The classics are done and dusted and it is now time to focus on the grand tours. The first of those starts in just a few days time when the cycling-mad country of Italy invites the world to a two-wheeled festival of versatile racing with steep mountains, uncontrollable terrain, long time trials and fast bunch kicks. This year's Italian grand tour contains a bit of it all as a well-balanced route gradually builds up to its crescendo in the final week of racing. CyclingQuotes.com takes a look at each of the 21 stages that will make for a huge three-week celebration of cycling.

 

When Michele Acquarone took over the reins from Angelo Zomegnan as race director of the Giro d'Italia, he had a firm objective. He wanted to internationalize what was by many seen as a mostly Italian race in an attempt to challenge the position of the Tour de France as the world's leading bike race and the first premise for success in that regard was the attraction of more international stars to the race's line-up.

 

To achieve this Acquarone knew that he had to listen more to the riders' wishes. The final two routes designed by Zomegnan had been heavily criticized as being way too hard and even inhuman as the number of mountain stages and excessively steep climbs just continued to grow. The nature of the course convinced many stars to skip the Italian race in favour of the two remaining grand tours.

 

When Acquarone revealed the route for the 2012 edition it represented a clear dissociation with the legacy of Zomegnan. Gone were the excessively steep climbs, the uncountable number of mountain finishes and long transfers and instead the race was built much more upon the riders' wishes. The race still had its spectacular highlights - most prominently a final mountain stage to the top of the Stelvio climb designed by the fans - but the anatomy of the race was much more human.

 

With the design of last year's course, Acquarone continued along the same path with another balanced course and even though he is no longer in charge of the Italian grand tour, his legacy was evident when the 2014 route was presented last autumn. As usual, this year's race offers plenty of mountain stages with no less than 9 summit finishes and a number of other hard stages in the difficult Italian terrain and once again the race has been built up to reach its crescendo with a festival of mountain stages in the final week but the distances have been limited, the transfers have been reduced and the riders get a much more gentle introduction to the race.

 

For several years, the race has been known as a very mountainous affair that is mainly decided by the climbing. However, the race has usually also included three time trials: a team time trial, a mountain time trial and a more traditional individual TT. With Italians struggling in the time trials, there has been a tendency in the race to favour climbers over time trialists and the latter has usually been a rather short one. With the desire to attract more international stars, however, last year's edition was the first since 2009 to include a really long race against the clock for the first time since 2009 and this year the trend continues. Combined with the short 21.7km team time trial on the opening day and a 26.8km mountain time trial in the final week, the mammoth 41.9km race against the clock in stage 12 gives the allrounders much better prospects in their battle against the climbers. Last year the move was a success as the 75.4km of individual racing played a crucial role in attracting the reigning Tour de France champion Bradley Wiggins to the race and this year it was an important draw for Richie Porte who unfortunately had to cancel his participation late in the process.

 

There will, however, be plenty of opportunities for the climbers and as it is typical for the Giro there are difficult stages all the way from the early part of the race until the end. Riders with GC ambitions cannot afford to turn up unprepared and hope to ride into form along the way as they risk to lose time already in the first week of racing. Even though the first time gaps between the overall contenders after the opening team time trial aren't expected to appear before stage 8, the first week contains a pair of summit finishes that can catch an unprepared contender off-guard.

 

Two years after the start in Denmark, the race will again start far from its home country when it kicks off in Belfast and the riders will stay on the Green Island for three days. With new UCI rules stipulating that the first rest day cannot be held too early in the race, however, the organizers had to be granted an exception to push the start forward by one day and include an extra rest day to allow the circus to travel back to Italy. Hence, this year's race will start on a Friday and the rides will get the chance to rest each Monday during the three weeks of racing.

 

The start in Ireland will not offer an significant climbing but will be the scene of some very nervous racing as the wind which rarely plays a role in the Giro could potentially wreak havoc on the peloton. The Irish start also means that the sprinters are the big winners in the route construction as the fast finishers will have more opportunities than they usually do and even though most of them come in the first week, even the very hard third week will give them two chances to shine. If one adds the fact that the organizers have changed the rules of the points competition to give the sprinters a bigger chance to bring home the red jersey, the sprinters will have an incentive to stay in the race all the way to the finish in Trieste.

 

After an opening week consisting mainly of sprint stages and a few tricky uphill finishes, the second weekend will offer the first big battles in the mountains. The second week will see some mixed stages and the long individual time trial but it will all just be a build-up to the crucial and brutal final week. It kicks off on the third Saturday of the race and from there it will be big mountaintop finishes each day - including a mountain time trial - with just two sprint stages offering a chance to recover. The race may be more balanced than it was in the past but the final week will still be the toughest of the entire cycling season and it all comes to an exciting conclusion on the penultimate stage with a mountaintop finish on the fearsome Monte Zoncolan.

 

All things considered, the internationalization strategy seems to be a huge success international stars like Nairo Quintana, Joaquim Rodriguez, Cadel Evans, Rigoberto Uran, Daniel Martin, Rafal Majka, Przemylaw Niemiec and Ryder Hesjedal take on big Italian stage race riders like Michele Scarponi, Ivan Basso and Domenico Pozzovivo in a race that has all the potential to be another fantastic celebration of the sport of cycling.

