octubre 08, 2020

Rouleur predicts... Giro d'Italia 2020, Stage 6

The 2020 Giro d'Italia heads north and one of our panel is caught copying another's homework...

Words: Nick Christian

Photos: LaPresse

Top Gannana!

You remember the "distracted boyfriend" meme? Well, right now Van Aert is the woman on the right, Filippo Ganna is the woman on the right, and we (cycling fans, cycling media) are the boyfriend. Just kidding, we still love Wout, but we do seem rather hashtag spoiled with the number of riders who can seemingly do it all at the moment. If it isn't a sprinter who can time trial, it's a time trialist who can fly up Apennines.

Nobody correctly called Pippo as the winner of yesterday's stage, although Olivia tells us he did cross her mind, before she decided the final climb would be too much for him. Spoiler: it wasn't. Go with your instincts, is our advice. Also, don't take our advice, is our advice.

Today's a little bit lumpy but largely downhill, which means it shouldn't prove too much for the bunch who ought to come in bigly. The final kilometres look like a bit of a drag, but that must surely favour one or two in particular. A rider whose time has come?

Nick
Peter Sagan - Bora-Hansgrohe
In the interest of transparency, I ought to admit to seeing Olivia's pick before making mine. So if Sags does take this one, she will probably deserve half of my point as well as the entirety of her own. Bling spoke with typical self-confidence after his top ten on Tuesday and while it's tempting to send my chips his way - thus spreading the collective Rouleur bet - I'm an on-the-nose, not an each-way kinda kind. All in on Peter.

Olivia
Peter Sagan - Bora-Hansgrohe
Though a breakaway making it to the finish is not entirely outside the realm of possibility, stage 6 into Matera looks too perfect for the likes of Sagan and Matthews. Undoubtedly Bora and Sunweb will work together to reel in anyone still on the loose. I’m going with Peter Sagan because I want him to win. He’s been sorta close and then super close already this race. It’s time he nabs one so we can all stop wondering whether he’ll join the elite club of grand tour stage winners.

Ian
Victor Campenaerts - NTT
Breakaway bingo time. Unless NTT pull a rabbit out of a hat and land another sponsor for next season, Victor could be looking for a new team. Put yourself in the shop window, Camps, me old china.

The Cycling Mole says...

I was feeling all smug when Conti made the break, but he was dropped fairly early and a big TT rider won the stage. I mean come on; this Giro is bordering on the ridiculous! Stage 6 and we have another funny looking one. We have plenty of climbing in the opening 50km, which is great news for the breakaway, but the nagging headwind isn’t. Once through the opening section of the race, things get very easy. That’s until the bunch hit 4.5km at 6.5%, cresting with 25km to go. The finale of the race is all uphill, but mostly with easy gradients. That is until the final 3km where we have 800m at 8.7%. This is perfect for a late attack to steal the day.

Before I get to the picks, you might have noticed the panel has gone down to just three. Rumour has it Miles had a strop when the Rouleur canteen stopped stocking San Pellegrino.

Nick has decided to start copying Olivia, I think he deserves detention. How about one hour reading multiple editions of Cycling Weekly, that should teach him a lesson. The pick of Sagan is a very good one, this stage could end in a type of sprint, it’s either that or break. Speaking of the break, Ian is gambling on Campenaerts, I wouldn’t bother myself. I also think this is a day for Sagan, and I thought of it before Olivia! Bora and Sunweb will hold the race together, and Sagan will win the sprint, or he might even go solo.