(Photo by Justin Setterfield/Getty Images)
It all comes down to this (or does it?): the final mountain stage of this year’s Giro d’Italia. A rerouted 190km course that climbs thrice up the Sestriere, a challenging but not overly-difficult climb of 6.9km at an average of 7.2%. The climb won’t make the race, but the riders certainly will.
I wrote about a rider protest today on Stage 19. While I was right, I certainly wasn’t expecting that. It’s pro cycling after all. This sport sucks. That’s kind of the point. Can you imagine the Tour peloton saying, “We want to finish at Chalet Raynard because the full climb to the top of Mont Ventoux is too hard.”
Come on. There’s always an argument for health & safety and whatnot, but these guys and gals willingly race down mountain passes at 100kph in a pair of long underwear. Tis the sport, I say.
Back to Stage 20 – we could see everyone crack; or maybe none at all. A short (<3hrs) and easy stage today is welcome news to Wilco Kelderman. He looked to be losing the Giro yesterday, but with a wet sort-of-rest day today, he could well find the legs to seal the Giro tomorrow.
Worst-case scenario for Team Sunweb: the temperature at the top of the Sestriere never tops 7 °C, Kelderman and Hindley parachute down the descent with their jackets wide open, lose their legs to the cold, and they freeze on the final climb. Meanwhile, Rohan Dennis leads Tao Geoghegen Hart, wrapped like a mummy in Castelli, to the most unexpected Giro glory.
My prediction: Kelderman loses time on the final ascent, but no more than a minute. Hindley attacks Ineos on the final climb, wins the stage, and gets 30 seconds on Geoghegen Hart. The Brit wears the maglia rosa on the way to Milan, but Kelderman is too close for comfort. I’ll wait to make that final prediction until after Saturday’s stage.
***
Over in Spain, Sammy B. came through with the goods. If only I bet real money on it this time… The way the sprint played out, Bennett looks as unstoppable in España as Démare is at the Giro. Forgive me for not committing the roadbook to memory, but I don’t believe there are many sprint stages left in Spain.
Tomorrow’s stage is one for the breakaway. No GC action, I’d say. Too easy, and the final climb crests too far from the finish.
Let’s make some picks for the break: Omar Fraile, James Piccoli, Tim Wellens, Rémi Cavagna, and a little bit of an outside pick in Will Barta.