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Giro 2019, Stage 18: Valdaora/Olang-Santa Maria Di Sala 222km *Spoliers*

RichN95.RichN95. Posts: 26,539
edited May 2019 in Pro race
Stage 18: Valdaora/Olang-Santa SMaria Di ala 222km *

Thursday 30th May

START TIME: 12.00 CEST

FINISH TIME: 17.13 CEST

This level stage is downhill almost all the way. After a mild climb to Valico di Cimabanche, a long descent leads all the way to Ponte nelle Alpi, to take in the uncomplicated categorised climb to Pieve d’Alpago. Another long descent leads all the way to Conegliano, where the route flattens out, rolling on wide and straight roads until the finish.

The last 10 km are completely flat, with some 90-degree turns. The roads are wide and well paved. The home straight is 2,000 m long, on 7.5 m wide asphalt road.

G19_T18_SMariadiSala_plan.jpg

G19_T18_SMariadiSala_alt_jpg-1.jpg

Favourites 18th stage 2019 Giro d’Italia
*** Arnaud Demare, Pascal Ackermann
** -
* Davide Cimolai


VALDAORA/OLANG
The South Tyrolean village for family activities, Valdaora, promises an abundance of possibilities for frolicking adventures that are just waiting to be experienced and accommodations that offer everything that the guests desire. Enjoy Kronplatz/Plan de Corones, best ski resort in the Alps, with its 119 kilometers of slopes. Active holidays and good food is one of the best combinations. In South Tyrol traditional cuisine meets Mediterranean influences and is combined with the best homemade products of our local producers: together they become an extraordinary and unique pleasure, very famous are Knödel and finely smoked bacon.

Kronplatz.jpg

SANTA MARIA DI SALA
S. Maria di Sala is a small town of 18.000 inhabitants not far from Venice and the cities of Padua and Treviso. A big part of the town area is based on one of the many Roman road systems, commonly called Grids, that date back to the Augustan era (first century BC – first century AC). One of the best preserved monuments is Villa Farsetti. This villa, built in the 1750s, takes its name from the contract development of abbot Filippo Farsetti on the project of Paolo Posi, a Sienese architect. Being a cultural hub and exhibition headquarters, the facility will be home to the Quartiertappa, the beating heart of the pink race, in honor of the 102nd Giro d’Italia.

villa-farsetti.jpg


GASTRONOMY

The numerous restaurants in the countryside of Sala offer tastes of local products, from various versions of salted cod (in tècia, in white wine, alla vicentina and in cream) to Radicchio (Santa Maria di Sala is a production area of the diverse radicchio of Castelfranco and the premature red radicchio of Treviso); some specialties include typical venetian fish and grilled meat with the traditional cold cuts of the area.

58405680-salt-cod-alla-vicentina-with-polenta-traditional-dish-of-vicenza-italy-.jpg
Twitter: @RichN95
«13

Posts

  • RichN95.RichN95. Posts: 26,539
    I doubt this will get to page two.
    Twitter: @RichN95
  • mididoctorsmididoctors Posts: 13,111
    One for the breakaways as the tired sprinter teams will struggle to control. Expect to see a canny rider like Rolf Sorenson or Pascal Richard bamboozle their fellow escapees in the finale.
    "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
  • AlejandrosdogAlejandrosdog Posts: 1,975
    what is the actual point of this stage? long and down hill. sounds like a perfect ride for me but for the giro....... We'll have to wait and see. if its over 2 pages by tonight something will have happened and ill watch it. :)
  • phreakphreak Posts: 2,709
    One of the most beautiful mountainous areas in Europe and they seem to have found the only bits of flat road available. This has been a strange Giro.
  • philbar72philbar72 Posts: 2,229
    the nearest equivalent to a rest day you can get in a grand tour. zzzzz
  • jimmythecuckoojimmythecuckoo Posts: 4,677
    Is Demarre still in the race?
    http://fendrieneu.home.blog
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  • mididoctorsmididoctors Posts: 13,111
    The odd transition stage is no crime. Dividing your GT in two is perhaps in hindsight a mistake.
    "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
  • mididoctorsmididoctors Posts: 13,111
    jimmythecuckoo wrote:
    Is Demarre still in the race?

