Giro 2023:- Stage 18: Oderzo – Val Di Zoldo 161 km, A Very Pointy at the End Stage. ***Spoilers***

blazing_saddles
blazing_saddles Posts: 22,726
Stage 18: Oderzo – Val Di Zoldo 161 km

Start Time: 11-20amBST

At 161 km, is the second shortest road stage of the race. It's the first of three mountain stages in the Dolomites. The route takes in four climbs before a promising finale in Val di Zoldo. The 18th stage serves 3,700 vertical metres of climbing, most of which will be encountered in the last 30 kilometres.

Profile.



The route heads North and after 30 kilometres, the road begins to rise, in the form of the first big climb of the day. For those final 30 kilometres, the route heads towards the west.

Map.



Climbs.

Passo della Crosetta is a first category climb of 11.6 kilometres at 7.1%. It's a pretty regular climb, with no ramps of note.



There are two lesser climbs before the Forcella Cibiana, which just under 10kms long at an average gradient of 7.8% but with a pretty steep second half.



The final climb is actually a combination. The climb to Coi is 5.8 km at 9.7% on a secondary road parallel to Forcella Staulanza It is a new entry in the Giro and a very interesting one. It is a narrow road that gets steeper and steeper all the way to the top, just over 5kms from the finish.
The Zoldo Alto climb is 2.7 kilometres long and goes up at 6.4%.



Final Kms.



What to Expect:

As this is only the first of three mountain stages and the riders contesting the GC have a history of "keeping their powder dry", expect any GC action to happen late on. With a big climb early on, this could be another opportunity for someone from the break to take the victory.

Oderzo

Oderzo is a city of Paleovenetian origin, and thanks to the open-air archaeological sites and a splendid museum, it preserves evidence of its splendor in Roman times.
Oderzo merits the appellation of “Archaeological City.”
Today it’s cultural vibrancy makes Oderzo an important center of great cultural and international sporting events.

Food

Le Rose del Monticano is a kind of “radicchio” typical of the North-East and bleached using the classic method of Treviso. At the farm Ca’ Bosco in Fratta (Oderzo), they grow it.



This vegetable has been cultivated since the 15th century. The farm also produces traditional local sausages and salamis such as “soppressa veneta”, “salame punta di coltello”, “carrè” and donkey salami. These are specialties for taste experts.



In fact in the taverns of the historic center and in the establishments overlooking our Monticano river (a waterway of authentic beauty), you can enjoy a good aperitif typical of Oderzo enriched with sliced meats and an excellent wine “Incrocio Manzoni” or a full-bodied Raboso.



Val di Zoldo

Val di Zoldo is an unspoiled valley located in the heart of the Dolomiti Bellunesi. Guarded by the two iconic summits of Monte Pelmo and Monte Civetta.
Val di Zoldo extends at the Northern gate of the National Park of Dolomiti Bellunesi.
The entire territory of Val di Zoldo has always been coupled by the iron and steel extraction as well as the mining activity. However, the part of history thanks to which Val di Zoldo is renowned as the “Land of ice cream makers” started in the end of the 19th century.
Nowadays, Val di Zoldo is the ultimate destination for mountain and outdoor adventure enthusiasts.



Food.

Food

The casonziei, or casunziei in some local dialects, are typical staffed dumplings, very common in many cuisines of the Dolomiti Bellunesi. A soft dough, carefully handmade filled with vegetables or other ingredients, such as ricotta and spinach, beet, or with pumpkin and cinnamon and served with beurre fondu, as in the original recipe of Val di Zoldo.



In Val di Zoldo, there are many farms dedicated to the cultivation of Earth products: beans and potatoes, but also saffron, the so called “red gold”. Some take advantage of the rich biodiversity and of the peculiar flora of the Dolomiti Bellunesi to produce the Dolomiti Bellunesi Honey, recognised with the PDO label. Besides being a genuine and completely natural products it has also special therapeutical properties.



The leader of the gastronomic tradition of Val di Zoldo is unquestionably the artisanal ice cream. Still nowadays, the real origins of ice cream and the reason why it influenced the history of many dolomitic valleys are a mystery. What’s sure is the fact that Zoldo’s ice cream makers, worldwide known, spread the art of ice cream all over Europe and South America since the end of the 19th century, when the great emigration from Italy to the northern Europe took place. There is nothing as natural and healthy as the artisan variety, made with carefully selected, fresh, genuine ingredients such as cocoa, vanilla pods, milk, eggs, sugar and fresh fruit. Close attention to the quality of the raw materials, teamed with an ability to dose the ingredients carefully and to stick to traditional ice cream making times and methods is able to turn a simple food into a delight for the palate. If you are in Val di Zoldo do not forget to stop by an ice cream shop for a delicious break.















