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13th Strade Bianche: Siena › Siena (184k) Saturday, 9th March 2019 *Spoilers*

blazing_saddlesblazing_saddles Posts: 20,519
edited March 2019 in Pro race
200px-LOGO_SB.png

Unfortunately, this year, given the weather forecast, not so much this:

stradebianche18-tiesj-benoot-920.jpg

As this:

strade-bianche11-dust-920.jpg

Map:

ly24Cti.jpg

Profile:

SB_ME_19_alt_jpg-1024x490.jpg

Last 20kms:

SB_ME_19_FIN_jpg.jpg

Sienna finish:

SB_ME_19_ukm_jpg.jpg

Favourites 2019 Strade Bianche

5* Zdnek Stybar, Tim Wellens
4* Greg Van Avermaet, Julian Alaphilippe, Alexey Lutsenko
3* Gianni Moscon, Wout van Aert, Tiesj Benoot
2* Bauke Mollema, Jakob Fuglsang, Michael Valgren
1* Vincenzo Nibali, Geraint Thomas, Maximilian Schachmann, Rui Costa.
"Science is a tool for cheaters". An anonymous French PE teacher.
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Posts

  • inseineinseine Posts: 5,786
    Shame no Kwiatkowski, that would be a strong Sky team (though I doubt Thomas is ready or motivated).
    http://cyclinganddesign.blogspot.fr/
  • rick_chaseyrick_chasey Posts: 66,274 Lives Here
    For some reason this parcours never lodges in my brain.

    Just a general attritional race and then the wall at the end.
    _
  • ocdupalaisocdupalais Posts: 4,103
    Yeah - that Lutsenko was looking a bit handy last week or two. It’ll be interesting to see how the forecast different conditions this year impact the leaderboard.
  • No_Ta_DoctorNo_Ta_Doctor Posts: 11,957
    Rick Chasey wrote:
    For some reason this parcours never lodges in my brain.

    Just a general attritional race and then the wall at the end.

    I know what you mean. Some bits and pieces of dirt track, none of which stick in the mind like a good cobbled stretch, and then that wall through the town. Bloody epic wall though.
    “Road racing was over and the UCI had banned my riding positions on the track, so it was like ‘Jings, crivvens, help ma Boab, what do I do now? I know, I’ll go away and be depressed for 10 years’.”

    @DrHeadgear

    The Vikings are coming!
  • RichN95.RichN95. Posts: 26,537
    I just wish they'd do more of a lap of the square when the get to the finish.

    Speaking of which, the documentary Palio is worth a watch (available on Netflix)
    Twitter: @RichN95
  • phreakphreak Posts: 2,708
    Blazing Saddles wrote:

    As this:

    strade-bianche11-dust-920.jpg

    All that dust can't be doing the spare bikes much good on the top of those cars. Would there come a point where they're not much use as spares if they themselves are covered in all sorts of censored ?
  • gsk82gsk82 Posts: 3,248
    edited March 2019
    inseine wrote:
    Shame no Kwiatkowski, that would be a strong Sky team (though I doubt Thomas is ready or motivated).

    I've thought the opposite about the sky classics team this year. They have plenty of solid classics riders who can get a placing, but who's going to get them a win... apart from the one who's decided to skip this race and the cobbles?

    It doesn't help that they still insist on riding at the front despite not having a favourite.
    "Unfortunately these days a lot of people don’t understand the real quality of a bike" Ernesto Colnago
  • blazing_saddlesblazing_saddles Posts: 20,519
    No tA Doctor wrote:
    Rick Chasey wrote:
    For some reason this parcours never lodges in my brain.

    Just a general attritional race and then the wall at the end.

    I know what you mean. Some bits and pieces of dirt track, none of which stick in the mind like a good cobbled stretch, and then that wall through the town. Bloody epic wall though.

    An interesting piece in which top riders give their impression of the race.

    https://www.cyclingweekly.com/news/late ... aix-409932
    "Science is a tool for cheaters". An anonymous French PE teacher.
  • bobmcstuffbobmcstuff Posts: 10,565
    Wish we could swap weather... Just off out for a couple of hours in the rain and wind!
  • phreakphreak Posts: 2,708
    Blazing Saddles wrote:
    No tA Doctor wrote:
    Rick Chasey wrote:
    For some reason this parcours never lodges in my brain.

    Just a general attritional race and then the wall at the end.

    I know what you mean. Some bits and pieces of dirt track, none of which stick in the mind like a good cobbled stretch, and then that wall through the town. Bloody epic wall though.