 

Below we give an analysis of each of the race's 21 stages. RCS have rated the difficulty of each stage by assigning between 1 and 5 stars and that assessment is indicated in the description.

 

Stage 1, Friday May 9: Belfast - Belfast, 21.7km team time trial (***)

Two years after the start in Denmark, the Giro d'Italia again takes off far from its home country as the race continues its constant process of internationalization. For the first time ever, Northern Ireland will host a grand tour when the capital of Belfast is the scene of the opening stage of the race and will kick off three days of racing in the country and the neighbouring Ireland before a return to Italy follows on an early rest day.

 

A few years ago, the Giro organizers had almost established a tradition of opening their race with a team time trial but over the last few years, they have abandoned the idea. Last year the sprinters got a chance to take the first maglia rosa of the race and in 2012 a short prologue in Denmark kicked off the three weeks of racing. This year, however, the race returns to the tradition of starting things off with the beautiful collective discipline for the first time since 2011 when Marco Pinotti led a triumphant HTC-Highroad across the line in Turin.

 

It's not a rare thing for a grand tour to start with a team time trial and such opening stages are often held entirely on a flat course in a major city. This year it will be no different when the riders take on a 21.7km course in the city of Belfast. Apart from a small climb that leads to the first intermediate check at the 7.9km mark, it is almost entirely flat but a number of technical sections will test the cohesiveness of the team's as there are several turns both at the start and near the end of the stage. The middle part, however, consists of long, straight, flat roads where the time trial specialists can put down the hammer and produce amazing speeds.

 

The last kilometres run slightly uphill and are raced entirely on city roads, with short half-turns leading to the final right hand bend, which – in turn – leads to the 300-m long home stretch on 8-m wide, asphalted roadway.

 

The small climb to the Parliament Buildings won't be too challenging and with most of the course made up of long, straight roads, this is a stage that will be dominated by the teams that really specialize in this discipline. Several teams have made this day a clear target as opening team time trials have the added prestige of not only offering a possible stage victory but also the first maglia rosa of the race. For the sprinters, it will be important to limit their losses as they may get a chance to take the leader's jersey in the following sprint stages by virtue of bonus seconds. And for the GC riders, it will be an early chance to deal their rivals a blow. In such a short, flat team time trial, time differences are usually rather small though and so the potential gains are unlikely to play a role by the time the riders reach the finish in Trieste in three weeks time. On the other hand, it will be important to start the race off on the right footing and from a psychological point of view, the stage is an important one

 

 

 

Stage 2, Saturday May 10: Belfast - Belfast, 219km (**)

The Giro d'Italia and the Vuelta a Espana traditionally enters the hillier terrain much earlier than the Tour de France that usually reserves the first week to the sprinters. With a start in Northern Ireland and Ireland, however, the fast finishers will get plenty of opportunities in an unusually flat opening week of the Italian grand tour.

 

The first of those comes in the race's first road stage which at 219km is a rather long affair. It winds entirely

along the north-eastern part of Northern Ireland. In the first part, the route heads north and reaches the sea, running along broad and wide roads, alternating with series of half-turns and roundabouts. The feed zone is set in Bushmills, before the first KOM in Cushendall Road (6.6km, 3.1%, max. 8%). A technically challenging descent leads to the coastal road, which will ultimately take to the finish. A short climb (the 2nd KOM, 1.7km, 2.9%, max. 7%) leads to Carrickfergus, where the intermediate bonus sprint has been set. The route leading to Belfast runs slightly downhill.

 

The last 3 km descend slightly and run entirely through the residential area. The road is almost straight until the last bend, leading to the 300-m long home stretch (the same as the first stage) on 8-m wide, asphalted roadway.

 

This stage is destined to end in a some kind of bunch sprint but it can't be underestimated. While it is almost entirely flat and the two climbs mainly serve the purpose of finding a first leader in the mountains classification, the second half of the stage takes place on the winding Irish coast. The wind will pose an obvious threat and if there is just the slightest opportunity to split things, we will see one or more teams try to exploit the situation. The climbers will fear this stage just as much as any major mountain while cycling fans will hope to see a repeat of the fantastic drama that made the third stage of the 2010 Giro a memorable one when another foreign start in the Netherlands saw the wind wreak havoc on the peloton.

 

In any case, it will be a very nervous day for all riders as the opening week of any grand tour is always a nerve-wracking affair and this course will only make things worse. Crashes are bound to happen and it will be important to stay in front not to be caught out behind any such incident. For the sprinters, it will be an important chance to take the first stage victory and score the first bonus seconds that will potentially allow them to take the maglia rosa over the next few days.

 

 

 

Stage 3, Sunday May 11: Armagh - Dublin, 187km (*)

The sprinters that were left disappointed get an immediate chance to take revenge when the Irish adventure comes to an end with the third stage that brings the riders over 187km from Armagh in the Northern Ireland to the Irish capital of Dublin. The first part of the stage is slightly “bumpy”, with two KOM climbs, followed by a mainly flat second part.

