All to ride for. Isaac del Toro may not be the best climber in the race but he’s got a 43 second cushion on Richard Carapaz, as well as the strongest team, plus the hardest climb of the day comes over 25km from the finish. It means Carapaz and others have to make moves or resign themselves to being runners-up.
Today’s stage finishes an hour earlier than usual.
There’s still tomorrow’s stage to win the Giro but those with ambitions – read Richard Carapaz – won’t want to gamble on the last climb of race, better to deliver today and defend tomorrow.
A good day for a breakaway, today’s stage leaves the Alps for a tour of Lombardia of sorts.
The third week and the Giro starts today, not that we should dismiss all the sport of the past two weeks. But this is the first real mountain stage and a summit finish too.
The Giro goes into the Alps… but gently. This should be a day for the breakaway more than the overall contenders.
The Giro goes to Slovenia, then Italy, then Slovenia, then Italy and then there’s a finish in Slovenia for the sprinters.
A race to Vicenza with a spicy finish thanks to some sharp climbs including the finish on Monte Berico.
The Giro goes into the Alps… the Apuan Alps. No matter what the label, one of the hardest climbs of the Giro awaits midway.
