It’s Ascension Day and not just the ecumenical celebration, here’s a short stage packed with climbing, descending and next to no valley roads. A fearsome stage? Possibly but for all the 4,000m of climbing packed into such a short space these climbs are all on well-engineered roads, a test of power rather than wild ambush country. It’s on TV from start to finish.
Stage 17 Wrap: a big day for a big breakaway but initially only three riders went clear including Pierre Rolland and they seemed to be dangling in front for a while with 200km to do. It wasn’t until later than a maxi-breakaway bridged across including Jan Polanc who was almost virtual race leader as the group built up a substantial lead. It split too and at one point Rolland was caught behind with others but got back to the front again. In the finale there was a flurry of attacks from the group, Rolland surged clear with just under eight kilometres to go, his legs bench-pressing the pedals to force himself away. It was a triumph of perseverance, Rolland had tried so many times in the race but came up with nothing and he was helped by team mate Michael Woods marking the moves behind. For all the talk of Rolland 2.0 leaving behind the 1970s on his signing with Cannondale this was vintage win, barging clear in the finish after a long break. Also Tom Dumoulin rode well with no sign of illness.
The Route: 137km around the Dolomotes. After the start they ride for 14km up the valley to the intermediate sprint and that’s it for flat roads for the day. They turn for the Passo Pordoi, 11.9km at 6.7% and a steady climb with plenty of hairpin bends amid the ski lifts and with views of the towering Dolomite peaks. A matching descent awaits and then several kilometres of what looks like a valley road to the next pass but actually an awkward section with some slogging gradients.
The Passo Valparola is next, or rather the Falzarego is, a pass climbed on the way to the Valparola and a gem amid the Dolomites as it winds uphill with scenic hairpins and even the engineered parts of the climb have a certain elegance with archways supporting the road and a gentle hairpin bend through a tunnel. The top section to the Valparolo is a long straight ramp with steep gradients.
Grayson Flores
The Passo Gardena is next and a gentle climb, wide enough for two buses to pass in opposite directions for most of the way and with yet more hairpins. The descent is fast and has fewer hairpins, instead the bends are wider and there’s almost 50km downhill here with a short break as they reach Ortisei – but don’t cross the finish line – and head out for a 33km look.
Henry Scott
The Passo Pinei is a steady climb. 15%? Yes says the profile but only if you take the inside line on a hairpin bend but otherwise a regular climb and just 4.25km, a interval during the long descent from the Gardena. It’s followed by a very fast descent down to the Isarco valley and then they climb straight back up. Here it’s 9.3km at 6.8% but gets steeper towards the top, all on a big road but more irregular in gradient along the way. From the top of the climb in Pontives it’s just four kilometres to the finish and gently uphill…
Joseph Hernandez
The Finish: uphill into town with a slight gradient. The profile says 13% in the final kilometre but it’s not as steep before a right turn and then a downhill run to the line on a street lined with urban cobbles and with a flatter paved section in the middle of the road.
The Contenders: break or big? An early move can stay away because the likes of Vincenzo Nibali and Nairo Quintana are unlikely to plan long range attacks, they’ll surely prefer to try the final descent and final ascent respectively? If so Mikel Landa is an obvious pick for the breakaway, he can collect more points for his maglia blu.
Tom Dumoulin has plenty to fear on a stage like today, the climbing and the altitude plus his team could be on the rack again but if he can match the others then he’s in with a good chance at the finish, he can match the moves on the final climb and then power away on the false flat to the finish or boss the sprint.
Nairo Quintana can try the final climb as a launchpad, especially if Movistar rip things up during the stage but jumping clear and then using the false flat to the finish to stay away isn’t his kind of terrain. Vincenzo Nibali may try a move on the descent but on the Umbrailpass two days ago he looked frisky and fresh, he might prefer to wait for the final climb. Thibaut Pinot has been fading but in case fortunes change he’s an outside pick for the sprint, he’s been climbing as fast as Bob Jungels who showed consistency and power on the Stelvio and Umbrail and could take the sprint from a group of the big riders.
Elijah Rodriguez
Weather: sunshine and a few clouds with a top temperature of 21°C.
TV: the stage starts at 1.00pm CET and finish is forecast for 5.15pm CET. There’s live coverage on home broadcaster RAI in Italy and Eurosport for much of Europe and beyond. Otherwise cyclingfans.com and steephill.tv are the go-to sites for schedules and pirata feeds.