 

The first half of the route crosses the hills of Armagh, with a few, short up and downs and spurts,

such as Market Hill (4.7km, 2.8%, max. 8%) and Fews Forest (4.1km, 4.1%, max. 8%) (both

are 4th category KOMs). Upon entering the Republic of Ireland, an intermediate sprint in set Dundalk and the feed zone is located in Castlebellingham, shortly after. The road leading to the finish winds along the coastline.

 

Unlike the previous day's very non-technical finish, the final kilometres are a very complicated affair. A series of quite sharp bends along the city roads lead past the Liffey River and to the last km, marked by a left-right s-bend 400 m before the finish. The home stretch is 350-m long, on 8-m wide, asphalted roadway.

 

This stage will be very similar to the previous one. The climbs are located way too early to play any major role and the flat finale means that the stage is destined to end in some kind of bunch sprint. Again the final part of the stage takes part on coastal roads and it will again be a very nervous peloton that speeds towards Dublin. If things failed to split in the first stage, the strong teams may get another chance before they return to Italy where the wind rarely plays any role at all. It will be another very nervous day in the saddle while the sprinters will do their utmost to score the bonus seconds that will allow them to spend the first rest day in the maglia rosa. It will be the second time that Dublin hosts a grand tour after Chris Boardman won the opening prologue and Tom Steels sprinted to the victory in the first road stage of the 1998 Tour de France in the Irish capital.

 

 

 

Monday May 12: Rest day

 

Stage 4, Tuesday May 13: Giovinazzo - Bari, 112km (*)

The Giro organizers have been granted an exception from the rules to include an extra and very early rest day that will allow the entire circus to travel from Dublin in the northwestern corner of Europe to Giovinazzo in the deep south of Italy. The riders even get a gentle reintroduction to racing as the Italian part of the race starts with what is probably the easiest stage of the entire race.

 

The riders head over just 112km from Giovinazzo on the Adriatic coast to Bari a little further down the coastline. It's a short and completely level stage, with just a few difficulties, mainly street furniture and roundabouts, until the final circuit (with a length of 8.250 km), to be covered 8 times. An intermediate sprint is

set upon the fifth passage.

 

What the stage lacks in climbing, however, it has in technical difficulty. They circuit in Bari is a very complicated affair as it mostly runs a long a winding coastal road. It runs mainly along broad and well-paved avenues but the final part has several difficult turns. Inside the final 2km, the riders will have to negotiate no less than 5 sharp turns, with two of them coming after the passage of the flamme rouge. The 350-m long home stretch runs slightly uphill, on 8-m wide roadway.

 

The stage may take place along the coast but the wind rarely plays any kind of role in Italian races. Hence, it should be mostly a calm day but the technical nature of the circuit will make the final laps a stressful affair. For the GC riders, it will be important to stay in front as splits could easily happen in the complicated finale and the risk of crashes is big. For the pure sprinters, it will be the final chance to take the maglia rosa as the race heads into hillier terrain on stage 5 and so the unavoidable bunch sprint will be hotly contested.

 

 

 

Stage 5, Wednesday May 14: Taranto - Viggiano 203km (***)

After four flat stages, it will finally be the time for the riders to test their climbing legs slightly but it won't be a day for the GC riders to make their mark. The stage brings the riders over 203km from Taranto at the Ionian sea to Viggiano in the hilly interior of the country for the first small uphill finish in the race. The first part of this medium mountain stage runs entirely along the Ionian Sea, following a wide, well-paved road; the route then heads for the slightly uphill Montalbano Ionico intermediate sprint, followed by a challenging descent leading to the Agri River valley bottom. The feed zone is set around Sant’Arcangelo, and the route then heads for the Valico di San Chirico KOM (8.0km, 4.2%, max. 8%) and then back to the valleybottom road, on the Pertusillo dam. After crossing Villa d’Agri, the stage course climbs towards Viggiano (8.1km 4.1%, max. 8%), where a 14-km circuit begins after the first passage of the line. It's a rather easy climb that gradually gets steeper and steeper. The first part has a gradient of 1-2% and then a 4-5% section follows. The final 2.6km are the hardest as they ramp up at an average gradient of 6.2%.

 

The circuit has a total length of 13.6 km. After the passage over the finish line, the route rises for about 1 km at a gradient of 7%, then it takes a technically very challenging descent, until the bend that leads back to the finish line.  The final 5km are uphill with an average gradient of 4.6% and a maximum of 8% and again it just gets steeper and steeper. After a first section with a 3-4% gradient, the final 1.75km have a gradient of 6.2%. The last km has a 7% uphill gradient and the home stretch, entirely uphill (with a 6% slope), is 100-m long, on 6-m wide, asphalted roadway.

 

The final of the stage is hard enough to produce the first slight separation as many riders will be left behind but it won't be a day for the GC riders to drop each other. The most challenging part of the course could be the very technical descent and the GC riders need to start it in one of the first positions as the peloton could very well split in the many corners and there will be little time to come back afterwards. The finale suits the puncheurs that will have marked this stage out as an obvious opportunity to take a stage win and the most likely scenario is an uphill sprint from a reduced peloton in Viggiano. With bonus seconds on the line, punchy riders Joaquim Rodriguez, Rigoberto Uran, Cadel Evans and Daniel Martin may fancy their chances to take some time. The technical nature of the final circuit cannot be underestimated though and it is not impossible for a brave rider to make a successful attack in the finale.

