Giro 2022 - Stage 5: Catania – Messina 174 km ***Spoilers***

blazing_saddles
blazing_saddles Posts: 21,741
edited May 2022 in Pro race
Stage 5: Catania – Messina 174 km
Wednesday, May 11th, 10:30 BST

A very early start today, so that the riders can transfer to the mainland and get to their hotels at a reasonable time. Stage 5 follows exactly the same route of the Giro 2020, stage 4, until km 37.



Starting in Catania, the riders will go through rolling terrain for the first 50 km, mostly following the coastline. Just before the town of Taormina they will turn inland and the main climb of the day. The top is reached at 99 km to go. The descent is 25 km long, very fast with wide roads. After that, the final 75 km are all flat, with the last 55 directly along the coast in a predominantly Easterly direction.



Portella Mandrazzi: GPM3, 19.6 km at 4%



Final Kms.

About 4 km from the finish, the race leaves the state road to enter the town of Messina, along wide city avenues for the first part downhill and then go up again up to 1500 m. This is followed by a short descent and the last bend is 800 m from the finish.
Final straight of 800 m, 7.5 m wide flat on asphalt.





What to expect:
Breakaway territory with the large, strategically placed lump. Not too difficult to control, so a probable mass sprint or perhaps (praying to the wind gods here) even echelons.
Two years ago, a group of dropped sprinters who lost contact on the Portella Mandrazzi chased invain on the flat to Villafranca Tirrena. Obviously, the good news for dropped riders is that there are 32 more kilometres to regain contact with the peloton this time.

Favourites 5th stage 2022 Giro d’Italia

***** Caleb Ewan, Mark Cavendish
**** Arnaud Démare, Fernando Gaviria
*** Giacomo Nizzolo, Matthew van der Poel, Biniam Girmay
** Phil Bauhaus, Cees Bol, Alberto Dainese
* Edward Theuns, Simone Consonni, Davide Cimolai, Magnus Cort, Andrea Vendrame

Catania

Catania is situated on the east coast of the main Italian island, Sicily. The city is on a plain, located between the Ionian Sea and the slopes of majestic Etna, the largest active volcano in Europe, a Unesco World Heritage Site.



Catania’s old town, where you’ll find the main tourist attractions, is easy to explore on foot. In the second half of the nineteenth century, the City expanded beyond the historic Baroque center and new residential neighborhoods were created: the boulevard Regina Margherita and the course Italy, where beautiful Liberty-style villas arose.
The city is currently inhabited by about 300,000 people.

Food

Catania cuisine is one of the richest and tastiest in Sicily. Famous is the sea salad with octopus, shrimp and ox eyes (molluscs typical of this sea) boiled; equally popular are marinated masculins (Ionian sea anchovies marinated in oil and lemon), salted anchovies, raw ox eyes seasoned with lemon or roasted on charcoal, peppered with mussels (suffering, with abundant pepper, lemon and chopped parsley) “u mauru” ( raw seaweed topped with lemon)



Among the first dishes deserves the place of honor pasta alla Norma, which takes its name from a Celtic masterpiece by Vincenzo Bellini: tomato sauce, fried egg, basil and abundant grated salted ricotta.



Parmigiana (fried eggplant casserole), Caponata with eggplant and tomatoes, fennel salad, orange salad (sliced and seasoned with oil, salt and pepper), vegetable dishes and other typical vegetables.
The rotisserie is one of the most renowned in Italy. The main pieces are the Arancini, crispy squabpy rice-filled, Siciliana (thin puff pastry filled with tuma and anchovies), salted crispelles (sweet dough pancakes, stuffed with fresh ricotta or anchovies), the shaded ones ( made with bread dough stuffed with plenty of tuma and anchovies, or vegetables, or cauliflower, baked).
Typical desserts are ricotta Cannoli, Sicilian Cassata.



Messina

Messina is a city and provincial capital located in north-eastern Sicily, on the western coast of the eponymous strait. It has an area of 213.7 square km and a population of 227,424 (as of 2020). The old port is surrounded and protected by a strip of land in the shape of a sickle, called Penisola di San Raineri, ending with Punta San Salvatore.
It was destroyed by the 1908 earthquake, which hit a 10-degree intensity on the Mercalli scale and was followed by a tsunami, all of which caused around 80,000 victims.



It was later rebuilt, but suffered extensive damage from the bombing of World War II, especially during the Anglo-American invasion of 1943.

Food

Messina has one of the oldest culinary traditions in Sicily, which mostly shows Greek influences. Fish and seafood are the staples of local cuisine. Traditional specialties also include sugar confections, such as almond paste and candied fruit, along with craft ice creams and slushies (the popular “granita”).
Traditional fry-shop specialties include the iconic arancini, the hallmark of street food – pointy saffron rice balls stuffed with meat sauce, peas, soft cheese and prosciutto or mortadella.















