Giro 2021:- Stage 9: Castel di Sangro – Campo Felice 158 km **Spoilers**
blazing_saddles
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Stage 9: Castel di Sangro – Campo Felice 158 km
Sunday, May 16th, 12.15 CEST
This will be the queen stage across the Apennines of Abruzzo. From the start until Celano, the route takes in a succession of long climbs on moderately wide roads, followed by sometimes technical descents. Past Ovindoli (categorised climb), the route enters the Piana delle Rocche and becomes somewhat easier, up to Rocca di Cambio. Here, the course makes for Campo Felice, taking in the closing climb.
There are several ascents, including 4 categorised climbs, Passo Godi (GPM2, 13.9 km at 4.1%),
Forca Caruso (GPM3, 12.7 km at 4.5%),
Ovindoli (GPM2, 12.4 km at 5.1%)
and Campo Felice (GPM1, 6 km at 6%) .
There is also a further climb of 11'5km at a 5% average that has not be catagorised. All in all, the route takes in 3,400 vertical metres, while the finale at Campo Felice is extremely steep and unpaved in the last kilometres.
Final kilometres
The final climb is nearly 6 km long, and the gradients are not very sharp. After a long, well-lit tunnel stretching from 3 to 2 km remaining to the finish, the final 1,600 metres, as well as the home straight, are on unpaved roads, with peaks topping out at 14% over the last 500 m.
What to expect:
A GC clash of sorts is on the cards, but it is quite likely that the winner of this battle will not be rewarded with a stage win. Although being far from flat, the route is not extremely challenging until the last ascent, which is perfect terrain for a strong breakaway to gain a comfortable lead. So, expect a scenario whereby there are separate attacks from within two groups, with the winner is likely to emerge from the breakaway.
Favourites 9th stage 2021 Giro d’Italia
*** Bauke Mollema, Ruben Guerreiro,
** Simon Yates, Egan Bernal, Remco Evenepoel, Romain Bardet, Daniel Martin, Hugh Carthy
* Marc Soler, Davide Formolo, Pello Bilbao, Alberto Bettiol, Giulio Ciccone
Castel di Sangro
Castel di Sangro is a centre of great summer and winter tourist activities. Known for the wealth of its sports facilities, the city hosts sporting events for amateurs and professionals.
The great out-of-town attraction of Castel di Sangro is the Abruzzo trans-Siberian, a fascinating experience, panoramic and at low speed, aboard a vintage train with restored carriages dating back to the early twentieth century.
Among the typical dishes to try: Cazzarielli and faciuli (fresh pasta and beans), pasta con gli orapi (fresh pasta with wild spinach),
pecora al cotturo ( cooked sheep)
"
The Pigna cake is a golden-brown donut, made from a long leavening process, softened by lard and flavored with aniseed. Other sweet is fafette, made from cooked wine must, also known in the Abruzzo tradition as mostaccioli. A local beer is also produced in Castel di Sangro, it’s called “Eva” from the Abruzzese Brewery.
Campo Felice (Rocca di Cambio)
Rocca di Cambio on the ridge at the foot of Montecagnois is the highest town in Abruzzo. The Rocche plateau between the Velino and Sirente massif and has an elevation of 1433 m. The area is encompassed within the only regional park in Abruzzo. Up to 50 years ago Rocca di Cambio lived on menager agriculture, on small sheep and cattle farms. Only from the beginning of the fifties, in the local economy, the first signs of a positive change were from the Municipality since 1951 for the revaluation of the historic center, to the road system, to the hotel sector and to tourism development.
The pizza sfogliata was cooked to pay for the journey of the deceased would have made to the afterlife, and during the wake a piece was also cut to pay homage to the deceased.
Sunday, May 16th, 12.15 CEST
This will be the queen stage across the Apennines of Abruzzo. From the start until Celano, the route takes in a succession of long climbs on moderately wide roads, followed by sometimes technical descents. Past Ovindoli (categorised climb), the route enters the Piana delle Rocche and becomes somewhat easier, up to Rocca di Cambio. Here, the course makes for Campo Felice, taking in the closing climb.