 

 

 

Stage 6, Thursday May 15: Sassano - Montecassino 247km (**)

Unlike, the Tour and the Vuelta, the Giro has traditionally always had some very long stages and this year will be no different. On the sixth day of racing, the riders will take on a mammoth 247km stage from Sassano to Montecassino as they have now reached the Tyrrhenian coast and will start their long journey to the northern part of the country and the major mountains.

 

The stage is almost entirely flat as the 247km lead us through Campania and Lazio. After the start, marked by some ups and downs, the route crosses Salerno, Cava de’ Tirreni (KOM, 5.4km, 3.5%, max. 8%), Maddaloni (intermediate sprint), Caserta, Santa Maria Capua Vetere and finally reaches the Abbey of Montecassino at the end of the final climb. The route crosses many town centers, with traffic islands, roundabouts, speed bumps (etc.) being the main obstacles.

 

A long day in the saddle will come to an exciting end as the race finishes at the top of the 8.7km category 2 climb to Montecassino with an average gradient of 5.1% (with peaks reaching as high as 10%). After the initial hairpin bends, the route then spirals up the mountain where the Abbey is located, for the final 1.8km and eventually flattens out in the final part. The steepest section comes right at the bottom of the climb and then it's a rather constant 4-6% gradient until the final kilometre where the gradient drops to just 2-3%. The 40m long home stretch (on 6m long,asphalted roadway) bends slightly.

 

This is the second uphill finish in a row but like the first one, it is a rather easy affair and it will not be a day for the GC riders to make a difference. Summit finishes on 5% climbs usually end in a sprint from a 20-30 rider group and unless a brave attacker manages to hold off the peloton with a late attack, it is again the likely outcome. With the GC still being rather close, riders still being fresh and many puncheurs having marked this stage out as an obvious opportunity, an early break is unlikely to make it. For the GC riders, there is a lot more to lose than to win but again the punchy GC riders like Joaquim Rodriguez, Cadel Evans, Daniel Martin and Rigoberto Uran may see this as a chance to take some bonus seconds.

 

The climb was used at the end of a stage in the 2011 Baby Giro and many riders in the Giro peloton will have fond memories from that day. Stefano Agostini and Winner Anacona who is in this race, arrived at the finish together where the Italian beat his Colombian rival. 9 seconds later Enrico Battaglin beat Moreno Moser in the sprint for third, with Fabio Aru following in 6th, and those three riders are all at the start line of the Giro as well. Mattia Cattaneo rolled across the line in 9th to defend his leader's jersey and he will team up with Anacona as part of the Lampre team in this year's Italian grand tour but they are likely to ride in support of Diego Ulissi who is perfectly suited to this kind of climb.

 

 

 

Stage 7, Friday May 16: Frosinone -Foligno 211km (**)

The sprinters have endured two days of suffering and will relish the chance to get back in action in stage seven that is the third in a row with a distance of more than 200km. The riders continue their long northerly run when they head over 211km from Frosinone to Foligno, passing close to the capital of Rome along the way.

 

It's a wavy stage, with just a few difficult climbs. Right after the start, the route climbs the Arcinazzo ascent (category 3, 16.9km, 3.6%, max. 10%), and then crosses the Apennines up to Rieti, running along wavy roads marked by many twists and turns, but with no real climb. The feed zone is located in Posticciola, just past Lake Turano. The intermediate bonus sprint is set in Rieti. The course then runs up the Forca di Arrone (3.8km, 3.4%) and Montefranco climbs (3.3km, 4.6%), which do not count towards the KOM classification. Valico della Somma (category 4, 6.5km, 4.9%, max. 8%) is the last climb before the descent towards Spoleto, followed by a very fast-running route until the finish, and it comes 39.5km from the line.

 

The last km are quite uncomplicated, up to 2.000 m to the finish. Here the route features a right-hand bend, immediately followed by two left-hand bends that lead to the home stretch (with 1,300 m to the finish); a slight half-turn interrupts the home stretch 500 m before the finish line, located on a 160-m long, 7-m wide, asphalted road.

 

Marcel Kittel is expected to rule in the opening three sprint stages of the race but his rivals will have red-circled this seventh stage as a chance to do a bunch sprint without the big German. The start of the stage is a tough one but the early climb comes to early to do any major damage. However, the series of three short, steep climbs inside the final 65km of the stage is an obvious chance for riders like Michael Matthews, Ben Swift, Elia Viviani and Giacomo Nizzolo to get rid of the race's main sprinter and we can expect their teams to set a brutal pace in the hilly zone of the race. If they manage to put Kittel into difficulty, we can expect an exciting pursuit all the way to the finish in Foligno where the scene is set for a technically complicated bunch sprint. Foligno hosted a stage finish in the 2003 Tirreno-Adriatico where Mario Cipollini beat Erik Zabel in a bunch sprint, and in the 2008 edition of the U23 race Giro delle Regioni where Maciej Paterski emerged as the fastest. That day Swift finished 12th and the Brit would love to do better this time around.

