Giro 2019, Stage 15: Ivrea - Como 232 km *Spoilers*
blazing_saddles
Posts: 22,730
Stage 15: Ivrea - Como 232 km
Sunday, May 26th
START TIME: 11.15 CEST
FINISH TIME: ~17.15 CEST
At 232 kilometres, the 15th stage of the Giro d'Italia runs from Ivrea to Como. Following a flat opening, the last 100 kilometres are played out on the route of Il Lombardia. The finale is virtually a copy of the editions Vincenzo Nibali won - 2015 and 2017.
The 2019 Giro d’Italia will see a race start in Ivrea before the riders head to Como. Firstly, the route crosses the Po Plain – so it’s mostly flat, passing through densely populated areas, with roundabouts, traffic dividers, pedestrian islands, setts paving and speed bumps being the main obstacles typically found in almost all urban areas. The last 100 kilometres are something else. The Giro takes the shape of Il Lombardia when the race approaches Asso.
Ivrea is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site and the area is inhabited since the Neolithic era. These days the townspeople love to fight each other with oranges during the Battle of the Oranges, an old ritual of Ivrea Carnival.
They also love to watch the Giro d’Italia, but is has been a while since the Italian Grand Tour visited the town in northwestern Italy. The last inclusion was in 2013, when Beñat Intxausti bested Tanel Kangert and Przemyslav Niemiec in a three-up sprint.
The 2019 Giro d’Italia will see a race start in Nivrea before the riders head to Como. Firstly, the route crosses the Po Plain – so it’s mostly flat – but the last 100 kilometres are something else. The Giro takes the shape of Il Lombardia when the race approaches Asso. Via Valbrona the riders drop down to Onno and following a section on the shores of Lago di Como the renowned Madonna del Ghisallo appears.
It climbs 8.6 kilometres at 6.2%, yet this average is merely an indication. The Ghisallo welcomes the riders with its steepest section of 14% right at the bottom and until kilometre 4 the grades are hovering around 9%. Then it levels out only to bounce back to 8 to 10% in the last 1.3 kilometres.
Next up is the Colma di Sormano. In Il Lombardia this is the prelude to the inhumanly steep Muro di Sormano, but the Giro follows the regular road to the summit at 1,124 metres. This way the climb is 9.6 kilometres and the average slope sits at 6.6%.
Following a beautiful drop to Nesso, the riders turn left and race along the shores of Lago di Como. The route almost enters Como before a left-hander takes the riders back into the hills. The Civiglio is a 4.2 kilometres climb at 9.8% with steepest ramps of 14%.
The race concludes with a technical descent into Como, where 3 kilometres on the flat rund to the finish on the promenade long Lago di Como.
IVREA
Inhabitants: 23.473
The inhabitants are called Eporediesi, from the ancient name of the city.
Origin: founded in 100 BC by the Romans on a previously existing settlement.
Ancient name: Eporedia.
Ivrea is situated within a glacial Morainic Amphitheatre with unique geomorphological characteristics. Located along the Via Francigena and Via Romea, today destinations for slow tourism, it is crossed by the river Dora Baltea, very popular among canoe lovers.
A trip to Ivrea is an opportunity to immerse yourself in a fascinating naturalistic and cultural context. Easily recognisable by the Savoy castle with its “red towers”. The itinerary of the historic centre, to be explored by walking through the alleys, traces the history of the city through its main monuments: the Castle, the Cathedral of Santa Maria Assunta and the Palace of the Bishop, the Romanesque Tower of Santo Stefano, the “Ponte Vecchio” (the old bridge), for centuries the only passage on the Dora Baltea river, and the Church of San Gaudenzio.
Not to be missed is also the Pier Alessandro Garda Civic Museum, located in the central Piazza Ottinetti, which is divided into three main sections: the archaeological collection, the oriental art section and the Croff collection, composed of paintings by artists of considerable importance.
Irvea has recently been included in the UNESCO World Heritage List as “Ivrea, Industrial City of the 20th Century” thanks to the history of Olivetti which you can discover by visiting the open-air Museum.
GASTRONOMY
Traditional dishes of the territory are the sweet & sour onions of Ivrea and the stuffed onion, the “tomini” (cheese you can find fresh, dried or in oil), the “miassa” made of corn flour that goes with “salignun” (fresh cheese mixed with chilli and various flavours) the “salam ‘d patata” and the “salam d’la doja” (two traditional types of salami) the “faseuj grass” (beans cooked with sausages), polenta and cod and the “bagna caoda”, a tasty sauce made with anchovies.
Desserts: the Polenta of Ivrea, the Torta 900 and, among the biscuits, the Eporediesi and the Canestrelli.
Wines: Erbaluce di Caluso, Passito di Caluso and Carema wine.
Lastly, the grappa from Chiaverano is also renowned.
COMO
Population 83,320
Como is a city at the southern tip of Lake Como in northern Italy. It's known for the Gothic Como Cathedral, a scenic funicular railway and a waterfront promenade. The Museo Didattico della Seta traces the history of Como's silk industry, while the Tempio Voltiano museum is dedicated to Italian physicist Alessandro Volta. Just north are the lakeside gardens of the palatial Villa Olmo, as well as other stately villas.