There are several ascents, including 4 categorised climbs, Passo Godi (GPM2, 13.9 km at 4.1%),
Forca Caruso (GPM3, 12.7 km at 4.5%),
Ovindoli (GPM2, 12.4 km at 5.1%)
and Campo Felice (GPM1, 6 km at 6%) .
There is also a further climb of 11'5km at a 5% average that has not be catagorised. All in all, the route takes in 3,400 vertical metres, while the finale at Campo Felice is extremely steep and unpaved in the last kilometres.
Final kilometres
The final climb is nearly 6 km long, and the gradients are not very sharp. After a long, well-lit tunnel stretching from 3 to 2 km remaining to the finish, the final 1,600 metres, as well as the home straight, are on unpaved roads, with peaks topping out at 14% over the last 500 m.
What to expect:
A GC clash of sorts is on the cards, but it is quite likely that the winner of this battle will not be rewarded with a stage win. Although being far from flat, the route is not extremely challenging until the last ascent, which is perfect terrain for a strong breakaway to gain a comfortable lead. So, expect a scenario whereby there are separate attacks from within two groups, with the winner is likely to emerge from the breakaway.
Favourites 9th stage 2021 Giro d’Italia
*** Bauke Mollema, Ruben Guerreiro,
** Simon Yates, Egan Bernal, Remco Evenepoel, Romain Bardet, Daniel Martin, Hugh Carthy
* Marc Soler, Davide Formolo, Pello Bilbao, Alberto Bettiol, Giulio Ciccone
Castel di Sangro
Castel di Sangro is a centre of great summer and winter tourist activities. Known for the wealth of its sports facilities, the city hosts sporting events for amateurs and professionals.
The great out-of-town attraction of Castel di Sangro is the Abruzzo trans-Siberian, a fascinating experience, panoramic and at low speed, aboard a vintage train with restored carriages dating back to the early twentieth century.
Among the typical dishes to try: Cazzarielli and faciuli (fresh pasta and beans), pasta con gli orapi (fresh pasta with wild spinach),
pecora al cotturo ( cooked sheep)
" The Pigna cake is a golden-brown donut, made from a long leavening process, softened by lard and flavored with aniseed. Other sweet is fafette, made from cooked wine must, also known in the Abruzzo tradition as mostaccioli. A local beer is also produced in Castel di Sangro, it’s called “Eva” from the Abruzzese Brewery.
Campo Felice (Rocca di Cambio)
Rocca di Cambio on the ridge at the foot of Montecagnois is the highest town in Abruzzo. The Rocche plateau between the Velino and Sirente massif and has an elevation of 1433 m. The area is encompassed within the only regional park in Abruzzo. Up to 50 years ago Rocca di Cambio lived on menager agriculture, on small sheep and cattle farms. Only from the beginning of the fifties, in the local economy, the first signs of a positive change were from the Municipality since 1951 for the revaluation of the historic center, to the road system, to the hotel sector and to tourism development.
The pizza sfogliata was cooked to pay for the journey of the deceased would have made to the afterlife, and during the wake a piece was also cut to pay homage to the deceased.
"Science is a tool for cheaters". An anonymous French PE teacher.
2
Comments
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the race goes past my front door tomorrow, as in where I park my car.
Let me finish my dinner (fresh scallops, caulifliwer puree, pancetta) and I'll update in a bit.
.The camera down the willy isn't anything like as bad as it sounds.
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Is the finish as bleak as it looks on satellite maps?
https://www.google.com/maps/@42.2117347,13.446065,1452a,35y,90h,38.81t/data=!3m1!1e30 -
Yup - Campo Felice is reached by going up the vally, past the meteorite zone, through Rocca di Mezzo which is a really nice skiing resort, up a bit, through a tunnel and its perched on top of a mountain.
Autostrada access to Rome one side, uttetly bugger all on the other. No redeeming features unless you ski..The camera down the willy isn't anything like as bad as it sounds.
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Essentially, the whole region is like the Italian Dartmoor or Brecon - its ruggedly beautiful but phik all there.
Castellvecchio where the route branches off, has two bars, one of which has a secret gelatetia and was also where they part filmed The American with George Clooney.