 

 

 

Stage 8, Saturday May 17: Foligno - Montecopiolo 179km (****)

Unlike the Tour de France, the Giro d'Italia always has big mountain stages in their weekends and this year it will be no different as the first week comes to an end with two hard summit finishes in the Apennines that should be the scene of the first big battle between the GC riders in some classical Tirreno-Adriatico terrain. The first of those is the hardest one and heads over 179km from yesterday's finish in Perugia to the finish at the top of the Montecopiolo climb as the peloton continues its long northerly run towards the major mountains.

 

This is an unrelenting mountain stage. The route features an endless series of up- and downhill twists and turns, along sometimes worn-out roads. The stage course climbs along the Scheggia Pass and then heads for Cagli. The feed zone is located in Acqualagna, the intermediate sprint is set in Urbania.

 

Here begins a long uphill sector, up to Carpegna and the 6.0km category 1 Cippo di Carpegna steep climb, with an average gradient of 9.9% (and peaks reaching as high as 14%). The first 2.8km are irregular and includes the steepest passage while the final 3.2km are a rather constant affair with a gradient of more than 10%. The descent is very difficult: the roadway is narrow, yet protected, in the first sector. The road then opens out after the Cantoniera Pass in Carpegna. The road descends up to Pennabilli; the final (two-step) ascent begins after crossing Maciano.

 

The final climb has a length of more than 18 km, with a short descent through the town of Villagrande. The first part of the climb features regular gradients and many bends, up to the Villaggio del Lago KOM (category 2, 9.3km, 6.2%, max. 11%). With 6.4km to the finish, the road starts climbing again in an irregular way (category 1, 6.4km, 6.4%, max. 13%), with gradients of more than 10% alternating with easily climbable stretches of 5-6% and even a flat section inside the final kilometre. The finish is marked by a “peak” reaching the highest gradient, 13% just 100m from the finish, with another 500m section of 11% coming 2km from the line. From there, it flattens out until the final steep 500m ramp to the finish. The line sits on an 80-m long, 6-m wide asphalted stretch.

 

After the opening team time trial, this will be the second chance for the GC riders to make a difference in this race as the irregular final climb has sections where time gaps will open up. The first climb is a really brutal affair and even though it is likely to be early for the GC riders to make a move, the strong teams can really do some damage if they decide to take it on and it could very well be a very small group that takes on the final climb. The battle will be reserved to the final 6km where the irregular climb and many very steep sections suit a punchy climber like Joaquim Rodriguez down to the ground. Much harder stages and climbs are still to come but this will give the first indication of the climbing hierarchy in this year's Giro d'Italia.

 

 

 

 

 

Stage 9, Sunday May 18: Lugo - Sestola 172km (***)

The first week comes to an end with the second straight summit finish but after the big battle in the previous stage, the GC riders will find the finishing climb in today's stage less suited to making a difference. The riders have ended their northerly run and now head in a westerly  direction over 172km from Lugo through Bologna to a finish on the Sestola climb. The stage features a completely flat first part up to Vignola, where the route enters the Apennines. The feed zone is located between Zola Predosa and Crespellano. After crossing Vignola, the route takes the Sant’Antonio climb (category 3, 13.2km, 3.8%, max. 9%) and then it reaches Pavullo nel Frignano, where the intermediate sprint is set.

 

A wide and quick descent leads to the bottom of the Scoltenna River valley, where the route goes up again, to reach the Rocchetta Sandri KOM (category 4, 4.5km, 6.2%, max. 11%) and, right after, the town of Fanano, where the final climb begins.

 

The climb is quite regular; the first 9km part (Fanano-Sestola) features a gradient of 4-5%, followed by a sector of apparently flat ground (which actually runs slightly uphill) through the town centre, up to the most challenging part which leads to Passo del Lupo, with an average gradient of nearly 10% over 3.5km and peaks reaching as high as 13%. After Passo del Lupo, the road climbs more gently up to the finish line, sitting on a 130-m long, 7-m wide asphalted roadway, as the final 4.15km only have an average gradient of 4.5%.

 

The steep section of the final climb is certainly hard enough to make some damage but due to the long easy section near the top, the GC riders are likely to save their energy for the later battles. The final part of the climb is perfectly suited to an uphill sprint for the Ulissi and Battaglin type of riders who will have marked this stage out as an obvious opportunity. After more than a week of hard racing, however, this may also be the day when a breakaway gets the chance to battle it out for the stage win.

 

 

 

 

Monday May 19: Rest day

 

Stage 10, Tuesday May 20: Modena - Salsomaggiore Terme 173km (*)

After a rest day, many riders suffer and so they will be glad to know that they will get a gentle return to racing mode in one of  what is just a few remaining opportunities for the sprinters. The riders head over 173km from Modena to Salsomaggiore Terme in a westerly direction as they prepare themselves to change direction and head into the Dolomitian heartland later in the week.

 

The stage runs across the flat roads of the Po Valley through Modena, Reggio Emilia and Parma. There

are no clearly challenging or demanding sectors before the last kilometres. As for all stages crossing densely populated areas, roundabouts, traffic islands and speed bumps are the main “typical” obstacles. The feed zone is set in Villarotta.