"Science is a tool for cheaters". An anonymous French PE teacher.
«13

Comments

  • No_Ta_Doctor
    No_Ta_Doctor Posts: 13,200
    Catania to Catatonia...
    Warning No formatter is installed for the format
  • pblakeney
    pblakeney Posts: 25,598

    Catania to Catatonia...

    Last 10kms it is then.....
    The above may be fact, or fiction, I may be serious, I may be jesting.
    I am not sure. You have no chance.
    Veronese68 wrote:
    PB is the most sensible person on here.
  • No_Ta_Doctor
    No_Ta_Doctor Posts: 13,200
    pblakeney said:

    Catania to Catatonia...

    Last 10kms it is then.....
    The Somnolent Sombrero stage

    Warning No formatter is installed for the format
  • mididoctors
    mididoctors Posts: 16,646
    edited May 2022
    Was there much of a fight to get into the break?
    "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: 26,133

    Was there much of a fight to get into the break?

    A bit, it was about the third effort that stuck. Took 2.5km to get away. AG2R seemed determined to get someone in there today with the usuals.
  • mididoctors
    mididoctors Posts: 16,646
    Will there be an attempt to drop cav on this hill
    "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: 16,646

    Was there much of a fight to get into the break?

    A bit, it was about the third effort that stuck. Took 2.5km to get away. AG2R seemed determined to get someone in there today with the usuals.
    Cheers
    "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
  • JimD666
    JimD666 Posts: 1,900

    Will there be an attempt to drop cav on this hill

    Even if they do QS have nearly 100km to bring it all back. 20km of that is downhill. Can't see they have to much difficulty.
  • blazing_saddles
    blazing_saddles Posts: 21,741

    Will there be an attempt to drop cav on this hill

    Will there be an attempt to drop cav on this hill

    Robbie McEwan is just talking about what I was thinking.
    Intermarche Wanty might well drill it for Biniam Girmay.
    He can out climb everybody who is faster.
    "Science is a tool for cheaters". An anonymous French PE teacher.
  • mididoctors
    mididoctors Posts: 16,646

    Will there be an attempt to drop cav on this hill

    Will there be an attempt to drop cav on this hill

    Robbie McEwan is just talking about what I was thinking.
    Intermarche Wanty might well drill it for Biniam Girmay.
    He can out climb everybody who is faster.
    Blocking taking place at the front but it's a bit pacy
    "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
  • blazing_saddles
    blazing_saddles Posts: 21,741
    At least MvDP is thinking about it
    "Science is a tool for cheaters". An anonymous French PE teacher.
  • mididoctors
    mididoctors Posts: 16,646
    Fenix giving it a go
    "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: 16,646
    Cav off the back
    "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: 16,646
    6 k of climb left
    "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: 16,646
    30-40 sec gap
    "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
  • blazing_saddles
    blazing_saddles Posts: 21,741
    A few stragglers and most of Jumbo right on the back.
    "Science is a tool for cheaters". An anonymous French PE teacher.
  • mididoctors
    mididoctors Posts: 16,646
    Caleb off the back
    "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: 16,646
    4k of climb left
    "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
  • blazing_saddles
    blazing_saddles Posts: 21,741
    Ewan even further behind
    "Science is a tool for cheaters". An anonymous French PE teacher.
  • blazing_saddles
    blazing_saddles Posts: 21,741
    Demare and Bauhaus out the rear.
    Lots dropping
    "Science is a tool for cheaters". An anonymous French PE teacher.
  • mididoctors
    mididoctors Posts: 16,646
    1or2 k left on this climb
    "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: 26,133
    Under a minute for the break now.
  • mididoctors
    mididoctors Posts: 16,646
    Demare group a min down on peloton
    "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: 16,646
    Cav 2 mins behind peloton
    "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: 26,133
    Ewan miles back
  • DeadCalm
    DeadCalm Posts: 4,099
    Rats. I'm working, so can't watch. Which team(s) are doing the damage?
    Team My Man 2022:

    Antwan Tolhoek, Sam Oomen, Tom Dumoulin, Thymen Arensman, Remco Evenepoel, Benoît Cosnefroy, Tom Pidcock, Mark Cavendish, Romain Bardet
  • mididoctors
    mididoctors Posts: 16,646
    We could do with some timing
    "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: 40,218
    Wish they'd get a camera on the Cav group
  • mididoctors
    mididoctors Posts: 16,646
    DeadCalm said:

    Rats. I'm working, so can't watch. Which team(s) are doing the damage?

    Fenix and inter
    "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: 16,646
    Caleb about 5mins off the bunch
    "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