From Siena to Il Lombardia: 4 Italian race *Spoilers*

blazing_saddles

So, just one day to go and Italy doing OK. Looks as if we are actually going to get some racing, which means it's time for a thread.

Dust whirls over the Tuscan hills, (forecast 37C) the 14th edition of the Strade Bianche takes place this Saturday. The route is 184 kilometres long with one third on dust roads, often stiffly uphill.



With Strade Bianche the riders enter a race with medieval characteristics. In the rolling landscape of Tuscany the toughest sections are on twisting gravel paths.



Sterrato 9 is 800 metres long and pepped up with a double digit gradient ramp before hitting the tarmac in Vico d’Arbia. A rolling stretch continues onto the penultimate sterrato. Strade di Colle Pinzuto is 2.4 kilometres long and the steepest ramp is located at the beginning. But no time for a breather after this 15% ramp, as the road keeps climbing gradually all the way until the end.

The final gravel road is a 1.1 kilometres toil, opening with a short descent and closing with 18% gradients. When Strade Bianche reaches Le Tolfe there are still 12 kilometres to go.



With 5 kilometres remaining the road flies downhill, only to go back up again in the last kilometre. Entering the city walls of Siena, a 16% sector welcomes the riders. Then a sharp turn to the right, left, and right again. The finish is at Il Campo, Siena’s iconic square resembling a theatre.










Startlist:

https://www.procyclingstats.com/race/strade-bianche/2020/startlist

Favourites 2020 Strade Bianche
***** Mathieu van der Poel, Julian Alaphilippe, Wout Van Aert
**** Michal Kwiatkowski, Jakob Fuglsang, Tadej Pogačar
*** Tiesj Benoot, Zdenek Stybar, Maximilian Schachmann, Michael Woods
** Simon Clarke, Philippe Gilbert, Peter Sagan, Kasper Asgreen, Dylan Teuns
* Davide Formolo, Alexey Lutsenko, Greg Van Avermaet, Bob Jungels, Gianni Moscon
Others Naesen, Jungels, Küng, Dillier, Moscon, Brambilla Nibali etc

rick_chasey

So hot.

And with the gravel reflecting it back up at you.

Can see a lightweight rider winning this.

tailwindhome

rick_chasey said:

Can see a lightweight rider winning this.

A physically small rider or one who doesn't meet your approval?

twotoebenny

Cheers Blazing,

Like the racing, your race threads have been much missed. Great start, I'm really looking forward to watching the mayhem of Strade bianche tomorrow... this just adds to build up. Given how much I've missed racing I'm not sure what I'll be like come the TdF!

blazing_saddles

A number of riders (among others Jungels, Honoré, Lammertink, with the latter one breaking his collarbone) crashed during the recons, as apparently conditions are more slippery than ever before....

kingstongraham

Love these threads, blazing - the season's truly back. May it continue for as long as it can.

blazing_saddles

Gonna be a bit sweaty as well as dusty.

RichN95.

What time is this due to finish? It's not on Eurosport until 4pm. Is that right?

blazing_saddles

RichN95. said:

What time is this due to finish? It's not on Eurosport until 4pm. Is that right?

I've been trying to find out as I am due to pick folks up at 5-45pm.

Eurosport have coverage listed as 3-50 to 5-50pm.

I checked the official website and the Chrono link, but being Italian, it only had the first 70kms.

At 117kms to go it had 2-25pm as the medium pace, so I am guessing 5-30pm.

kingstongraham

I read about 6:30 local, so 5:30.

Reckon they'll be going hell for leather.

ddraver

Mitch & Luke were expecting that it's going to be like opening weekend for the first half. As in total carnage...

I reckon the heat and allergies are gonna have an interesting effect on The Classics as much as the cold and wet are gonna have on the GTs. I think it's gonna be fun!! 😎

bianchi_dave

The Eurosport coverage is really disappointing. No racing for months and on return we only get 90 mins of one of the best races? Does anyone know if its a local broadcaster decision, meaning no channel will have racing earlier?
What about the new GCN app? - I've been mulling over whether its good value

blazing_saddles

bianchi_dave said:

The Eurosport coverage is really disappointing. No racing for months and on return we only get 90 mins of one of the best races? Does anyone know if its a local broadcaster decision, meaning no channel will have racing earlier?
What about the new GCN app? - I've been mulling over whether its good value

Isn't it just.
There's lots of snooker and if you don't like snooker? Well, there's a lot more snooker and if you fancy a change, well, there's some more snooker.

