Giro D'Italia 2008 : Stage 4 - Tuesday, May 13: Pizzo Calabro - Catanzaro-Lungomare,

Since 2001, over 90,000 cyclist's have joined Cycling Forums to discuss topics from general cycling to equipment, training, racing and travel or vacation destinations (especially in europe during the tour de france). We also feature an great deals in our online store, 100's of articles, classifieds and product reviews.

Stage 4

Bit of a tricky one this stage. The finish is flat but it is hardly a flat stage. Mountain early on shouldnt really cause too many problems although if the pace is fairly hot then some of the sprinters could find it difficult to cling on at the back. Then there is the hill just before the finish. If the pace is hard up here then i could see quite a few of the sprinters falling off the back. There is then 19k to catch up but if a sprinter who can climb's team (dont know who those are though) goes to the front on the climb and really hammers it then there could still be some of the sprinters missing. This makes me think that Cav and co may not make it to the finish in the front group. This will especially be the case if it is quite a hot pace up the mountain and some of the sprinters get knackered and/or dropped and have to chase back. A break could survive, especially if made up of people from teams who may want to chase otherwise. Maybe see an attack from someone who can climb and TT quite well but not well enough to put a serious challenge forward for the GC?

I think a team like Liquigas will do every possible to shut things down and deliver another sprint finish for Bennati and another day in pink for Pellizotti.

I think I'll be boring and go with Bennati as well.

Yeah he won an uphill sprint in the Tour de Romandie suggesting that if sprinters are dropped then he is unlikely to be one of them. Seems to be on form too.

I think I'll be boring and go with Bennati as well.Heart leads head and I'll go for Zabel. He'll have his sprint dialed after yesterday's practise run. :D

McEween if his collar bone holds. :o

Stage 4Just had this thought that would it be possible to add two pictures at the start of these threads: the map of the race and the profile of the race? This just came to my mind when Anticyclone commented on the route and I thought "well I'll have to go and search for the race profile and have a look at it". If it were right here you wouldn't have to google :) So what do you think Lim?
I found great maps at http://www.gazzetta.it/Speciali/Giroditalia/2005/eng/letappe/tappe.html
I could even offer to post the threads with the pics if it's too much hazzle for you.

Rik Verbrugghe has 7:05 with 35K to go. Here's to hoping that he makes it all the way! Solo breakaways are awesome!

Rik Verbrugghe has 7:05 with 35K to go. Here's to hoping that he makes it all the way! Solo breakaways are awesome!But they rarely work. One has to question whether solo breakaways are a good idea in GTs, especially when the break starts very early into a stage. The rider has to continue racing for another couple of weeks (unless he is ok with not finishing) and it doesn't make sense to blow oneself up by being in front alone for so long during a stage. Having a couple more riders in a break makes it much more worthwhile.

But they rarely work. One has to question whether solo breakaways are a good idea in GTs, especially when the break starts very early into a stage. The rider has to continue racing for another couple of weeks (unless he is ok with not finishing) and it doesn't make sense to blow oneself up by being in front alone for so long during a stage. Having a couple more riders in a break makes it much more worthwhile.
good air time for Cofidis.

They have no sprinter, so may as well out someone in the break.

good air time for Cofidis.

They have no sprinter, so may as well out someone in the break. I didn't know that they use such tactics for publicity. Looks like Nuyens is out for Confidis.

I didn't know that they use such tactics for publicity. Looks like Nuyens is out for Confidis.Looked like he cause the crash when he pulled his foot from the pedal? Not Tinkoff's fault this time?

Cavendish wins!!!! His first GT victory of many no doubt.

Cavendish wins!!!! His first GT victory of many no doubt.He totally outpowered the competition too. A well deserved win.

Looked like he cause the crash when he pulled his foot from the pedal? Not Tinkoff's fault this time?Yeah, looked like he unclipped and crashed.

Wake me up when stage 14 starts.

Just had this thought that would it be possible to add two pictures at the start of these threads: the map of the race and the profile of the race? This just came to my mind when Anticyclone commented on the route and I thought "well I'll have to go and search for the race profile and have a look at it". If it were right here you wouldn't have to google :) So what do you think Lim?
I found great maps at http://www.gazzetta.it/Speciali/Giroditalia/2005/eng/letappe/tappe.html
I could even offer to post the threads with the pics if it's too much hazzle for you.That is a 2005 link although there must be a 2008 link on there somewhere. I just look at the cyclingnews ones

http://www.cyclingnews.com/road/2008/giro08/?id=stages

Wake me up when stage 14 starts.

7 should be interesting as well. Mnt. finish in Pescocostanzo at about 1500m altitude (~5000 ft.).

ETA: Since some people are interested in maps and profiles, go to http://www.gazetta.it/Speciali/Giroditalia/2008/it/ and press 'Planimetria' (map) or 'Altimetria' (profile). The drawback is, it's for the whole tour, not stage by stage. There might be an English link as well, I haven't tried to look yet.

ETA II: Try this link: http://www.gazzetta.it/Speciali/Giroditalia/2008/tappe/tappe_en.shtml

7 should be interesting as well. Mnt. finish in Pescocostanzo at about 1500m altitude (~5000 ft.).

ETA: Since some people are interested in maps and profiles, go to http://www.gazetta.it/Speciali/Giroditalia/2008/it/ and press 'Planimetria' (map) or 'Altimetria' (profile). The drawback is, it's for the whole tour, not stage by stage. There might be an English link as well, I haven't tried to look yet.

ETA II: Try this link: http://www.gazzetta.it/Speciali/Giroditalia/2008/tappe/tappe_en.shtmlStage 11 also has an interesting climb in it: 5.2 km of ascent with average grade of around 10% with maximum grade of 14%.