    An interesting piece in which top riders give their impression of the race.

    https://www.cyclingweekly.com/news/late ... aix-409932

    I know it wasn't the classic, but I think the epic Giro stage in 2010 really helped to put these roads, and subsequently this race on the map. That was undoubtedly one of the best day's racing in a GT over the last decade.
  • Mad_MalxMad_Malx Posts: 4,767
    Unlike most of you I really like this race, and especially when the sun shines, to lift my winter gloom.
  • lettingthedaysgobylettingthedaysgoby Posts: 1,721
    I love this race, rain or shine it always seems to come up with great racing. Plus that finish is epic.
  • andyracandyrac Posts: 943
    Always find this an enjoyable race, whether it's wet or dry. Great roads, scenery, etc

    I find it slightly ironic, that the modern gravel racing scene has thrown up 'gravel bikes' with bigger tyres, etc yet the pros will likely do it on a normal 'race bike' with most on caliper rim brakes. Saying that, it's only 60km on gravel out of 180-190km distance.

    All Road/ Gravel: Trek Crockett 5
    WInter: Trek Domane ALR3
    MTB: Canyon Grand Canyon 8.0
    Road: tbc
  • rick_chaseyrick_chasey Posts: 66,274 Lives Here
    So we’re only getting the final 90 mins or so on TV.

    Organisers can’t afford any more because they are showing a similar amount of the women’s and that has maxed out the budget (since TV relay is usually €€€€€€)
    _
  • blazing_saddlesblazing_saddles Posts: 20,519
    Rick Chasey wrote:
    So we’re only getting the final 90 mins or so on TV.

    Organisers can’t afford any more because they are showing a similar amount of the women’s and that has maxed out the budget (since TV relay is usually €€€€€€)

    The women's coverage turns out to be a fiasco.
    Way ahead of the fastest schedule, so less than the final 15kms live.
    Plus Eurosport go straight to an ad break.
    Shambles.
    "Science is a tool for cheaters". An anonymous French PE teacher.
  • blazing_saddlesblazing_saddles Posts: 20,519
    Van Vleuten walking it...
    "Science is a tool for cheaters". An anonymous French PE teacher.
  • gsk82gsk82 Posts: 3,248
    Blazing Saddles wrote:
    Van Vleuten walking it...

    Ffs. All this pressure to support and promote women's cycling and the best in the world can't even ride the entire course*












    *Obviously I'm joking
    "Unfortunately these days a lot of people don’t understand the real quality of a bike" Ernesto Colnago
  • blazing_saddlesblazing_saddles Posts: 20,519
    From the viewing POV, a disappointing race in all respects.
    "Science is a tool for cheaters". An anonymous French PE teacher.
  • bobmcstuffbobmcstuff Posts: 10,565
    When's the coverage and expected finish times?

    Cheers!
  • gsk82gsk82 Posts: 3,248
    12:50 till 14:50 on Eurosport
    "Unfortunately these days a lot of people don’t understand the real quality of a bike" Ernesto Colnago
  • bobmcstuffbobmcstuff Posts: 10,565
    Cheers. That's early?!?
  • blazing_saddlesblazing_saddles Posts: 20,519
    edited March 2019
    So live coverage gets us the last 53kms....
    "Science is a tool for cheaters". An anonymous French PE teacher.
  • dav1d1dav1d1 Posts: 653
    Diego Rosa, out front 1’29 ahead of nico denz whos 1’51 ahead of peloton
  • rick_chaseyrick_chasey Posts: 66,274 Lives Here
    We’re on the Cancellara section
    _
  • rick_chaseyrick_chasey Posts: 66,274 Lives Here
    We’re on the Cancellara section
    _
  • rick_chaseyrick_chasey Posts: 66,274 Lives Here
    We’re on the Cancellara section
    _
  • rick_chaseyrick_chasey Posts: 66,274 Lives Here
    Soz ^^
    _
  • NeXXusNeXXus Posts: 854
    See the media fleet are on Yamaha Niken motorbikes, maybe to stop them falling off? :D
    And the people bowed and prayed, to the neon god they made.
  • blazing_saddlesblazing_saddles Posts: 20,519
    I hope the 3 Deceuninck-QuickStep boys know whose turn it is to win, this weekend.
    "Science is a tool for cheaters". An anonymous French PE teacher.
  • No_Ta_DoctorNo_Ta_Doctor Posts: 11,957
    Fuglsang looking pretty strong, but Alaphilippe will be favourite by far if they hit the final climb together.
    “Road racing was over and the UCI had banned my riding positions on the track, so it was like ‘Jings, crivvens, help ma Boab, what do I do now? I know, I’ll go away and be depressed for 10 years’.”

    @DrHeadgear

    The Vikings are coming!
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