 

After passing Fidenza, the last kilometers run slightly uphill, up to Bagni di Tabiano, where the route features a short climb, followed by a fast, technically difficult descent leading to Salsomaggiore Terme, about 3 km from the finish. The next 2km are marked by a few roundabouts and quite sharp bends. Inside the final kilometre, there are two sharp turns that precede a sweeping bend which leads onto the home stretch, 120m long, on 7.5-m wide, asphalted roadway. The final 1000m are slightly uphill as they have an average gradient of 1%.

 

The sprinters don't have an awful lot of opportunities left before the finish in Trieste and this could be their only one in the second week. Hence, there is no chance that they will let this obvious sprint stage slip away and we can expect a big battle between the fast finisher in the technical finish. The final climb should be no major concern but it will be important to be near the front at the top as the descent is a difficult affair.

 

Salsomaggiore Terme hosted a finish of the 2011 Giro di Padania where it all came down to the predicted bunch sprint, won by Sacha Modolo ahead of Elia Viviani and Danilo Napolitano. Viviani will try to go one better this time.

 

 

 

Stage 11, Wednesday May 21: Collechio - Savona 249km (***)

Until now, the escapees are likely to have had limited opportunities but the 11th stage of the race seems to be destined to be one for a successful breakaway. As already said, the Giro organizers always include some very long stages in their race and at 249km, this is the longest of this year's edition of the Italian grand tour. The riders will continue their westerly run as they head from Collecchio to Savona on the Adriatic coast, passing some classical Milan-Sanremo terrain along the way.

 

Starting in Collecchio, the route climbs along the Taro River valley, heading for

Borgo and reaching the Passo Cento Croci climb (category 2, 13.5km, 4.6%, max. 10%). A difficult descent leads to Riviera di Levante, namely to Sestri Levante after which the feed zone is located. The stage course takes the Aurelia road through Chiavari, Rapallo, Quarto dei Mille, Genoa (the city will be crossed along the elevated road), Varazze (intermediate sprint), up to Savona (after Voltri, the stage course follows the Milano-Sanremo route). In Savona, the course brushes by the finish and then takes a sort of circuit (approx. 45 km).

 

The circuir hits the Sanctuary of N. S. della Misericordia, at the foot of the steep Naso di Gatto climb (category 2, 7.2km, 8.0%, max. 13%). It is a rather regular affair with a constant gradient that leaves little room for recovery. From the top of the final climb 28.2km remain. It is followed by a stretch of apparently flat ground (sometimes up- and sometimes downhill), with a few challenging sectors before the fast descent along Colle di Cadibona, leading to the city centre, which will be crossed twice, along a fast, non-technical  track, with only the penultimate kilometre containing a few turns. The home stretch is 750-m long,on 7.5-m wide, asphalted roadway.

 

The final climb is a really tough affair and if it had not been for the fast, non-technical descent, it could have been the scene of a battle between the GC favourites. Now they will save their energy for the following day's time trial but it wouldn't be a bad idea for one of the contenders to use his team to test his rivals as this is a day when you can potentially lose the Giro but not win it. The climb is way too hard for the sprinters and this means that the stage has breakaway written all over it and the escape artists with a solid pair of climbing legs will have marked this day out as one to target.

 

 

 

Stage 12, Thursday May 22: Barbaresco - Barolo 41.9km ITT (****)

After a short break, the GC battle will heat up again as we now enter the second half of the race with one of the race's two individual time trials. Over the last few years, the Giro organizers have introduced a tradition of including three timed stages in their race: a team time trial, a mountain time trial and a more traditional one. Often the flatter time trial has been rather short as Italians have often struggled in the individual discipline but in a quest to attract more international stars, the organizers have made it a bit longer and for the second year in a row, the first individual time trial takes places over a distance of more than 40km.

 

While adding more kilometres, however, the organizers have also made sure that the climbers are not too much at a disadvantage. Last year's long time trial included a very technical opening part and ended on a short, steep climb, and this year the course is again a very tricky one when the race continues with its first individual battle against the clock.

 

This challenging time trial stage is raced against the background of the vineyards in the Alba region. The stage starts in Barbaresco; the course then climbs for about 12 km, with many twists and turns, up to the 4th category KOM of Boscasso (3.1km, 5.0%, max. 8%) where the split time is taken. Here begins a very quick and quite difficult descent (at least in the first part, until Manera), with long straight stretches and low gradients which are suitable for high speeds. Alba marks the beginning of a sector of straight and

perfectly flat roads, up to the second Castiglione Falletto climb (featuring short, initial stretches with remarkable gradients).

 

Just past Castiglione Falletto, a very sharp right-hand bend leads to a short but very difficult descent (initially on narrowed roadway), which – in turn – leads to the uphill road towards the finish. It's a 2km ascent and after an opening section with a 1-3%, the final kilometre kicks up with around 5%. The home stretch is 50-m long, on 5-m wide, asphalted roadway.

