It’s ascension day on the Catholic calendar – Italy’s national religion – but today offers one of the flattest stages of the Giro. It’s a festival for the sprinters, Stage 6 allows the race to make northerly progress and probably a day without incident.
Normally a flat stage without features would be greeted with indifference but the sprinters have so few chances in this year’s race and today is the only flat stage left in the race until the final day’s finish in Brescia.
Another day, another stage that sweeps along the coast before heading inland with some climbing to spice up the finish. But each day is subtly different and instead of long drags, Stage 5 includes a short, sharp climb near the end followed by the climb into the unique town of Matera.
These climbs could be just enough to ruin the day for some sprinters… but not all of them. Here’s a preview of the day plus a look at the phenomenon of the thousands of unfinished construction projects, from simple houses to giant bridges, that blight Italy, especially the south.
How come Orica-Greenedge made the podium after the team time trial when they finished ninth? Well in addition to podium ceremonies for the stage winner and the jerseys there are many other prizes given out each day in the Giro. No other race seems to offer as many awards.
You can be fluent in Italian or an ardent follower of pro cycling or both but it’s unlikely you’ll know your team classification from your Superteam, or your Fuga from your Fairplay.
If Italy is shaped like a boot, the Giro reaches the metatarsal area. The second longest stage in the race, Stage 4 rolls along the coast for 190km before turning inland for some climbing. This isn’t a summit finish but it does gain altitude fast and there’s only a short descent to the finish.
It offers another chance for exciting racing although yesterday’s frantic action is unlikely to be repeated because the roads are more straightforward.
Luca Paolini won a stage of the Giro but he and his Katusha team weren’t supposed to ride. The UCI had originally denied Katusha a licence for 2013, only for Katusha to win back their place in the World Tour via an appeal at the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS).
Now the full ruling from the CAS is available and for the first time we can see the reasons why the UCI wanted to exclude Katusha. It turns out it was on both financial and ethical reasons. We can also see the behind-the-scenes work done by the Katusha team to win back its licence as it attempts to turn around the worst record in World Tour for doping.
So far, so predictable. After a set piece weekend with an opening criterium and the team time trial and accompanying logical results, Stage 3 brings plenty of risk and uncertainty.
A scenic start in one of Italy’s most prized tourist destinations sees the race head south to wilder terrain. There’s some surprisingly steep climbing on the way to thwart the sprinters – how does 16% sound? – and a twisting high speed descent on a narrow road to the finish. Oh and the forecast says it could rain too.
The French say riding your first grand tour is worth an extra tooth, un dent de plus. The idea is that you come out stronger from the race and can turn over a bigger gear, shift one sprocket. FDJ’s Laurent Pichon has gone about things a different way, he crashed hard yesterday in the opening stage of the Giro and knocked two teeth out of his mouth. Emergency dental work done, he started the team time trial with two brand new teeth. Here’s hoping he gets a third tooth in Brescia, this time on the cassette rather than the gums.
A very technical 17km team time trial on the small island of Ischia. Sometimes this kind of stage can be a test of raw power and aerodynamics but this one is very different, a true test of a team’s ability to hold together.
It’ll be hard for Mark Cavendish (OPQS) to hold onto the jersey. His team are the World Team Time Trial Champions but in name only as not one of the winning squad from Limburg last year rides in the Giro.
Some races start with a prologue but the Giro has opted for a criterium-style opening stage on the Neapolitan seafront. But it’s no exhibition race, many riders will be sprinting for the stage win and the leader’s jersey that awaits.
To start the daily previews here’s Stage 1 with all the usual content such as the route, finish, TV timings and more, but also an overview of the sprinters in the race and where they can shine during the race.
We got confirmation today that the free video stream for the Giro will not be available for this year’s edition. It leaves fans looking for new channels and ways to watch the race.
It’s also symptomatic of a structural problem in the sport where different races are on different channels. Even the most loyal fan is left struggling with broadcast schedules, TV subscriptions and more. All this is hampering efforts to build the sport.