Giro 2020 - Stage 2: Alcamo – Agrigento 149 km *Spoilers*
blazing_saddles
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Stage 2: Alcamo – Agrigento 149 km
Sunday, October 4th, 11:45 BST
The 2nd stage of the Giro d'Italia is a lumpy race of 150 kilometres long. The race starts in Sicily’s interior of following on hilly opening phase the route continues towards the coast.
The stage starts in Alcamo and features tough terrain from the get-go, with four consecutive short climbs that are not hard but will definitely favour the formation of a strong break of the day.
After almost 40 kilometres there are KOM points available in Santa Ninfa atop a 4 kilometres climb at 4%.
The route then descends into Castelvetrano and for ten of kilometres the route travels along Sicily’s south coast. The last part of the race is more bumpy. The riders move through Porte Empedocle (intermediate sprint) to continue onto the finish climb.
The riders will approach the “Valle dei Templi”, the Valley of the Temples, one of the most famous landmarks of the island. It is not a valley, but a ridge that from the sea goes up to the hill where Agrigento sits.
Agrigento is a city with a long history on the southern coast of Sicily. It was one of the leading cities in Ancient Greece, although it was named different then – Akragas. The city is build on a hill, which shows in the finale of stage 2.
Favourites 2nd stage 2020 Giro d’Italia
*** Peter Sagan, Diego Ulissi, Michael Matthews
** Valerio Conti, Fabio Felline, Enrico Battaglin
* Tony Gallopin, Ben Swift, Andrea Vendrame, Gianluca Brambilla
Alcamo
Alcamois on the borderline with the Metropolitan City of Palermo at a distance of about 50 kilometres from Palermo and Trapani.
It is assumed that the city of Alcamo was born from the settlement of Longarico at the hands of the Berbers, who found this settlement semi-deserted.
The first document mentioning Alcamo is dating back to 1154, in a paper written by the Berber geographer Idrisi who was given this task by Roger II of Sicily, in order to get a collection of geographic maps.
food
Handmade maccheroni, Pasta with “finocchi and sarde” (wild small fennels and sardines), Sausages with “cavuliceddi” (a typical Alcamo vegetable), Dried filled tomatoes, Cuddureddi (Christmas handmade fig sweets), Tetù (mixed and coloured biscuits), Sciù (cream sweets), Muffulette (fresh cooked roll bread with ricotta or other fillings
“finocchi and sarde”
Cuddureddi
Agrigento
The ancient Greek city of Akragas, later called by the Latins Agrigentum, was founded around 580a.C by a colony of Geloi-Rodiensi, led by the ecists Aristoneo and Pistillo in the plain where today we find the remains of ancient temples and known worldwide as “The Valley of the Temples” (included by UNESCO in the list of World Heritage Sites).
The acropolis was built in the place now occupied by modern Agrigento. From the beginning the city had its own emporium on the sea. Today, in the year 2020, celebrations are underway in Agrigento for the 2600 years of history since the foundation of the city.
Sunday, October 4th, 11:45 BST
The 2nd stage of the Giro d'Italia is a lumpy race of 150 kilometres long. The race starts in Sicily’s interior of following on hilly opening phase the route continues towards the coast.
The stage starts in Alcamo and features tough terrain from the get-go, with four consecutive short climbs that are not hard but will definitely favour the formation of a strong break of the day.
After almost 40 kilometres there are KOM points available in Santa Ninfa atop a 4 kilometres climb at 4%.
The route then descends into Castelvetrano and for ten of kilometres the route travels along Sicily’s south coast. The last part of the race is more bumpy. The riders move through Porte Empedocle (intermediate sprint) to continue onto the finish climb.
The riders will approach the “Valle dei Templi”, the Valley of the Temples, one of the most famous landmarks of the island. It is not a valley, but a ridge that from the sea goes up to the hill where Agrigento sits.
Agrigento is a city with a long history on the southern coast of Sicily. It was one of the leading cities in Ancient Greece, although it was named different then – Akragas. The city is build on a hill, which shows in the finale of stage 2.
Favourites 2nd stage 2020 Giro d’Italia
*** Peter Sagan, Diego Ulissi, Michael Matthews
** Valerio Conti, Fabio Felline, Enrico Battaglin
* Tony Gallopin, Ben Swift, Andrea Vendrame, Gianluca Brambilla
Alcamo
Alcamois on the borderline with the Metropolitan City of Palermo at a distance of about 50 kilometres from Palermo and Trapani.
It is assumed that the city of Alcamo was born from the settlement of Longarico at the hands of the Berbers, who found this settlement semi-deserted.
The first document mentioning Alcamo is dating back to 1154, in a paper written by the Berber geographer Idrisi who was given this task by Roger II of Sicily, in order to get a collection of geographic maps.
food
Handmade maccheroni, Pasta with “finocchi and sarde” (wild small fennels and sardines), Sausages with “cavuliceddi” (a typical Alcamo vegetable), Dried filled tomatoes, Cuddureddi (Christmas handmade fig sweets), Tetù (mixed and coloured biscuits), Sciù (cream sweets), Muffulette (fresh cooked roll bread with ricotta or other fillings
“finocchi and sarde”
Cuddureddi
Agrigento
The ancient Greek city of Akragas, later called by the Latins Agrigentum, was founded around 580a.C by a colony of Geloi-Rodiensi, led by the ecists Aristoneo and Pistillo in the plain where today we find the remains of ancient temples and known worldwide as “The Valley of the Temples” (included by UNESCO in the list of World Heritage Sites).
The acropolis was built in the place now occupied by modern Agrigento. From the beginning the city had its own emporium on the sea. Today, in the year 2020, celebrations are underway in Agrigento for the 2600 years of history since the foundation of the city.
"Science is a tool for cheaters". An anonymous French PE teacher.
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name crop up again. He jumped out of the start list in an oh yeah moment
I'm going on an eating holiday in Sicily when all this hoo ha is over!
As a relatively short stage and the second stage I would have thought he would have the legs to stay near the front.
As a relatively short stage and the second stage I would have thought he would have the legs to stay near the front.
Antwan Tolhoek, Sam Oomen, Tom Dumoulin, Thymen Arensman, Remco Evenepoel, Benoît Cosnefroy, Tom Pidcock, Mark Cavendish, Romain Bardet
Ah, as I type, Rob Hatch finally breaks the silence.
I'd forgotten he existed...
- @ddraver
Rob Hatch has Eurosport's lawyers cursing the speed with which the sound issues were sorted out...
Instagramme
Is this an issue for others?
Twitter @3pistescycle
INSTA @tourclownunder
Meanwhile, Consonni tastes Sicilian tarmac..........twice.
Cofidis using cheap Decathlon tyres?
Switched it on and first words were
Geraint Thomas Welsh word Tirrano Adricco, Welsh word Duaphine, Welsh word Welsh word Pantani.
This is better than trying to understand Sporza.
Out of interest, who are the Welsh commentary team? Is cycling a regular thing in S4C ?
Twitter @3pistescycle
INSTA @tourclownunder
Besides what they name in the article, they have also had highlights of the big one week stage races.
https://www.cyclist.co.uk/news/6323/giro-ditalia-to-be-broadcast-with-welsh-commentary-for-the-first-time
I can't remember the name of their main man but he's a big cycling fan.
Now to lobby BBC Alba for Gaelic coverage.
Twitter @3pistescycle
INSTA @tourclownunder
Astana imploding.
Another hammer blow to the potential GC battle.
Beyond the two Brits, Nibali turning back the clock half a decade looks the most likely threat.
The main commentator is the guy who normally does the rugby commentary.
2 Ag2r riders too.