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

  • phreak
    phreak Posts: 2,953
    In the past they've used the Passo Duran (which descends to Dont), so I think Coi is a new climb. Looks super narrow


  • mididoctors
    mididoctors Posts: 18,908
    It's going to be fast . Will ineos be able to control?
    "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
  • kingstongraham
    kingstongraham Posts: 28,164

    It's going to be fast . Will ineos be able to control?

    Who would they really worry about getting in a break? Top 12?

    I think they'll just want it to be settled before the first climb so Swift can make it over and do the work on the flat bit. The other teams have the numbers if they want to put the pressure on early.
  • Pross
    Pross Posts: 43,463
    Peloton looks really small for a GT.
  • Pross
    Pross Posts: 43,463
    Weather is playing ball, looks absolutely perfect.
  • blazing_saddles
    blazing_saddles Posts: 22,726
    Linguist Hatch flunks happy birthday in Welsh. :D
    "Science is a tool for cheaters". An anonymous French PE teacher.
  • mididoctors
    mididoctors Posts: 18,908
    There off... half the peloton trying to go up the road
    "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
  • Pross
    Pross Posts: 43,463
    Cav near the front, looking keen to get in the break.
  • mididoctors
    mididoctors Posts: 18,908
    Sort of desperate lethargy from the race . Everyone is attacking
    "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
  • mididoctors
    mididoctors Posts: 18,908
    Healy makes an appearance at the front
    "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
  • mididoctors
    mididoctors Posts: 18,908
    Pross said:

    Peloton looks really small for a GT.

    It is
    "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
  • Pross
    Pross Posts: 43,463
    This is going to be a hard day out, I wonder if a break will get away before the first climb?
  • Pross
    Pross Posts: 43,463
    Hmm, why are JV so keen to close the gap?
  • blazing_saddles
    blazing_saddles Posts: 22,726
    Pross said:

    This is going to be a hard day out, I wonder if a break will get away before the first climb?

    Very doubtful.
    I would be sitting in and waiting for that big climb inside the first 30kms
    "Science is a tool for cheaters". An anonymous French PE teacher.
  • kingstongraham
    kingstongraham Posts: 28,164
    Pross said:

    Hmm, why are JV so keen to close the gap?

    Keep it busy, make it chaotic. They've still got their whole team in the race.
  • Pross
    Pross Posts: 43,463
    Breakaway teams get riders up the road and get chased down by breakaway teams that have missed it, GC teams get a rider with a gap and the other GC teams chase them down. Chaos, going to be hard for the sprinters - what is the likely cut off going to be today?
  • mididoctors
    mididoctors Posts: 18,908
    No one is Getting away
    "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
  • mididoctors
    mididoctors Posts: 18,908
    All the usual suspects trying
    "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
  • mididoctors
    mididoctors Posts: 18,908
    Carthy trying to slip away
    "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
  • Pross
    Pross Posts: 43,463
    Could this be it?
  • Pross
    Pross Posts: 43,463
    Nope.
  • Pross
    Pross Posts: 43,463
    Zanna caught and the front 5 have a slight gap but still not really easing behind. Touch and go if they'll be allowed to go. Healy is in the front 5.
  • mididoctors
    mididoctors Posts: 18,908
    Healy Haig getting away
    "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
  • Pross
    Pross Posts: 43,463
    Gap around 10-15" but riders still trying to get across and being shut down. Haig has also made the break.
  • mididoctors
    mididoctors Posts: 18,908
    Verona trying to bridge
    "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
  • Pross
    Pross Posts: 43,463
    Eolo with no rider in the break are now taking it up.
  • Pross
    Pross Posts: 43,463
    About to get closed again.
  • Pross
    Pross Posts: 43,463
    Gaviria already getting dropped having tried to bridge to the break a few minutes ago. Starting the first climb. Break caught and Barguil now going solo with a Bahrain rider crossing to him.
  • mididoctors
    mididoctors Posts: 18,908
    Butrago and warren
    "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
  • Pross
    Pross Posts: 43,463
    Was Buitrago crossing. Zanna has pulled it back again and now it's Parrot Pants turn.