Giro 2022- Stage 1: Budapest – Visegrád 195 km ***Spoilers***

blazing_saddles
blazing_saddles Posts: 22,730
Stage 1: Budapest – Visegrád 195 km
Friday, May 6th, 12:20 CET.

Initially, it planned that the opening stage of the 2020 Giro would be a traditional, short ITT. But since Grande Partenza from Budapest was unveiled, the world has experience a global pandemic.
So, here we are in 2022 and instead, the Giro d'Italia begins with a flat stage of 195 kilometres from Budapest to finish on a punchy climb at the castle of Viségrad.



Leaving Budapest, the peloton will travel in a wide clockwise loop on mostly flat terrain, through the plains north of the capital to the Slovakian border. There are just two intermediate sprints to liven up the early proceedings.
Otherwise, the visual focal point will be the River Danube, which the riders will follow, to the finishing town of Visegrád, situated only 40 kilometres North of Budapest.The finishing line is located at the Citadel which sits above the river, dominating the top of a steep hill above the town.



Final Kms:

Once in the centre of Visegrad, the route climbs about 5 km at 5.5% to the imposing citadel. ( the royal castle) The finish climb in the town’s citadel is 5.6 kilometres long and rises at 4.2%, which should prove too difficult for most, if not all of the sprinters.



Technical Info:
Maybe this stage is the reason why Filippo Ganna will not be present for his home GT, as a puncher is now the most likely candidate to take the first pink jersey. The climb's maximum gradient is 8% for a short stretch, and contains a few hairpins. The home straight is on tarmac road.





What to expect:

The breakaway tends to form very quickly and should contain a handful (or less) of riders from the wildcard teams. Chances of surviving to the finish would be infinitesimal to non-existent. It will be fast and furious on the approach to the climb, where battle proper will commence.

Favourites 1st stage 2022 Giro d’Italia

***** Alejandro Valverde, Mathieu van der Poel
**** Diego Ulissi, Attila Valter, Andrea Bagioli, Biniam Girmay
*** Wout Poels, Richard Carapaz, João Almeida Andrea Vendrame, Caleb Ewan
** Vincenzo Albanese, Alessandro Covi, Magnus Cort
* Lennard Kämna, Giulio Ciccone, Davide Formolo

Budapest

The previously separate towns of Buda, Óbuda, and Pest were officially unified in 1873and given the new name Budapest. The first settlement on the territory of Budapest was built by Celts. Budapest has managed to preserve its historical atmosphere. The central area of Budapest along the Danube River is classified as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The first of the must-see sights has to be the Parliament building, designed by Imre Steindl in Gothic Revival style. It is the largest building in the country.



The view from the lookout terraces of the Fisherman’s Bastion in the Buda Castle District is truly one of a kind.



Visegrád

The symbol of Visegrád, located just over 40 kilometres north of Budapest and one of the most prominent and most photographed sights of the Danube Bend, is the Citadel dominating the top of a steep hill above the town.

From its courtyard, you can admire the wonderful panorama of the Danube Bend – as did several Hungarian kings and their courts.





Cuisine

Elements of ancient Turkish cuisine were adopted during the Ottoman era, in the form of sweets (for example different nougats, like white nougat called törökméz), quince (birsalma), Turkish delight, Turkish coffee or rice dishes like pilaf, meat and vegetable dishes like the eggplant, used in eggplant salads and appetizers.



The traditional Hungarian cabbage roll (töltött káposzta) can be made from sweet or sauerkraut cabbage leaves filled with a mixture of minced pork meat, eggs, and rice seasoned with paprika, caraway, salt, and pepper. The Hungarian version often contains minced pepper (paprika) and is served with sour cream on top.





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

  • MattFalle
    MattFalle Posts: 11,644
    mega gravy granular intro as always - grazie mille!
    .
    The camera down the willy isn't anything like as bad as it sounds.
  • carbonclem
    carbonclem Posts: 1,790
    I’m in Budapest right now. In Buda rather than pest. I missed the opening ceremony but aside from some posters at the airport , I’ve yet to see any sign of the Giro being here. Nothing.

    Off to the start and then Visegrad tomorrow.
    2020/2021/2022 Metric Century Challenge Winner
  • ddraver
    ddraver Posts: 26,706
    I've sung in that cathedral...


