Giro 2021:- Stage 8: Foggia – Guardia Sanframondi 170 km **Spoilers**

blazing_saddles
blazing_saddles Posts: 22,730
edited May 2021 in Pro race
Stage 8: Foggia – Guardia Sanframondi 170 km

Saturday, May 15th, 12.40 CEST




Technical Info:
This stage runs across the Apennines for 170 kilometres, from Foggia to an uphill finale in Guardia Sanframondi. The route takes in a further 3,400 metres of climbing. It features one single lengthy climb, and a steep, challenging kick just before the finish.
At first, the route runs along fast and mainly straight roads all the way to Campobasso. The riders then reach the Matese Mountains to negotiate the Bocca della Selva climb (over 20 km), followed by a lengthy descent that ends 10 km before the finish. The route then rises all the way to the finish, with a sharp kick before homing in.



The Climbs:

At 70 km to go, where the road starts pointing up to the first categorized climb of the day.

Bocca della Selva: GPM2, 18.9 km at 4.6%



Final kilometres
The closing climb is approx. 3 km long. The gradient hovers around 10% for the first 2 km, with sharper peaks. The pitch returns to milder gradients in Guardia Sanframondi, and then kicks up again with 400 m to go, after a left-hander. The home straight is on tarmac road and on a slight incline.



What to expect:
A sprint finish is not to be expected in stage 8. On the contrary, a number of intermediate climbs will make it a hard day for the fast men. GC riders have little to gain on the road from Foggia to Guardia Sanframondi. So, stage 8 is perfect for a group of attackers with climbing legs to have it their way.

Favourites 8th stage 2021 Giro d’Italia

*** Diego Ulissi, Alberto Bettiol, Felix Großschartner
** Thomas de Gendt, Nicolas Roche, Luis León Sánchez, Matteo Fabbro, Gianluca Brambilla
* Rémi Cavagna, Jonathan Caicedo, Giovanni Visconti, Valerio Conti, Alessandro De Marchi

Foggia
Foggia lies in the heart of the Apulia Tableland. Shaken by the terrible earthquake in 1731 and the bombings of the Second World War, Foggia has risen from the ashes more than once.



Among the traditional dishes are “lagane e fave” (fafeijanghe and laghene), a type of pasta similar to tagliatelle, dressed with white bean puree; “pan cotto”, made with slices of bread from Monte Sant’Angelo boiled with vegetables on hand, potatoes and wild rocket, then seasoned with extra virgin olive oil, garlic and bay leaf.



The famous Nero di Troia from the namesake town is produced from the vines of the Dauni Mountains. It is a red wine with an intense color, so full-bodied and structured that in the past it was mixed with vines with a less intense aroma.



Guardia Sanframondi
In the heart of Samnium, in the Province of Benevento, there is a road that goes up the hill, from the small hamlet of Castelvenere towards Guardia Sanframondi. Guardia Sanframondi is a village of Lombard origin, perched on a hill whose summit is dominated by the Norman Castle built in the 12th century. The village mostly dating back to the 15th century has a medieval urban plan.



Wine is the most representative product of the territory, the highest expression of the ancestral wisdom of our farmers. The small producers of Guardia Sanframondi cultivate about 1100 hectares (2718 acres) of vineyards, mainly located in a hilly area. Our territory is particularly suitable for viticulture and here the typical varieties of Samnium and Campania find a fertile ground: Falanghina, Greco, Fiano, Coda di Volpe are the main white grapes cultivated




"Science is a tool for cheaters". An anonymous French PE teacher.
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Comments

  • jimmyjams
    jimmyjams Posts: 781
    There is only a wine suggested for the stage finish town, no food.

    As Guardia Sanframondi is situated in the province of Beneveneto, one could have Lasagne alla Beneventana (a lasagne made with small meat balls, chopped salami, shredded boiled aggs and cubed mozzarella between layers of lasagne, and a tomato sauce poured over before it goes in the oven).



    or Cardone beneventana (a chicken soup, with a little veg and heavily flavoured with teasels – plants which look like thistles but which aren't; this soup is often eaten around Christmas).