Alright that's it
Ethan Thomas
Lovely intro, mate. I hope nobody takes a shit on it.
Come on Big Tom!
Dominic Martin
>What do you expect from today's stage? >Suffering.
Hang in there Tom!
John Flores
This really should be utter carnage and mayhem from the word go.
Movistar are going to be firing guys up the road. Bahrain maybe too. Someone dangerous-ish WILL slip into an early break.
Good luck to the Sunweb doms.
Charles Williams
4 riders away. Big chase group - Landa in it. Couldn't immediately see any GC guys.
David Foster
One of the biggest weeks in Dutch cycling for as long as I've been watching and this stage really is a tough one. Let's go big Tom
Ayden Thompson
Rosa's in the break, but this early on, I call suicide.
Gavin Lopez
Bahrain have 3 strong men ahead of the peloton.
Nathan Brooks
Whats his name /cyc/?
Luke Watson
Is that Rolland again?
Bentley Jenkins
Meanwhile, in Belgium, they kicked a scrub out of the Tour of Belgium for riding on the bike path
>tfw video of even later in the finale with 4.7km to go, there are about 15-20 guys riding on the bike path
Charles Phillips
>"we moeten nu strenger optreden" >only ban 1 guy
????????
Gabriel Johnson
Honestly, I'm not even surprised anymore. He should just do the smart thing and sue with the video as evidence.
Henry Johnson
should be in jail
Noah Miller
Sunweb have disappeared
Kayden Cook
>Tom only has one man with him >It's Ten Dam of course >He's leading the peloton now for some reason
I guess he might stay there to slow everyone down, but he'll be spent faster and Tom will need him later.
Ryder Diaz
Sunweb doesn't have too much depth to it. But I still have faith in Ten Dam and Big Tom
Jaxson Hall
Sadly because of work i haven't been able to watch any of the Giro this year. Really looking forward to the TT finale though.
Can anyone give me a /quickrundown/ of how the threads and tour in general has been?
Henry Miller
Leader had to take a shit, nobody waited for him but he still kept Maglia Rosa.
Carson Lewis
:(
Jackson Russell
Pretty comfy until Tom had his poo-day
Colton Rivera
Yes I was already thinking I needed to see that fucking tel aviv commercial again. Good call eurosport
Logan Martin
so was i
Oliver Bell
>Nibbles is a GOAT descender
James Smith
Not fair. Big Tom got extra speed from his wet farts.
Daniel Cox
where best english stream link at
Andrew Roberts
TOM D OVER 9H BEHIND!
Luis Adams
>maglia Rosa at 9 hours
Rip toms giro
Jason Hall
Is giroditalia.it/eng/live/ just completely useless? Showing 116 km to the finish. Italian engineering.
Grayson Parker
That Nibali bunny hop though.
Alexander Gonzalez
Cannondale trying something today again it looks like
William Powell
Think it only worked at the start of the tour, but got fucked a few days in.
Logan Thompson
Just came back from my ride, anything happen yet?
Angel Hall
Italians seem to be computer illiterate desu
Christian Morris
Tom lost 9h.
Carson Jenkins
Peloton already really small and we're just getting to the 2nd climb. There's a breakaway but they don't have too much time yet.
How was your ride?
Tyler Diaz
Comfy 116 km in sunny, although slightly chilly weather.
Sauna now.
Joshua Long
Moleman with that 65 rpm cadence wyd
Adrian Morris
Sunweb are back together now
Jack Ortiz
One day two friends, Jukka and Pekka, meet after a long time apart and they go to a sauna in the woods. They drink vodka in silence for a couple of hours. Then Jukka asks: “So Pekka, how have you been doing?” Pekka says nothing, and they continue drinking for another couple of hours. Eventually Jukka asks: “How's the family?”. At that point, Pekka stands up and shouts: “Did we come here to talk, or did we come here to drink?”
Wyatt Foster
I wish my hair had more power.
Xavier Gutierrez
I only know 1 fin. His name is Paavo from my old ice hockey team and he would never say a word.
Gavin Richardson
How has your ascension day been so far, /cyc/?
I just got back from a ride through the 10/10 nature of Gelderland in 10/10 weather. Legs were also pretty good despite my hangover. Tons of people outside to enjoy the weather as well, everyone seemed happy as fuck.
Now im going to enjoy a big ass bag of potato chips and a cold beer with what should be the best stage of the Giro. Life doesnt get any better desu.
