The route of Giro 2009

[guncha]

The announcement of the route of Giro will be on December 9th. Some interesting rumors are circulating regarding the route. See this link:
http://www.steephill.tv/giro-d-italia/

• First mountaintop finish on fourth day looks like a second category climb.
• On the next day there is a stage with a brutal finish at Alpe d'Suisi (some medium size cols before final climb).
• While a finish at Petrano is easier than at Suisi the other climbs look more challenging.
• It looks like there will be a finish at Sestriers with Izoard, Vars and Montgenèvre.
• If the roumors are correct then Giro will finish at Blockhaus (25km climb with 7,7%). It looks like a harder climb then Ventoux.

I would normally disagree that typical route of Giro is better than typical route of France but this this year's TDF looks like a racing in medium mountains in comparison to well designed route of Giro with a good balance between "hard" and "easier" GC stages.

 

[Andrija]

Bump.
Just to put this thread on the right place since presentation of centenary edition is nearing.
I don't expect less than sensational route, with mythical climbs and colorful views. If organizers have made of last few Giros the most attractive GTs, than for this special edition (with special field) I expect something really great.
Lido, early Dolomites, long steep climbs, Vesuvio and strong competition should make this edition special. And, to underline, 2009 could be great GT year with standard Tour euphoria, Giro centenary and open Vuelta.

 

[phillop]

some crazy long looking mountain stages confirmed, cuneo - pinirolo 250km!
pergola - monte petrano 229km, like usual the giro will be more fun than the tour, and armstrong vs basso could well make great racing to.

 

[Andrija]

Very spicy route. Five uphill finishes. First two on stages 4 and 5. Very long and tricky ITT (as predicted). Stage 10 counts no less than five glorious and mythical climbs... Breathtaking. Short stage to Blockhaus and scenic Vesuvio at the end, before chrono in Rome (which probably won't change anything). This Giro has everything... We haven't expected nothing less.

Edit:
Too bad there are going to be some ETs.

 

[RdBiker]

Hey, I rode part of stage 15 last summer - good stage.

Great route and I think the Giro just might best TdF this year!

 

[jonjungel]

I've looked through the stages a couple of times now, and I like the route a lot. I like that the GC stages are spread throughout the entire race. I like that there are many medium mountain stages where a break might go all the way or the sprinters have to suffer a bit to get a sprint finish. The latter might actually happen since there are so few flat stages.

Undecided: Is it just too many mountains? Is the route so hard that everyone will ride very conservatively, and shadow eachother until Blockhaus? Maybe... maybe not...

What I don't like: I would have made the first ITT a bit shorter, and the last a bit longer. Perhaps 10-15km for both.

All in all, I'm really looking forward to this one. It should be "easy" for the riders to make it interesting viewing.

As for the riders, I'm hoping Dan Martin will do an "Andy", and mix with the best. Cheer for the underdogs !!

 

[Andrija]

Hey, I rode part of stage 15 last summer - good stage.

Nice... Very nice.

Great route and I think the Giro just might best TdF this year!

Whole route is very, very scenic and attractive (with lots of tricky stages). Nothing less for centenary we've expected. And there's not much time to relax... So, great for viewing, very competitive... The Giro provides best routes in last (excuse me if I'm wrong) 5 years.
I really hope there won't be ETs.

 

[Andrija]

...Undecided: Is it just too many mountains? Is the route so hard that everyone will ride very conservatively, and shadow eachother until Blockhaus? Maybe... maybe not...

I would love to ride this route... But I'd hate to race it. That's how it's hard in my opinion.

 

[limerickman]

I've looked through the stages a couple of times now, and I like the route a lot. I like that the GC stages are spread throughout the entire race. I like that there are many medium mountain stages where a break might go all the way or the sprinters have to suffer a bit to get a sprint finish. The latter might actually happen since there are so few flat stages.

Undecided: Is it just too many mountains? Is the route so hard that everyone will ride very conservatively, and shadow eachother until Blockhaus? Maybe... maybe not...

What I don't like: I would have made the first ITT a bit shorter, and the last a bit longer. Perhaps 10-15km for both.

All in all, I'm really looking forward to this one. It should be "easy" for the riders to make it interesting viewing.

As for the riders, I'm hoping Dan Martin will do an "Andy", and mix with the best. Cheer for the underdogs !!

Agreed.

It's a very good route.
I was a little bit concerned that RCS would have tried to have changed the model a bit too much - from the recent Giri profiles but they haven't.

 

[limerickman]

Looking forward to the final ITT in Roma on the 31st May.

Could not have selected a more scenic course than the one around the Colosseum and Roman Forum.
Aventino is a beautiful district of Roma.

 

[poulidor]

A difficult Giro needing to be on top of the form to win it. To follow with TDF will be a difficult challenge even for those who will not try to win the first.

 

[bobke]

Looking forward to the final ITT in Roma on the 31st May.

Could not have selected a more scenic course than the one around the Colosseum and Roman Forum.
Aventino is a beautiful district of Roma.

You have never been to Italy or Rome!
You have never eaten pasta.
You can't even spell R-A-I!

I call fraud.

 

[limerickman]

You have never been to Italy or Rome!
You have never eaten pasta.
You can't even spell R-A-I!

I call fraud.

I've been to Rome.

But I haven't been to Rome to see the Giro.

 

[guncha]

I have to give credit to organizers for such a great route. This Giro is very well balanced between climbing and time trials (in total 97km). It gives a chance to every GC rider and I think it is one of the best GT routes ever.

There are mountaintop finishes at brutally long climbs: BlockHaus ([email protected]%) and Alpe Di Suisi ([email protected]%) as well as steep Vesuvio (13[email protected]%). Final climb is the only real obstacle in those stages.

There is also GC stages with more than one big climb: finish at Monte Petrano ([email protected]%) with two other climbs which are at least as hard as Petrano. The easiest mountaintop finish at San Martino Di Castrozza ([email protected]%) has nice steep friend. All in all, good balance between one-climb and multi-climb GC stages.

I think nothing will happen in five climb stage to Cuneo because last two climbs are nothing special.