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Saturday, October 14, 2023
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2023 Tour de France | 2023 Giro d'Italia
I have known war as few men now living know it. Its very destructiveness on both friend and foe has rendered it useless as a means of settling international disputes. - Douglas MacArthur
Bill and Carol McGann's book The Story of the Giro d'Italia, A Year-by-Year History of the Tour of Italy, Vol 1: 1909 - 1970 is available in print, Kindle eBook & audiobook versions. To get your copy, just click on the Amazon link on the right.
Current racing:
- Oct 12 - 17: Tour of Guangxi
Upcoming racing
- Oct 15: Japan Cup
- Oct 15: Chrono des Nations
- Oct 15: Veneto Classic
Latest completed racing:
- Oct 11: Giro del Veneto
- Oct 8: Paris-Tours
- Oct 7: Il Lombardia
- Oct 5: Gran Piemonte
- Oct 5: Paris-Gien-Bourges
- Oct 3: Tre Valli Varesine
- Oct 3: Binche-Chimay-Binche
- Oct 3: Múnsterland Giro
- Oct 2: Coppa Bernocchi
RCS Sport revealed the route of the 2024 Giro d'Italia in Trent (Trento in Italian) Friday evening. There will be two time trials totaling 68.2 kilometers. Though there is less climbing, the mountains start early with stage two having a hilltop finish.
Stage six will be a gravel-road stage like the Strade Bianche. The 2024 Giro will have a generous helping of climbing in the final stages with stage 16 taking the riders up the Stelvio.
This should be a terrific race.
We're building a 2024 Giro d'Italia page here.
Here's the map:
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We posted the report from stage winner Jonathan Milan's Team Bahrain Victorious with the results.
Here's the report from third-place Sebastian Molano's UAE Team Emirates:
Sebastian Molano showed growing confidence and form with a strong 3rd place on stage 2 of the Tour of Guangxi from Beihai to Qinzhou(149.6km).
After the disappointment of yesterday, Molano was back with a spring in his step for stage 2, narrowly missing out on victory as Jonathan Milan (Bahrain Victorious) proved the quickest.
Jonathan Milan was the winner of stage two.
Molano: “I felt quite good in the sprint today. It was a bit of a headwind and the wide roads mean it can be better to start the sprint from behind which we did. I found myself a bit blocked in at the end but today Milan was very strong so well done to him. Third place is a big improvement from yesterday and I hope on the next sprint stages I can go for a win.”
Tomorrow will provide another chance for the sprinters starting and finishing in Nanning (134km).
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Here’s the report from seventh-place Olav Kooij’s Team Jumbo-Visma:
Olav Kooij has finished seventh in the second stage of the Gree-Tour of Guangxi. The young sprinter of Team Jumbo-Visma was well in the lead in the final, but after a hectic sprint, he missed out on a top result. Italian Jonathan Milan crossed the line first.
The second stage of the Chinese stage race took the riders from Beihai to Qinzhou. As in the first stage, the traditional early break quickly formed. Four riders created a gap of over three minutes but were caught ten kilometres from the finish. Team Jumbo-Visma tried to put Kooij in a good position for the final. The 21-year-old Dutchman was alert but fell short of a podium finish.
"It was a hectic sprint", sports director Maarten Wynants said. "The last 3.5 kilometres were straightforward, which often makes racing complicated because timing is crucial. Our timing wasn't ideal this time, so we had to start a little too far back."
"Tomorrow, we have five one-kilometre climbs with ten percent gradients. Then, everything has to be in place for us to be able to sprint. Furthermore, we have plans with Milan (Vader) for the uphill finish after that", Wynants said of the upcoming stages. "Finally, we have two bunch sprints, which should give Olav a chance."
"Racing in China is special", the Belgian sports director continued. "People here are not used to dealing with cyclists, which makes it different. It's nice to race in a different culture for a change; that makes it unique and exciting."
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Here's the team's update:
Team Bahrain Victorious is all set to take on the 30th edition of the Japan Cup. The 164.8 km road race that starts and finishes in Utsunomiya comprises 16 laps of a 10.3km course, featuring the Mt Kogashi climb, which drives the total elevation to 3,000 meters.
Yuki Arashiro is back on home roads, bringing his experience to a young team. Hermann Pernsteiner will finish his time with the team at this race and look to put in a final strong display. Young Italian duo Buratti and Zambanini will lead the team looking to take a result at the race. Finally, Sergio Tu rounds up the five-rider line-up, who is back racing with the team after a strong performance in the ITT at the Summer Asian Games.
Yuki Arashiro racing the 2022 Clasica San Sebastian. Sirotti photo
Sports Director Franco Pellizotti believes Buratti has the potential to get a result in the race following his recent good form. “We have a good team, and Buratti has shown good shape, which he demonstrated at Lombardia and Croatia. When he is in this condition, we will try to get a result. With it being Hermann’s last race with our team, there is no doubt he will be aiming to get a good result here, too. Sergio Tu will certainly be looking to get into a breakaway while we have the experience of our Japanese rider, Yukiya Arashiro, on home roads, who will no doubt be looking for a great result.
There are seven WorldTour teams here, so for sure, it’s not going to be easy to get a result, but I’ve spoken with the guys, and they are all highly motivated to put in a good race and try to get a result.”
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