Having said that, Eurosport player has 2 hours coverage, although no coverage of the women's race, as they had previously advertised.

Tiz reckons they will have a live feed of the women's race from 2pm.

Or else there's the mountain finale of the Tour of Burgos.

rick_chasey

Belgians up from 1:15pm U.K. time for the VPN lot.

Edit; that’d the women’s race.

Men up at 2:15pm

TheBigBean

rick_chasey said:

Belgians up from 1:15pm U.K. time for the VPN lot.

Edit; that’d the women’s race.

Men up at 2:15pm

I have a VPN. What do I need to do other than understand Dutch/Flemmish

blazing_saddles

rick_chasey said:

Belgians up from 1:15pm U.K. time for the VPN lot.

Edit; that’d the women’s race.

Men up at 2:15pm

The Sporza app starts up at 12-00cet for the women and 13-45cet for the men, but their tv schedule is the same as everybody else.
I suspect live will be whenever Rai decide it will be....

Sporza's star ratings. Not very biased at all.

ddraver

If the Corona virus means the end of full stage coverage it won't be the worst thing...

rick_chasey

TheBigBean said:

rick_chasey said:

Belgians up from 1:15pm U.K. time for the VPN lot.

Edit; that’d the women’s race.

Men up at 2:15pm

I have a VPN. What do I need to do other than understand Dutch/Flemmish

Yup as BZ says, download the app. Can also download the VRT app which is Belgian BBC IPlayer though they require you to have a Belgian phone number if you want to flick it onto your TV.

You can also download the Rai app and watch the local coverage. Just make sure you’re VPN is in the right country.

blazing_saddles

rick_chasey said:

TheBigBean said:

rick_chasey said:

Belgians up from 1:15pm U.K. time for the VPN lot.

Edit; that’d the women’s race.

Men up at 2:15pm

I have a VPN. What do I need to do other than understand Dutch/Flemmish

Yup as BZ says, download the app. Can also download the VRT app which is Belgian BBC IPlayer though they require you to have a Belgian phone number if you want to flick it onto your TV.

You can also download the Rai app and watch the local coverage. Just make sure you’re VPN is in the right country.

Any idea what time is van Vleuten is due to finish?

gweeds

Not going to plan there.

And big shout out for the tossers who stole 6 of the Trek team bikes overnight that’s meant some of the women riding their DS’s bikes.

ddraver

16km to go for the girls, heating up nicely...

cruff

blazing_saddles said:

rick_chasey said:

TheBigBean said:

rick_chasey said:

Belgians up from 1:15pm U.K. time for the VPN lot.

Edit; that’d the women’s race.

Men up at 2:15pm

I have a VPN. What do I need to do other than understand Dutch/Flemmish

Yup as BZ says, download the app. Can also download the VRT app which is Belgian BBC IPlayer though they require you to have a Belgian phone number if you want to flick it onto your TV.

You can also download the Rai app and watch the local coverage. Just make sure you’re VPN is in the right country.

Any idea what time is van Vleuten is due to finish?

About 20 minutes in front of the rest of the race

blazing_saddles

Van Vlueten just lit the blue touchpaper on her rocket......

gweeds

Now going to plan 😂

blazing_saddles

The gap just evaporated in the space of a km.

blazing_saddles

Just about to swallow up Garcia.

blazing_saddles

Garcia manages to sit in the jet wash for the time being.

ddraver

Hmm, well if this is what Mercxian is like, I bloomin' hope we dont ever get another one...

blazing_saddles

Nice of Annemiek to make it look as if the others were in a race.
She didn't come out of the chase group and they are now minutes behind.

Mad_Malx

Oh bollox it's Carlton

Mad_Malx

God I'd forgotten how bad he is.