a clue what will happen.

sky giving it a real go seems likely. Whether sunweb join in depends on whether TD has anything left.

mfin

RichN95 wrote:

Gweeds wrote:

Phoney war before Friday and Saturday IMO.

It's a stage that suits Dumoulin and Froome relative to Yates and Pozzovivo, so it's in their interest to make it hard and fast.

I'd imagine on current form that Dumoulin and Froome could push for it, but Yates will come in with them. Wonder how Aru will go?

God knows really, we shall see.

RichN95.

mfin wrote:

RichN95 wrote:

Gweeds wrote:

Phoney war before Friday and Saturday IMO.

It's a stage that suits Dumoulin and Froome relative to Yates and Pozzovivo, so it's in their interest to make it hard and fast.

I'd imagine on current form that Dumoulin and Froome could push for it, but Yates will come in with them. Wonder how Aru will go?

God knows really, we shall see.

Yeah I don't think it will break Yates. A few seconds gain at most - a loss is just as likely. But they need Yates to faulter and that will only happen if all three days are hard. The contenders need to risk blowing themselves up

No_Ta_Doctor

On paper this looks by far the best chance for Froome and Dumoulin to gain some time - barring a hail Mary surprise long range attack on one of the later stages. Drill it from the start and hope to sap Yates on the flat somehow, then TT it and hope they've drained him on the climb.

knedlicky

lettingthedaysgoby wrote:

So, fireworks or everyone too busy marking each other’s moves?

I'd guess the latter, thus giving Aru the chance to break free and rehabilitate himself. And Froome to attack from the reduced peloton towards the end.

Mad_Malx

No tA Doctor wrote:

On paper this looks by far the best chance for Froome and Dumoulin to gain some time - barring a hail Mary surprise long range attack on one of the later stages. Drill it from the start and hope to sap Yates on the flat somehow, then TT it and hope they've drained him on the climb.

Dumoulin will be very wary of doing anything that lets Froome back in though.

No_Ta_Doctor

knedlicky wrote:

lettingthedaysgoby wrote:

So, fireworks or everyone too busy marking each other’s moves?

I'd guess the latter, thus giving Aru the chance to break free and rehabilitate himself. And Froome to attack from the reduced peloton towards the end.

It's not a fireworks day unless one of the main contenders has a jour sans. In which case it could get tasty. Tomorrow will all be about keeping it fast, slimming the lead group and maybe trying to get a jump of a few seconds in the last couple of km.*



*Prepare for a Dumoulin solo attack from 80km out, I'm never right.

No_Ta_Doctor

Mad_Malx wrote:

No tA Doctor wrote:

On paper this looks by far the best chance for Froome and Dumoulin to gain some time - barring a hail Mary surprise long range attack on one of the later stages. Drill it from the start and hope to sap Yates on the flat somehow, then TT it and hope they've drained him on the climb.

Dumoulin will be very wary of doing anything that lets Froome back in though.

I think their chances and tactics are allied at this point, whether it lets Froome in or not.
Dumoulin's only other hope is to sit tight and hope Yates falls off his bike somwhere.

RichN95.

Mad_Malx wrote:

No tA Doctor wrote:

On paper this looks by far the best chance for Froome and Dumoulin to gain some time - barring a hail Mary surprise long range attack on one of the later stages. Drill it from the start and hope to sap Yates on the flat somehow, then TT it and hope they've drained him on the climb.

Dumoulin will be very wary of doing anything that lets Froome back in though.

He can afford to risk three minutes to gain one.

yourpaceormine

At some point CK will tell us that R. Dennis wants to win grand tours one day.

Viewers will collectively make a sigh of relief when Rob Hatch takes over.

There will be a strange Flecha piece about asking for directions; conveniently some local cyclists will be on hand to assist.

The young lady in the Tel Aviv tourist info advert still can't ride her bike slowly wearing heels - one of these days she WILL crash into one of those walls.

There will also be some bike racing. I anticipate F. Aru will take a short cut, beating the race to a highpoint where he (as befitting his new Dick Dastardly-esque persona) will pour syrup all over the road. If he doesn't I will be mightily disappointed.

mididoctors

the peloton will not stay together on stage 19 20.

it can't hold together on the flat anymore. the possibility of isolation and long-range attacks are out there.

takethehighroad

Mad_Malx wrote:

Blazing Saddles wrote:

RichN95 wrote:

iainf72 wrote:

Is this a hockey stick stage?

Indeed it is. I'm still waiting for this phrase to enter general use.

Sorted.

So it's an ice hockey stick stage then?

Canadians would call it a hockey stick tbf x

Pross

If Froome and his team are feeling strong I think they'll be at the front pushing hard all day to set him up for an attack early on the climb. He's got enough GT wins to his name that I can't see him settling for 4th at a Giro. However, Sky seemed keen to get riders in the break yesterday so maybe that's a sign that Froome knows he hasn't got the legs and they are hoping to bag another stage or two instead?