Road cycling often conjures up images of pastoral countrysides, sunshine and smooth European roads. The one day classics buck that trend, with slippery, often rain-soaked cobblestone roads, but the final stages of the 2013 Giro d’Italia are shaping up to redefine how hard athletes have to work to win.
Winter storm conditions have prevented organizers from running Friday’s stage over the legendary Stelvio pass. Instead, the route has been extended from 138km to 160km, and runs over two lower passes in place of the Stelvio and Gavia.
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But there is some question to how much difference this will make. The first mountain pass of the day, the Passo Del Tonale, is forecast to have temperatures below freezing and falling snow with winds gusting to 20km/h. Not exactly a ride through lush green fields.
On a bike, muscles will tighten in the cold, irrespective of wearing arm and leg warmers. Lungs will burn in the frigid air. As fingers lose sensation in the sub-zero temperatures, riders will have to concentrate just to hold onto the handlebars.
On the climbs, riders will at least have their exertion to help keep warm. Once they crest the pass, and begin to ride downhill, increasing speed will magnify the cold, and ice and snow will minimize any grip the thin tires have.
Even with an easier route, the stage will still offer plenty of challenges. The category 1 climb up the Passo Castrin Hofmahdjoch starts just after the 70km point, topping out at 1,706m. The finish remains the same at 2,059m elevation in Val Martello Martelltal. Tactics on Friday’s stage will only go so far. Success will be determined by physical condition and will power.
For riders who have been struggling as the race heads into the Dolomite mountains, the new route should be a welcome change.
Thursday’s individual time trial enabled overall leader Vincenzo Nibali to expand his lead over his rivals. As Nibali climbed along the time trial stage, the roadway was obscured by crowds of cheering fans, who parted just far enough to let the charging Italian ride through.
Nibali won the stage by 58 seconds over the next fastest rider.
Like many riders, the Astana rider opted for a road bike rather than a dedicated time trial bicycle. Modified to allow for a time trial position, the lighter weight of the road bike seemed to be favoured by most on the uphill route where fighting gravity accentuates any reduction in weight.
The victory was symbolically important for the Italian rider, who has otherwise not won a stage at the Giro. Winning is possible without a stage win — Canadian Ryder Hesjedal did it in 2012. But winning a stage in such a convincing manner indicates Nibali’s dominance of the event.
Nibali is now well set for the last days of the Giro. Holding a lead of 4:02, the Italian also appears to be very strong mentally, perhaps the most critical component to success as the final stages test the limits of the racers in every respect.
Cadel Evans and Rigoberto Uran needed to match or better the leader’s pace in the time trial to maintain hope of an overall victory. Neither were able to do so. Evans appeared to be struggling, and was the slowest of the three. Uran, riding for Team Sky, made up time on Evans and is in third (only 10 seconds back).
Uphill TT done here at the Giro: Nibali in a class of his own. Evans -if I may say so myself- abysmal…. #giro #goodtraining
— Cadel Evans (@CadelOfficial) May 23, 2013
However, the Australian faces bigger and more immediate challenges in the coming days.
The margin back to third is miniscule and keeping his position will demand his best.
Further, expectations on the time trial were that Evans would take the red points jersey away from Mark Cavendish. Neither rider scored points, so Cavendish stays in red for another day.
Evans needs to focus on the climbs over the next two days, where he can distance himself from the British sprinter.
Well Evans isn’t going to sit next to Cav over the next 2 stages. Red isn’t gone yet. #giro
— norbs (@norbs) May 23, 2013
The psychological impact of Thursday’s stage could be very damaging for Evans, and criticism quickly surfaced on social media. But Evans is a veteran competitor, who understands that Grand Tours are not won on individual stages, but by sustained performance over the duration.
Evans will need to focus his mind on that point and regroup ahead of Friday’s stage to be able to perform high in the mountains.
Despite the efforts, the BMC rider has done extremely well for someone who wasn’t expected to contend for the Giro prior to the event.
Following Friday’s test, riders will face additional challenges on Saturday’s stage, a 202km route with five climbs.
None have the status of the legendary Stelvio, but the third climb of the stage, Passo Giau, could well break many riders.
At 15km long, the climb rises over 1,200m. It is the final large climb of the Giro. The two remaining climbs of the day are shorter both in length and elevation.
On Sunday, the racers will ride the 199km finale over flat roads into Brescia, a change from the traditional finish in Milan.
No changes in the overall results are expected to take place, but various classifications — including the points battle between Evans and Cavendish — could come down to the wire.