 

While the climbers will be displeased by the length of the stage, they will find the nature of the course to their liking. With both descents being very technical and the stage offering three climbs, only the middle section of the course suits the real specialists. The GC riders that usually struggle in time trials, have been pretty pleased with the outcome of their recon rides and most of them are convinced that they will be able to limit their losses on this course. In the absence of Richie Porte, none of the GC riders are known as real time trial specialists but it will be an important day for Cadel Evans to take time to riders like Nairo Quintana and Joaquim Rodriguez ahead of the big mountain stages. At the same time, several specialists will be gunning for the stage win and they have to make the most of the power section at the middle to benefit maximally of their time trial skills

 

 

 

Stage 13, Friday May 23: Fossano - Rivarolo Canavese 157km (**)

The second week of the race ends with two big summit finishes in the weekend but the GC riders will get a small chance to lick their wounds or celebrate their gains from the time trial before heading into the mountains. The sprinters will get their final opportunity this week in the short 157km stage from Fossano to Rivarolo Canavese. This is one of the shortest stages of this year’s Giro. After the start in Fossano, the route constantly heads north, initially through the Cuneo area, and then crosses the whole province of Turin. The first small climb comest in Bardassano, before crossing the Po River; the route then reaches the Canavese region and runs through most of it. The feed zone is set past Volpiano. The short, steep Rivara climb (category 4, 1.0km, 5.3%, max. 12%) will award KOM points; the route will then reach Rivarolo Canavese, where a 22km long circuit will lead back to the finish line.

 

The final circuit has a total length of about 22km. After crossing the finish line, the route runs across Salassa and Valperga, and then reaches Cuorgnè, where the intermediate bonus sprint is located. The route going back to Rivarolo Canavese is very fast as the riders will mostly travel along straight roads but the final kilometre is a bit more technical as it contains a sweeping and two sharp turns. The final stretch has a length of just 220 m, on 7-m wide, asphalted roadway and the final kilometre is slightly uphill with a gradient of 1.9%. The first 500m are the steepest and then it levels out a bit towards the end.

 

The sprinters can expect to have another two opportunities in the final week but after this stage, they face three days of immense suffering in the mountains and so there is no chance that they will let this opportunity slip away. The long, flat, non-technical roads make this stage perfectly suited to a bunch sprint. With the final corner coming just 220m from the line, the real sprint could very well be the one leading to that turn. With several mountain stages coming up and the Tour de France being the major goal, it would be no surprise to see Marcel Kittel leave the race at the end of this stage.

 

 

 

Stage 14, Saturday May 24: Agliè - Oropa 164km (****)

As already said, the Giro d'Italia traditionally offer big mountain stages in their weekends and the third weekend of the race will be a simply brutal affair as it offers two major summit finishes that will kick off the final and very hard third part of the race that mostly takes place in the Dolomitian heartland.

 

First up is a short (164 km) mountain stage, with a hilltop finish at the Oropa Sanctuary, which has already hosted several stage finishes. The stage starts in Agliè, the first KOM (category 3, 6.3km, 5.2%, max. 7%) is set past Ivrea, in La Serra. The route takes a first lap through Biella, goes past Cossato (intermediate sprint) and reaches Crevacuore, where the short but harsh Alpe Noveis climb (category 1, 9.0km, 7.9%, max.16%) is located. The average gradient is deceptive as an easy beginning leads to a 4.5km section with an average of 11.4% before it again levels out for the final 1.5km. A steep descent follows, and leads to the uphill

Panoramica Zegna (scenic route), up to Bielmonte (category 2, 18.4km, 5.6%, max. 13%). That climb is a long, rather regular, with the most difficult section coming at the midpoint. The route then goes down again, back to Biella, and crosses the city center. Then the final climb to the Oropa Sanctuary begins.

 

The final climb is 11.8km long with an average gradient of 6.2%. The gradient is low in the first part, up to Favaro after 5km of climbing. The climb reaches its steepest gradient (around 13%) across the porphyry-paved center of Favaro,

and then continues with several bends and a gradient of mostly around 9%, up to the 130-m long home stretch, on 6.5-m wide, porphyry-paved road. The final part is a bit easier, with the final steep 9% section ending 1.5km from the line. The road then levels out before it ramps up with a 7.4% average gradient for the final kilometre.

 

This stage is guaranteed to produce a great battle between the overall contenders that will be keen to get the final difficult part of the race off to a good start. On the other hand, more difficult stages are coming up and even though the final climb is certainly suited to making a difference, the riders may also be a bit wary of what is to come. The brutally steep Alpe Noveis climb can be used by the strong teams to make an initial selection but due to the long descent from the Bielmonte ascent, the GC riders will save their strength for the final climb to Oropa. At this point in the stage, a breakaway has will have a solid chance of making it to the finish and battle it out for the first victory in Oropa since Marzio Bruseghin beat Leonardo Piepoli in an uphill time trial in the 2007 edition of the race. 8 years earlier, Marco Pantani took a big solo win on the famous climb as he held off Laurent Jalabert by 21 seconds.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Stage 15, Sunday May 25: Valdengo - Plan di Montecampione 225km (****)

The second week of the race will come to an end with another big mountain stage but unlike the previous one which was a testing affair all day, this stage is completely different story. Despite being much longer and the longest mountain stage of the race, all the excitement will be saved for the final big battle on the Plan di Montecampione climb. That will provide a real spectacle though as it is one of the hardest finishing climbs of the race. The climb has been given the title of "Marco Pantani mountain" of the 2014 Giro as the stage will be held in honour of the Italian climber who took a big stage win here in 1998 on his way to his overall victory in that year's race.