Its proximity to Lake Como (Situated at the southern tip of the south-west arm of Lake Como) and to the Alps has made Como a tourist destination, and the city contains numerous works of art, churches, gardens, museums, theatres, parks and palaces.
GASTRONOMY
Polenta is a popular dish in Como, and was traditionally eaten for meals in winter time. It is obtained by mixing and cooking corn flour and buckwheat. It is usually served with meat, game, cheese and sometimes fish; in fact, Polenta e Misultin (Alosa agone) is served in the restaurants in the Lake Como area. A traditional dish is the Risotto con Filetti di Pesce Persico or simply Risotto al Pesce Persico (European perch filet risotto), a fish grown in Lake Como, prepared with white wine, onion, butter and wheat.
Sunday, May 26th
START TIME: 11.15 CEST
FINISH TIME: ~17.15 CEST
At 232 kilometres, the 15th stage of the Giro d'Italia runs from Ivrea to Como. Following a flat opening, the last 100 kilometres are played out on the route of Il Lombardia. The finale is virtually a copy of the editions Vincenzo Nibali won - 2015 and 2017.
The 2019 Giro d’Italia will see a race start in Ivrea before the riders head to Como. Firstly, the route crosses the Po Plain – so it’s mostly flat, passing through densely populated areas, with roundabouts, traffic dividers, pedestrian islands, setts paving and speed bumps being the main obstacles typically found in almost all urban areas. The last 100 kilometres are something else. The Giro takes the shape of Il Lombardia when the race approaches Asso.
Ivrea is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site and the area is inhabited since the Neolithic era. These days the townspeople love to fight each other with oranges during the Battle of the Oranges, an old ritual of Ivrea Carnival.
They also love to watch the Giro d’Italia, but is has been a while since the Italian Grand Tour visited the town in northwestern Italy. The last inclusion was in 2013, when Beñat Intxausti bested Tanel Kangert and Przemyslav Niemiec in a three-up sprint.
The 2019 Giro d’Italia will see a race start in Nivrea before the riders head to Como. Firstly, the route crosses the Po Plain – so it’s mostly flat – but the last 100 kilometres are something else. The Giro takes the shape of Il Lombardia when the race approaches Asso. Via Valbrona the riders drop down to Onno and following a section on the shores of Lago di Como the renowned Madonna del Ghisallo appears.
It climbs 8.6 kilometres at 6.2%, yet this average is merely an indication. The Ghisallo welcomes the riders with its steepest section of 14% right at the bottom and until kilometre 4 the grades are hovering around 9%. Then it levels out only to bounce back to 8 to 10% in the last 1.3 kilometres.
Next up is the Colma di Sormano. In Il Lombardia this is the prelude to the inhumanly steep Muro di Sormano, but the Giro follows the regular road to the summit at 1,124 metres. This way the climb is 9.6 kilometres and the average slope sits at 6.6%.
Following a beautiful drop to Nesso, the riders turn left and race along the shores of Lago di Como. The route almost enters Como before a left-hander takes the riders back into the hills. The Civiglio is a 4.2 kilometres climb at 9.8% with steepest ramps of 14%.
The race concludes with a technical descent into Como, where 3 kilometres on the flat rund to the finish on the promenade long Lago di Como.
IVREA
Inhabitants: 23.473
The inhabitants are called Eporediesi, from the ancient name of the city.
Origin: founded in 100 BC by the Romans on a previously existing settlement.
Ancient name: Eporedia.
Ivrea is situated within a glacial Morainic Amphitheatre with unique geomorphological characteristics. Located along the Via Francigena and Via Romea, today destinations for slow tourism, it is crossed by the river Dora Baltea, very popular among canoe lovers.
A trip to Ivrea is an opportunity to immerse yourself in a fascinating naturalistic and cultural context. Easily recognisable by the Savoy castle with its “red towers”. The itinerary of the historic centre, to be explored by walking through the alleys, traces the history of the city through its main monuments: the Castle, the Cathedral of Santa Maria Assunta and the Palace of the Bishop, the Romanesque Tower of Santo Stefano, the “Ponte Vecchio” (the old bridge), for centuries the only passage on the Dora Baltea river, and the Church of San Gaudenzio.
Not to be missed is also the Pier Alessandro Garda Civic Museum, located in the central Piazza Ottinetti, which is divided into three main sections: the archaeological collection, the oriental art section and the Croff collection, composed of paintings by artists of considerable importance.
Irvea has recently been included in the UNESCO World Heritage List as “Ivrea, Industrial City of the 20th Century” thanks to the history of Olivetti which you can discover by visiting the open-air Museum.
GASTRONOMY
Traditional dishes of the territory are the sweet & sour onions of Ivrea and the stuffed onion, the “tomini” (cheese you can find fresh, dried or in oil), the “miassa” made of corn flour that goes with “salignun” (fresh cheese mixed with chilli and various flavours) the “salam ‘d patata” and the “salam d’la doja” (two traditional types of salami) the “faseuj grass” (beans cooked with sausages), polenta and cod and the “bagna caoda”, a tasty sauce made with anchovies.