    We're in danger of confusing passion with incompetence
    - @ddraver
  • MattFalle
    MattFalle Posts: 11,644
    ddraver said:

    I've sung in that cathedral...


    eh? pray tell. this could be seriously, seriously impressive.
    .
    The camera down the willy isn't anything like as bad as it sounds.
  • mididoctors
    mididoctors Posts: 18,909
    Cheers for this blazin .. I need a decent diversion like this tbh
    "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
  • bobmcstuff
    bobmcstuff Posts: 11,440
    Who will be the Visegrad 4?
  • mididoctors
    mididoctors Posts: 18,909
    ddraver said:

    I've sung in that cathedral...


    Sounds intriguing.. what's the back story there?
    "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
  • ddraver
    ddraver Posts: 26,706
    edited May 2022
    School choir trip (in the carols from kings vein)

    Guess we must've sounded ok
    We're in danger of confusing passion with incompetence
    - @ddraver
  • blazing_saddles
    blazing_saddles Posts: 22,730
    Here's a new initiative from the race website. Today's weather forecast.


    "Science is a tool for cheaters". An anonymous French PE teacher.
  • Bravo Blazing! Excitement levels at 11 now
  • phreak
    phreak Posts: 2,953
    It wasn't mentioned in the (excellent) OP, but Visegrad was also the scene of a major conference of the regional big dogs in the 14th century, which has resulted in a coalition of Hungary, Poland, Czech, and Slovakia now adopting the name the Visegrad 4. The name literally means upper castle, and the region of Prague with the parliament building in is called Vysehrad, which is the same but in Czech.
  • blazing_saddles
    blazing_saddles Posts: 22,730
    LOL.
    We are off and 2 Drone Hoppers immediately go up the road but everyone else sits up.
    "Science is a tool for cheaters". An anonymous French PE teacher.
  • JimD666
    JimD666 Posts: 2,293
    2 Drone Hopper riders in the break. And that's it.

    Expected at least a couple of other teams to join in
  • rick_chasey
    rick_chasey Posts: 75,660
    edited May 2022
    Sounds like it's an tough old day for the commentary team, yikes.

    First day in, no race narrative yet, oof
  • JimD666
    JimD666 Posts: 2,293
    edited May 2022
    They show only the last 80odd Kilometres and there would of been carnage at the beginning. They do flag to flag and.....naff all happens. Sod's Law
  • RichN95.
    RichN95. Posts: 27,259
    It is in bad taste to call them Drone attacks?
    Twitter: @RichN95
  • dabber
    dabber Posts: 1,982
    Looks like a nice afternoon to go out for a ride.
    “You may think that; I couldn’t possibly comment!”

    Wilier Cento Uno SR/Wilier Mortirolo/Specialized Roubaix Comp/Kona Hei Hei/Calibre Bossnut
  • No_Ta_Doctor
    No_Ta_Doctor Posts: 14,673
    Warning No formatter is installed for the format
  • TheBigBean
    TheBigBean Posts: 21,961
    edited May 2022

    Sounds like it's an tough old day for the commentary team, yikes.

    First day in, no race narrative yet, oof

    Surely unlimited things to discuss, because everything is still possible.
  • blazing_saddles
    blazing_saddles Posts: 22,730
    Somebody needs to check the....

    What to expect:

    The breakaway tends to form very quickly and should contain a handful (or less) of riders from the wildcard teams.


    ;)
    "Science is a tool for cheaters". An anonymous French PE teacher.
  • Pross
    Pross Posts: 43,521
    Somehow missed the Friday start, will turn it on now!
  • JimD666
    JimD666 Posts: 2,293
    Pross said:

    Somehow missed the Friday start, will turn it on now!

    So did most of the peloton ;)
  • blazing_saddles
    blazing_saddles Posts: 22,730
    Huge crowds at the first intermediate sprint
    "Science is a tool for cheaters". An anonymous French PE teacher.
  • JimD666
    JimD666 Posts: 2,293
    Cav changing bike for his climbing bike.
  • Pross
    Pross Posts: 43,521
    Two man break from the same team is unusual.
  • flite
    flite Posts: 226
    Who is in the break, please?
  • JimD666
    JimD666 Posts: 2,293
    Filippo Tagliani and Mattia Bais
  • mididoctors
    mididoctors Posts: 18,909
    Ptp leaning into a sprint finish or a puncheur?
    "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
  • TheBigBean
    TheBigBean Posts: 21,961
    No 3km rule today. Probably good chance of a crash too.
  • mididoctors
    mididoctors Posts: 18,909
    The Danube bend not a Danube bend
    "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