    Believe so.
    "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
  • RichN95.RichN95. Posts: 26,539
    jimmythecuckoo wrote:
    Is Demarre still in the race?
    He's wearing the points jersey
    Twitter: @RichN95
  • mididoctorsmididoctors Posts: 13,111
    Fdj may not chase. Why risk the jersey by bringing it back for the sprint.
    "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
  • kingstongrahamkingstongraham Posts: 23,429
    mididoctors wrote:
    Fdj may not chase. Why risk the jersey by bringing it back for the sprint.

    Bora will though.
  • mididoctorsmididoctors Posts: 13,111
    KingstonGraham wrote:
    mididoctors wrote:
    Fdj may not chase. Why risk the jersey by bringing it back for the sprint.

    Bora will though.
    yes they will.
    "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
  • kingstongrahamkingstongraham Posts: 23,429
    mididoctors wrote:
    KingstonGraham wrote:
    mididoctors wrote:
    Fdj may not chase. Why risk the jersey by bringing it back for the sprint.

    Bora will though.
    yes they will.

    If Demare gets second to Ackerman, he should keep the jersey anyway. Worth it for a chance at another stage win I'd say.
  • mididoctorsmididoctors Posts: 13,111
    KingstonGraham wrote:
    mididoctors wrote:
    KingstonGraham wrote:
    mididoctors wrote:
    Fdj may not chase. Why risk the jersey by bringing it back for the sprint.

    Bora will though.
    yes they will.

    If Demare gets second to Ackerman, he should keep the jersey anyway. Worth it for a chance at another stage win I'd say.
    I would still let Bora chase and play the jersey card. They may think like you thou. A toss up.
    "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
  • kingstongrahamkingstongraham Posts: 23,429
    More importantly, is it pretty? That's probably the only interest today.
  • mididoctorsmididoctors Posts: 13,111
    KingstonGraham wrote:
    More importantly, is it pretty? That's probably the only interest today.
    I am not so jaded :D there is always something.
    "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
  • ridgeriderridgerider Posts: 2,845
    phreak wrote:
    One of the most beautiful mountainous areas in Europe and they seem to have found the only bits of flat road available. This has been a strange Giro.

    You can probably mark out stages 19 and 20 on the map for this stage up the page,..so it brings them into the crucible for the grande finale, and I suppose it dangled a carrot late in the race for the sprint teams not to give up last week and stay in the race till the end to keep the numbers up...
    Half man, Half bike
  • mididoctorsmididoctors Posts: 13,111
    Ridgerider wrote:
    phreak wrote:
    One of the most beautiful mountainous areas in Europe and they seem to have found the only bits of flat road available. This has been a strange Giro.

    You can probably mark out stages 19 and 20 on the map for this stage up the page,..so it brings them into the crucible for the grande finale, and I suppose it dangled a carrot late in the race for the sprint teams not to give up last week and stay in the race till the end to keep the numbers up...
    Yeah keeping the sprinters in may have been a consideration
    "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
  • rick_chaseyrick_chasey Posts: 66,308 Lives Here
    Padua is lovely by the way. Can recommend.
    _
  • mididoctorsmididoctors Posts: 13,111
    Break of the day?
    "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
  • phreakphreak Posts: 2,709
    Ridgerider wrote:
    phreak wrote:
    One of the most beautiful mountainous areas in Europe and they seem to have found the only bits of flat road available. This has been a strange Giro.

    You can probably mark out stages 19 and 20 on the map for this stage up the page,..so it brings them into the crucible for the grande finale, and I suppose it dangled a carrot late in the race for the sprint teams not to give up last week and stay in the race till the end to keep the numbers up...