Desserts: the Polenta of Ivrea, the Torta 900 and, among the biscuits, the Eporediesi and the Canestrelli.
Wines: Erbaluce di Caluso, Passito di Caluso and Carema wine.
Lastly, the grappa from Chiaverano is also renowned.
COMO
Population 83,320
Como is a city at the southern tip of Lake Como in northern Italy. It's known for the Gothic Como Cathedral, a scenic funicular railway and a waterfront promenade. The Museo Didattico della Seta traces the history of Como's silk industry, while the Tempio Voltiano museum is dedicated to Italian physicist Alessandro Volta. Just north are the lakeside gardens of the palatial Villa Olmo, as well as other stately villas.
Its proximity to Lake Como (Situated at the southern tip of the south-west arm of Lake Como) and to the Alps has made Como a tourist destination, and the city contains numerous works of art, churches, gardens, museums, theatres, parks and palaces.
GASTRONOMY
Polenta is a popular dish in Como, and was traditionally eaten for meals in winter time. It is obtained by mixing and cooking corn flour and buckwheat. It is usually served with meat, game, cheese and sometimes fish; in fact, Polenta e Misultin (Alosa agone) is served in the restaurants in the Lake Como area. A traditional dish is the Risotto con Filetti di Pesce Persico or simply Risotto al Pesce Persico (European perch filet risotto), a fish grown in Lake Como, prepared with white wine, onion, butter and wheat.
"Science is a tool for cheaters". An anonymous French PE teacher.
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Comments
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Good stage for a hard roadman like Oscar Camenzind"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 pm0
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Obligatory - if you like Italian churches and cycling that church is worth a visit.
Much more morbid than you might expect, mind.0 -
Rick Chasey wrote:Obligatory - if you like Italian churches and cycling that church is worth a visit.
Much more morbid than you might expect, mind.
Agreed. I was surprised to see Fabio Casartelli's bike there, complete with bent fork and head tube...Ben
Bikes: Donhou DSS4 Custom | Condor Italia RC | Gios Megalite | Dolan Preffisio | Giant Bowery '76
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ben_h_ppcc/
Flickr: https://www.flickr.com/photos/143173475@N05/0 -
A 2 man nothing break has an 11 minute lead.
Going to be another very long, slow day in the saddle at this insipid Giro."Science is a tool for cheaters". An anonymous French PE teacher.0 -
Live now. Cattaneo (yet again) and Cataldo now have over 12 minutes and there is still 150kms to go, ffs."Science is a tool for cheaters". An anonymous French PE teacher.0
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They going to make it or not sweepstake? Scott chasing 90k to.go"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 pm0
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Finally. Michelton Scott wake up and take a 3 minute chunk out of the break's 16 minute lead."Science is a tool for cheaters". An anonymous French PE teacher.0
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MS starting to actually ride their bikes, gap slowly coming down.0
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Engel not exuding good interview confidence . maybe lost in translation thing."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 pm0
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Turned on just in time for the pretty bit it seems0
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Ooo these two look almost human on this gradient.Correlation is not causation.0
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Smoother than me on 10%Above The Cows wrote:Ooo these two look almost human on this gradient."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 pm0 -
Interesting road graffiti
Correlation is not causation.0 -
When your a jet your a jet from your first cigarette to your last dying breath.Above The Cows wrote:Interesting road graffiti"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 pm0 -
A bit of action. Yates dangling off the front, but still over 5 minutes down on the break."Science is a tool for cheaters". An anonymous French PE teacher.0
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I think this break is doomed0
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lettingthedaysgoby wrote:I think this break is doomed
Really?
There's only one 4km climb left. The rest is downhill/ flat.
Going to be hard with teams out of domis."Science is a tool for cheaters". An anonymous French PE teacher.0 -
Yeah, ignore me, I thought there was another bigger lump to come.Blazing Saddles wrote:lettingthedaysgoby wrote:I think this break is doomed
Really?
There's only one 4km climb left. The rest is downhill/ flat.
Going to be hard with teams out of domis.0 -
The bunch grows as their pace slows. Sean Kelly is getting frustrated by the lack of racing.
Dombrowski loses his bike and brings Chris Hamilton down."Science is a tool for cheaters". An anonymous French PE teacher.0 -
Roglic feeling the pressure"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 pm0
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mididoctors wrote:Roglic feeling the pressure
Tends to happen when your team only lasts for half a stage, each day."Science is a tool for cheaters". An anonymous French PE teacher.0 -
Yates going for it, group letting him go.0
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Pink jersey now pulling. :?"Science is a tool for cheaters". An anonymous French PE teacher.0
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“Shark takes a bite”
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Roglic Frooming furiously.
"Science is a tool for cheaters". An anonymous French PE teacher.0 -
Roglic hits barriers on descent0
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Roglic hit a barrier!
Back on the bike now...0 -
That could have been a hell of a lot worse0
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If anyone saw TJVG's attempt to ride his team mates bike it's hardly surprising."Science is a tool for cheaters". An anonymous French PE teacher.0
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I do love watching Nibali descend.0
