Giro 2017: Stage 14: Castellania – Oropa 131 km *Spoilers*

blazing_saddles
blazing_saddles Posts: 21,741
edited May 2017 in Pro race
Stage 14: Castellania – Oropa 131 km

START TIME: 13.40 CEST
This stage is very short and clearly divided into two parts: the route is fast-running and perfectly flat for 120 km, across the Po Valley; then comes an 11-km climb, with gradients over 7% and peaks topping out at 13% a few kilometres before the finish. Oropa will be this year's Montagna Pantani. After leaving Castellania (unprecedented stage town at the Giro), the route covers an 8 km transfer towards the actual start, then cuts across Vercelli and the surrounding plain. The final 11-km stretch, climbing all the way to the sanctuary (five times arrival and KOM), begins just past Biella. The final climb is 11-km long. The gradient is low in the first part, up to Favaro. The climb reaches its steepest gradient (around 13%) across the porphyry-paved center of Favaro, and then continues with several bends and a gradient around 9%, up to the 130-m long home stretch, on 6.5-m wide, porphyry-paved road.

Map:-
T14_Oropa_plan-1.jpg

Profile:-
T14_Oropa_alt_web.jpg

Climb:-
T14_S01_Oropa_web.jpg

Last Kms:-
T14_Oropa_ukm_web.jpg
"Science is a tool for cheaters". An anonymous French PE teacher.
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Comments

  • Crampeur
    Crampeur Posts: 1,065
    In case we needed a reminder of this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IWmClFQNwgY
  • Mad_Malx
    Mad_Malx Posts: 4,993
    ^enjoyed that, thanks.
  • 6wheels
    6wheels Posts: 411
    Me too, entertaining days.
  • meanredspider
    meanredspider Posts: 12,337
    Was he not thrown out of that race for "doping" (high Hct result)?
    ROAD < Scott Foil HMX Di2, Volagi Liscio Di2, Jamis Renegade Elite Di2, Cube Reaction Race > ROUGH
  • ocdupalais
    ocdupalais Posts: 4,224
    Was he not thrown out of that race for "doping" (high Hct result)?
    "No".
    The real story is that he the organisers asked him respectfully to leave as his delicate but savage beauty on the bike was making all the other riders look silly - and they were feeling silly: because they were dedicated athletes with very expensive doping programs overseen by very expensive doctors...
  • ocdupalais
    ocdupalais Posts: 4,224
    In Cyclingnews, Dumoulin said "I will be hard for the last thirty minutes and very hard for twenty minutes on the steep part of the climb to Oropa but that's normally what suits me very well," he said with growing confidence.

    Mind games of the highest order there with his predicted excitement...
  • ridgerider
    ridgerider Posts: 2,851
    Crampeur wrote:
    In case we needed a reminder of this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IWmClFQNwgY
    Bit obvious that...fitting a motorised wheel at the bottom of the climb.
    Half man, Half bike
  • blazing_saddles
    blazing_saddles Posts: 21,741
    This is one of Rich's hockey stick stages, but from when he was a very young lad.
    Just a 3 hour ride, better suited for sorting out a race in late February, rather than making any significant difference to a GT GC.
    As it is, the only lump in what otherwise would have been over 600 uncatagorised kilometres on the road to Bergamo and the race's date with the Dolomites.
    "Science is a tool for cheaters". An anonymous French PE teacher.
  • blazing_saddles
    blazing_saddles Posts: 21,741
    A mad fight on the flat to get into a potentially fruitless break.
    "Science is a tool for cheaters". An anonymous French PE teacher.
  • Pross
    Pross Posts: 40,217
    Crampeur wrote:
    In case we needed a reminder of this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IWmClFQNwgY

    I'd never seen that before. Absolutely ludicrous but despite everything we know I don't think I'll ever see a cyclist I enjoy watching race more than him. Seeing his rides always leaves be sad with how it all ended though.
  • Pross
    Pross Posts: 40,217
    So just watch the last 25km or will the short stage result in teams looking to apply pressure early? At this length it could do with a few smaller hills to encourage attacking early.
  • dabber
    dabber Posts: 1,924
    Pross wrote:
    Crampeur wrote:
    In case we needed a reminder of this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IWmClFQNwgY

    I'd never seen that before. Absolutely ludicrous but despite everything we know I don't think I'll ever see a cyclist I enjoy watching race more than him. Seeing his rides always leaves be sad with how it all ended though.

    That sums up my feelings as well Pross.... I find myself going back to this video fairly regularly.. breathtaking in spite of everything we know.
    “You may think that; I couldn’t possibly comment!”

    Wilier Cento Uno SR/Wilier Mortirolo/Specialized Roubaix Comp/Kona Hei Hei/Calibre Bossnut
  • Richmond Racer 2
    Richmond Racer 2 Posts: 4,698
    Dabber wrote:
    Pross wrote:
    Crampeur wrote:
    In case we needed a reminder of this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IWmClFQNwgY

    I'd never seen that before. Absolutely ludicrous but despite everything we know I don't think I'll ever see a cyclist I enjoy watching race more than him. Seeing his rides always leaves be sad with how it all ended though.

    That sums up my feelings as well Pross.... I find myself going back to this video fairly regularly.. breathtaking in spite of everything we know.


    Yeppa
  • Richmond Racer 2
    Richmond Racer 2 Posts: 4,698
    But the roadside guy in the black cloak in the final couple of kms chills me every bloody time...
  • bobmcstuff
    bobmcstuff Posts: 11,196
    HANSEN DOWN

    Is it over for him? Let's hope not.
  • dav1d1
    dav1d1 Posts: 653
    10.4km to go! Adam Hansen crashed on the cobbles
  • dav1d1
    dav1d1 Posts: 653
    Yates, Quintana, Pinot, nibs all at the front
  • dav1d1
    dav1d1 Posts: 653
    Diego rosa off the front 200m up the road
  • TheBigBean
    TheBigBean Posts: 20,511
    Zakarin has a little go. TJVG goes backwards.
  • TheBigBean
    TheBigBean Posts: 20,511
    Yates attacks, but is caught, so Pozzovivo goes more successfully. Quintana then bridges
  • Dorset_Boy
    Dorset_Boy Posts: 6,877
    Nairo and Zakarin out front.
  • Dorset_Boy
    Dorset_Boy Posts: 6,877
    Dumoulin digging deep.
    Pnot struggling
  • Dorset_Boy
    Dorset_Boy Posts: 6,877
    Quintana goes again, drops Zakarin
  • TheBigBean
    TheBigBean Posts: 20,511
    Now Quintana on his own. Dumoulin chasing
  • salsiccia1
    salsiccia1 Posts: 3,725
    Dumoulin doing brilliantly here
    It's only a bit of sport, Mun. Relax and enjoy the racing.
  • dav1d1
    dav1d1 Posts: 653
    6" pink jersey catching
  • TheBigBean
    TheBigBean Posts: 20,511
    Yates dropped by the Dumoulin train
  • bobmcstuff
    bobmcstuff Posts: 11,196
    Dumoulin is looking very very good.

    Pretty poor show from Quintana.
  • TheBigBean
    TheBigBean Posts: 20,511
    Suspect someone is going to get accused of wheelsucking here...
  • Dorset_Boy
    Dorset_Boy Posts: 6,877
    Brilliant ride from Dumoulin. 22 secs over Nairo