Tripleshot Cycling

21 stages, 8 of which are mountain top finishes, compared to 6 last year. 3524kms total: Average race distance is 167km, longest is stage 2 at 244km.

http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/giro-di ... e-analysis

Stage 15 looks to be one to drive the nail in the coffin for most contenders. The Val di Fassa climb is hard enough at 16% but it's a gravel road! And that comes after four previous climbs and over 220km!
http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/photos/ ... hes/171955

http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/contado ... -confirmed

It's not just the gravel ascents that are scary (of course this picture is taken at a more dramatic angle - but take a look at the cliff past the beveled edge of the gravel road...).
http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/photos/ ... hes/171963

The action starts this Saturday; watch it here:
http://www.steephill.tv/giro-d-italia/

R

This is why the Giro in the last few years has become so infinitely superior of a race when compared with the Tour. After Roubaix, this is always my most anticipated race of the year to watch. There are so many stages that can be selective on the GC, you have to pick your battles, manage your energy and recovery.....unlike the Tour, where the 3-4 climbs in the race the GC battles are going to happen are boringly predictable. The hardest tour climbs don't even make the top 5 in a giro. The best part is, it's starting to pay dividends with more and more big name GC guys making the Giro their primary goal for the year.

http://www.gazzetta.it/Speciali/Girodit ... nerale.jpg

entire race profile. chek out stages 13 through 16. THREE mountain top finishes followed by a hill climb TT!!!
Stage 15 has 6320 meters of climbing, stage 14 has over 5000 meters

http://forum.cyclingnews.com/showthread ... post495746

http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/contado ... grand-tour

“The difference between the Tour and the other Grand Tours is that the mountains are being climbed at an extremely high speed and the flat days absolutely wear you out, while in the Giro they're a little more bearable.”

That made me laugh a little...

R

I am expecting some very successful breakaways on the flat stages just because everyone will be saving their legs for the monstrous mountains, and in the mountains look so terrible, long stages, huge ascents. Only the strong shall survive.

Cameron Mayer is doing some video blogging during the Giro, check it out:
http://www.youtube.com/user/cammeyercyclist

Attrition indeed. Sad day for cycling.
http://pezcyclingnews.com/?pg=fullstory&id=9322

I downloaded and watched the stage today, I don't recommend watching it, if you are skip from about 27km to go until about 20km to go, the footage is quite disturbing.

emotional finish of today's stage of the Giro

http://www.universalsports.com/video/as ... nish+stage

RIP Wouter Weylandt. There just are no words....

A very moving photo of Leopard trek's Tyler Farrar after crossing the finish in the neutralized 4th stage speaks volumes about the enormity of the loss

http://www.cyclingnews.com/races/giro-d ... tos/173150

Here is an excellent write up from Jonathan Vaughters on the specter of risk inherent in this sport we all love:

http://www.cyclingnews.com/blogs/jonath ... d-be-alive

Safe ride, all,
R

The best and apparently only working live coverage link this morning for those not riding. The final climb looks to awesome!

http://www.fromsportcom.com/v-2/6/20/v-262164.html

R