Tje main thing happening in the region is farming, farming, farming. The whole place unfortunately got smashed apart by several earthquakes years ago that took out L'Aquila badly. A couple of other small villages got smashed completely. We had some cracks in the house and the church ended up getting bolted together.
.The camera down the willy isn't anything like as bad as it sounds.
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Road surfaces are crpp, a mixture of the weather - stinking hot in the summer, baltic in the winter, lack of regional investment by central govt and the earthquakes, so expect lots of bunnyhopping.
Climbs are groovy - will separate the men from the boys, the descents are fine - nice eide, open, not too technical. You can tuck in and go for it..The camera down the willy isn't anything like as bad as it sounds.
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Any chance of more carnage in the wind?
Things coming in threes 'n all."Science is a tool for cheaters". An anonymous French PE teacher.0 -
Anything is possible up there tbh - its all wide open especially when you start up to Rocca di Cambio..
The camera down the willy isn't anything like as bad as it sounds.
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kingstongraham said:
When Matt mentioned "The American", I knew that it's pretty exposed and wide open up there.
Let's hope it's not a howling headwind."Science is a tool for cheaters". An anonymous French PE teacher.0 -
Big fight to get in the breakaway.
Mader pushing, which may be a problem for the breaks chances as he is only 4 mins down. But looking for more mountain points.0 -
No break has stuck yet, so it has been a fast first 18km0
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blazing_saddles said:
When Matt mentioned "The American", I knew that it's pretty exposed and wide open up there.kingstongraham said:
Let's hope it's not a howling headwind.
If it's windy up there today, the tunnel could be like real wind-tunnel – it's 1300 m long.
(And normally barred to cyclists, although I believe in Summer, when there is little car traffic, the ski resort being closed, cyclists do ride it – there is no alternative route over the 30 km long ridge).0 -
Tomasz Marczynski (Lotto-Soudal) is a DNS – apparently suffering with post-Covid neurologic problems - headaches, insomnia, dizziness and coordination difficulties.
He had Covid about 6 months ago.0 -
Sheeeet.jimmyjams said:Tomasz Marczynski (Lotto-Soudal) is a DNS – apparently suffering with post-Covid neurologic problems - headaches, insomnia, dizziness and coordination difficulties.
He had Covid about 6 months ago.0 -
This start is going to make the last two climbs very tough.0
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The gradient on this climb makes it so difficult for a break to stick.
Could end up forming on the long descent..."Science is a tool for cheaters". An anonymous French PE teacher.0 -
Looks like we have a big break, the big teams are blocking the road so seem to be happy.
124.7km to go0 -
Hehe maybe spoke too soon, UAE have missed it so are picking it back up...0
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Only about 10 seconds from the back of the break to the peloton.0
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Martinez and caruso doom the break.0
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No chance now.
Not sure why DQS have been sitting on Ulissi all along"Science is a tool for cheaters". An anonymous French PE teacher.0 -
Fucking cremation advert pushing me towards paying twice for eurosport.0
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Crash
Mohoric - his bike is proper fecked0 -
Awful crash! Mohoric went somersaulting over the bars."Science is a tool for cheaters". An anonymous French PE teacher.0
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"He's getting a new bike"
No shit.
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Landed on his head. He shouldn't be getting back on after that.“You may think that; I couldn’t possibly comment!”
Wilier Cento Uno SR/Wilier Mortirolo/Specialized Roubaix Comp/Kona Hei Hei/Calibre Bossnut0 -
That was really not good - he was about to get back on the bike, then handed the bike back and went over to the crash barrier and seems to have basically collapsed. Landed heavily on his head, he shouldn't have been getting back on the bike.0
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Horrible. Looks like having lost the back end the front wheel jammed in a pot hole, or gulley. Bike in two pieces.
Hope he's alright, but having stood up, then sat back down.0 -
He sat back down, then slumped like he'd passed out and the team helper rushed over.Dorset_Boy said:Horrible. Looks like having lost the back end the front wheel jammed in a pot hole, or gulley. Bike in two pieces.
Hope he's alright, but having stood up, then sat back down.0 -
He's out on a stretcher. Horrible crash.0