Parker Sanchez
Does that say what I think it does?
Bentley Hall
DELET THIS
Tyler Robinson
You niggers don't work?
Austin Collins
Ascension day you fucking heretic
Daniel Ross
COMFY tunnels Not bad power and speed desu My ride today was to the "employment agency" does that count?
David Lee
>work on ascension day
What did he mean by this?
Josiah Kelly
It's ascension day m8. Isn't Poland supposed to be Christian country.
Gavin Anderson
It's the same in Finland these days.
Oliver Cooper
>In some countries (at least in Austria, Belgium, Colombia, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany (since the 1930s), Haiti, Iceland, Indonesia, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Madagascar, Namibia, The Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, Switzerland and Vanuatu) it is a public holiday; Germany also holds its Fathers' Day on the same date.
apparently not
Joshua Howard
Oh great, besides the lack of oxygen due to the altitude and the steep incline, you have those flare fags up there as well. This shit should be fucking fined.
Jacob Johnson
>tfw 300km p/w commute so rarely feel like cycling in the weekend
Bentley Sanders
>having a shitty TES baka desu senpai
Eli Gutierrez
>procyclinglive ded
rip in rip, what do?
Connor Garcia
>Implying I work
Elijah Walker
sportsmediaworld is working atm 30 km each way? Not bad.
Colton Sanchez
WHat the fuuuuuck, where was Pope Jean Paul 2st? ;___;
Juan Thompson
Good stuff
Nathaniel Hughes
I feel like it's only a matter of time until one of the riders get off their bikes and punch those asshats.
Levi Thompson
How do I raise my avg speed to over 30kph in a 1-2 hour ride?
Isaac Wilson
Alright, so first two climbs are cleared, keep it up, Tom.
Thomas Hall
You get on the gear lad
Noah Nelson
Ride with a tailwind
Logan Collins
I bet Wiener Anaconda has a big penis
Camden Murphy
>ride only on the flats >ride on a calm day >put caffeine in something >aero everywhere, wheels, jersey, helmet
Oh I suppose training probably helps too
Jace Cook
Flat ride? Just ride, get more aero and avoid traffic lights.
Chase Cox
>having to live on NEETbux
You git gud
Jackson Garcia
THE REVOLUTION CONTINUES
Landon Turner
>holiday >got bunch of shit for my kitchen from ikea >ordered hot wangs >beer in fridge >cooking revolution adds on TV a GOOD day
Nicholas Scott
GLORY TO NEW ARSTOTZKA >live on neetbux or >be a wageslave Truly a modern conundrum
Daniel Ortiz
I LAAV DIS COOKING REVOLUTION
Eli Barnes
>that scenery
Andrew Ross
Did a pretty nice ride today in very nice weather Now back to studying and shitposting
Camden Flores
Based BIG TOM
Adrian Hughes
I stayed inside, not going to get punctures from all the glass that currently coats the Amsterdam streets.
Carter Lee
>Ride with a tailwind >mfw the ride back
James Parker
quite the view m8
Noah Rodriguez
Always always ride into the wind on your way out if at all possible.
Brayden Hill
After all my expenses I'm left with over 2x the amount of money I could get as NEETbux every month. I'll take working in a job I like and having disposable income over tons of time and no money.
>live on a coast >it's always headwind/sidewind on the way back jdimsa
Joshua Roberts
Just use your self driving car to pace you home
Ayden Watson
>Fuck cagers
Now that'd be a proper memorial for Scarponi.
Nathaniel Williams
>have money >be poor
Tough choice
Just got home from work. Started at 9:30, home at 2. Get a comfy job.
Owen Anderson
Based capitalism
Ayden Murphy
I wouldn't call 4.5 hours actually working.
Matthew Gray
>Incoming 11%
Austin Morales
>autosage BRAVO MOD
*tips*
Charles Barnes
>Cucking revolution
Julian Sanchez
Wait, why the fuck are we being autosaged
Benjamin Moore
what de FUGG right as my stream stopped, too getting sick of this shit
Lincoln Clark
it IS software!
Hudson Thomas
Maybe some Colombian is working >for free and is mad that Big Tom D isn't dropping.
Aiden Cooper
>janitors/mods >being retards Pick both. Have been for years and will always be. At first I wondered why there was no thread.
Jacob Perry
>autosage
For what fucking purpose? Does he want two threads for the same stage? Don't think it'll fall off the board, but it'll be close.