    And as digestive after a good meal, it has to be Strega, the delicious, 40% Italian liqueur, made from herbs (lavender, cloves, star-anise, myrrh, fennel, cinnamon, juniper, iris and mint), with a little saffron for colouring. This because it originates from the province of Beneveneto, the only place where it is made.
    Strega means Witch, and legend has it that a witch concocted the drink as a love potion for a maiden, to help the maiden win the prince she fancied – and it worked (and I'm not surprised!)


  • blazing_saddles
    blazing_saddles Posts: 22,730
    We are off and today there is going to be a right old tussle for the breakaway.
    "Science is a tool for cheaters". An anonymous French PE teacher.
  • Was that Bernal trying to get into a breakaway? :D
  • This is a chaotic start - the wind could well cause a spilt here
  • kingstongraham
    kingstongraham Posts: 28,200

    Was that Bernal trying to get into a breakaway? :D

    Looks a smart move to be that close to the front.
  • READY THE KLAXON
  • blazing_saddles
    blazing_saddles Posts: 22,730
    Ineos have the hammer down and we have carnage!
    "Science is a tool for cheaters". An anonymous French PE teacher.
  • Woah, that’s a big split already
  • Valter caught out.

    This is a brilliant start.
  • kingstongraham
    kingstongraham Posts: 28,200
    Nobody important missed the split. Brings Valter down to earth.
  • Reset, start again...
  • This is a tough start, going to be some tired legs come the climbs.
  • blazing_saddles
    blazing_saddles Posts: 22,730
    Kicking off again.
    The climbs themselves aren’t that hard but after this.......
    "Science is a tool for cheaters". An anonymous French PE teacher.
  • lettingthedaysgoby
    lettingthedaysgoby Posts: 1,732
    edited May 2021
    This is why being able to watch the whole stage live is so great. It’s fantastic to see how hard stages like this are from the very beginning.
  • kingstongraham
    kingstongraham Posts: 28,200
    This Hey Hey Ho guy seems very busy today.
  • kingstongraham
    kingstongraham Posts: 28,200
    If nothing sticks before the crest of this, going to be a full on descent as well.

    Must busting for a pee too.
  • No_Ta_Doctor
    No_Ta_Doctor Posts: 14,676
    Warning No formatter is installed for the format
  • Still nobody getting away, everything being chased down.
  • Lanterne_Rogue
    Lanterne_Rogue Posts: 4,334
    Totally here for the Loony Toon element of two riders sneaking away in the darkness of the tunnel. Doesn't look like teams that have missed that move are too happy with it.
  • blazing_saddles
    blazing_saddles Posts: 22,730
    Apparently there was a crash in the tunnel. Nibali was involved
    "Science is a tool for cheaters". An anonymous French PE teacher.
  • At this rate they’ll still be trying to get a breakaway going on the final climb :D
  • lettingthedaysgoby
    lettingthedaysgoby Posts: 1,732
    edited May 2021
    Ewan abandons. Crash in the tunnel maybe? Or just spat out the back in that climb?
  • blazing_saddles
    blazing_saddles Posts: 22,730
    Ewan abandons
    "Science is a tool for cheaters". An anonymous French PE teacher.
  • RichN95.
    RichN95. Posts: 27,259
    It's as if he knew he was going to abandon yesterday

    Twitter: @RichN95
  • kingstongraham
    kingstongraham Posts: 28,200
    There'll be no stopping De Gendt now
  • Lanterne_Rogue
    Lanterne_Rogue Posts: 4,334
    It's unlikely he got caught up in the crash at least, given it happened more or less at the summit of that climb.
  • rick_chasey
    rick_chasey Posts: 75,660

    Apparently there was a crash in the tunnel. Nibali was involved

    Any more news on this? Given it’s so soon after his wrist surgery that’s an extra worry
  • ddraver
    ddraver Posts: 26,707
    Yeah, Naa screw this mate...
    We're in danger of confusing passion with incompetence
    - @ddraver
  • kingstongraham
    kingstongraham Posts: 28,200
    Nobody is willing to accept they haven't made the break.
  • blazing_saddles
    blazing_saddles Posts: 22,730
    It was due to the crash apparently.
    Wondering about Nibali now
    "Science is a tool for cheaters". An anonymous French PE teacher.