    Even the mountain stages haven't been very mountainous though. The Mortirolo stage had a bunch of what could charitably be described as false flats, and it was the same yesterday. A reasonable amount of climbing, but all on long, gentle drags rather than anything really difficult. A visit to the Dolomites and not do a single classic Dolomites climb is very strange. Indeed, for the whole race, you would probably only say the Mortirolo has been a truly memorable climb, as even the Nivolet didn't go to the top.

    I cast my mind back to the 2010 event and they did the Zoncolan, Gavia, Mortirolo, Grappa, Plan de Corones as well as a host of lesser known climbs and strada bianchi. By contrast, this race seems made for big Dumoulin type riders.
  • mididoctorsmididoctors Posts: 13,111
    54 Maestri (BRD) 101st at 3h14:42
    13 Denz (ALM) 125th Y at 4h00:07
    142 Cima (NIP) 138th at 4h29:35
    "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
  • knedlickyknedlicky Posts: 3,097
    mididoctors wrote:
    54 Maestri (BRD) 101st at 3h14:42
    13 Denz (ALM) 125th Y at 4h00:07
    142 Cima (NIP) 138th at 4h29:35
    Cima and Maestri trying to improve their standings in the Trofeo Fuga (Breakaway) competition, and if they can hold out until the first intermediate, their standings in the Sprint competion too.
    But the gap is closing, probably because there are points at the first intermediate which count towards the Points competition and both Bora and FDJ would like them.
  • hypsterhypster Posts: 1,212
    It may not have been an especially hard Giro up to now but they all looked knackered to me yesterday. Maybe the weather has been a factor as well.
  • larkimlarkim Posts: 2,452
    Was it just the geography that made yesterday look odd? The valley road they were riding up to the finish was unusual in that it was a very wide, flat bottomed valley. But the side on shots of the riders showed they were struggling on some sections as much as on a traditional hairpin climb. They did look knackered though!
    2015 Canyon Nerve AL 6.0 (son #1's)
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  • phreakphreak Posts: 2,709
    larkim wrote:
    Was it just the geography that made yesterday look odd? The valley road they were riding up to the finish was unusual in that it was a very wide, flat bottomed valley. But the side on shots of the riders showed they were struggling on some sections as much as on a traditional hairpin climb. They did look knackered though!

    From memory, the valley roads around there aren't really flat. If you're going up a false flat for 20km it adds up, so it can certainly be tiring, just not very spectacular for us watching at home. For instance, the other side of the valley you can ride the 23km from Longega to Corvara and climb nearly 600m. Never gets more than a few percent, but is just a long false flat.
  • larkimlarkim Posts: 2,452
    Indeed - I wasn't suggesting they were flat, it was more that because the lateral view across the valley was flat (left to right) it looked flatter than it actually was. Bearing in mind a 10% gradient is only just under 6deg of angle, the 6-8% on yesterday's drag up to the finish would look particularly flat on camera on that type of road, whereas hairpins allow you to see the actual climb between each switchback.
    2015 Canyon Nerve AL 6.0 (son #1's)
    2011 Specialized Hardrock Sport Disc (son #4s)
    2013 Decathlon Triban 3 (red) (mine)
    2019 Hoy Bonaly 26" Disc (son #2s)
    2018 Voodoo Bizango (mine)
    2018 Voodoo Maji (wife's)
  • specialgueststarspecialgueststar Posts: 3,417
    Denz can be strong . Second place on more difficult stage last year on stage in break ? with Mohoric

    2335737-48613510-2560-1440.jpg?w=1050
  • kingstongrahamkingstongraham Posts: 23,429
    Bora having to do some work to bring this back. Peloton quite strung out. And there's a nice castle.
  • amrushtonamrushton Posts: 1,188
    larkim wrote:
    Was it just the geography that made yesterday look odd? The valley road they were riding up to the finish was unusual in that it was a very wide, flat bottomed valley. But the side on shots of the riders showed they were struggling on some sections as much as on a traditional hairpin climb. They did look knackered though!

    It was 8% average with some 12% apparently. It looked flat-tish but you could see they were doing a lot of work
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