 

This long, flat stage takes place mainly on wide and straight roads. It can be clearly divided into two parts: the first 200 km (and beyond) run from Valdengo (Biella) through the upper Po Valley north of Milan, up to the beginning of the final climb that marks the second, separate sector (more than 15 km). The main obstacles along the route are the ones commonly found on these kinds of roads, such as roundabouts, traffic islands, underpasses and urban road sectors, with turns and counterturns. The roadway is always quite wide, with sectors of wornout road surface.

 

The final climb alternates between two halves of about 8 km in length, and a stretch of apparently flat ground by the town of Alpiaz. Both sectors are very regular affair with a rather constant gradient of 8-9%, with the second one being slightly steeper. The road surface is worn out over some sectors and the finish line lies on a 30-m long, 6.5-wide, asphalted home stretch.

 

This could be one of the single most decisive stages of the race and surely can't be underestimated. Such a long, regular finishing climb can make some huge differences and with no chance to recover, the GC riders can make their moves rather early on the ascent. This means that he potential time gains are a lot bigger and with a rest day coming up, the riders can allow themselves to leave it all on the road. Due to the climb's place in the history of the Giro, the stage is likely to be contested by the GC riders and the easy opening part of the race will make it much easier for their teams to control the stage. This is a climb for the pure climbers and there is no doubt that Nairo Quintana has marked this one out as a day to make his move.

 

 

 

 

Monday May 26: Rest day

 

Stage 16, Tuesday May 27: Ponte di Legno - Val Martello 139km (*****)

One year ago, cycling fans all over the world were left disappointed when the stage that was maybe the most anticipated of the 2013 Giro, was cancelled due to bad weather. The Giro organizers, however, won't deny the cycling world the chance to see the best climbers battle it out over the epic 139km route from Ponte di Legno and so they have again included it in the 2014 edition of the race. It kicks off the third week of the race and the riders couldn't face a tougher way to get back into racing mode after a rest day as they stage includes two of the most legendary climbs in the Giro history before an uphill finish in Val Martello.

 

The high mountain stage features 3 KOM climbs above 2000 m and starts with a short “open circuit” around Ponte di Legn. the route then climbs up to the legendary  Gavia Pass (category 1, 16.5km 8.0%, max. 16%) which is a rather constant affair with a gradient of 8-9%. Then it runs down a difficult descent (narrowed and worn-out roadway up to Santa Caterina Valfurva), then it runs quickly along wide roads up to Bormio. The route then climbs up to the Stelvio Pass (21.7km, 7.1%, max. 12%) which is this year's Cima Coppi, the highest point of the race. Like the Gavia, it is a very regular climb which is longer but less steep than the first mountain of the day. Then it goes down a difficult descent (nearly 25 km) to the bottom of the valley where 18 km of apparently flat ground/descent lead to the final climb.

 

The final, 22.4km climb has an average gradient of 6.4%, with multiple peaks of over 10% and a maximum of 14%. Unlike the previous climbs, it is more irregular as 8-9% sections alternate with short descents in the first part. 4.5km from the finish there is an easy stretch of apparently flat ground by the artificial lake located 5 km. Then the road ramps up again for the final 1.5km and the last, narrow hairpin bends along the last km have a maximum gradient of around 14% and the gradient doesn't drop below 9% for the final 1.3km. The home stretch is 70m long, on 5m wide, asphalted roadway.

 

Even though the final climb is not the hardest finishing ascent of the race, the combination of the climbs make this the hardest of the race and it battles with the Monte Zoncolan stage as the honour of being the queen stage of this year's race. The first two climb will whittle down the peloton significantly and it will probably be a small group that arrives at the bottom of the final climb to battle it out for the stage win. Here they will have to make their move before the flat section near the top to make any significant time differences while a punchy rider like Joaquim Rodriguez would love to still be in contention when they reach the final steep ramp to the finish. Due to the legendary status of the climbs, the GC riders want to win this stage but it will also be very hard to control the many strong climbers in this hard terrain and it could be won by a rider who brings a long-distance attack to a successful end. The sprinters fear this stage immensely as the short distance and many climbs make the time cut an obvious danger.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Stage 17, Wednesday May 28: Sarnonica - Vittorio Veneto 208km (**)

The final week of racing only offers one short breather ahead of the final stage to Trieste. It comes one day after the mighty Gavia/Stelvio stage when the riders briefly leave the mountains to travel 208km along rolling roads from Sarnonico to Vittorio Veneto.

 

This stage will partly allow the riders to regain their strength. It is most suitable to sprinters, but it is not completely flat. The stage starts from the heart of the Non Valley, then it enters the Adige River valley and runs through the entire Sugana Valley (the feed zone is set in Grigno). Towards the end of the stage, the route gets to the “easily climbable” Scale di Primolano (category 4, 3.0km, 3.9%, max. 9%). After crossing Valdobbiadene (intermediate sprint), some climbs will liven up the stage as the riders go over the Santo Stefano (category 3, 2.8km, 5.0%, max. 13% and the “Ca’ del Poggio” wall (category 4, 1.2km, 12.2%, max. 18%). The main obstacles along the last 20km sector are the ones commonly found on these kinds of roads, such as roundabouts and traffic islands.

 

The last km are mainly flat or slightly uphill, up to the final bend, around 450 m from the finish, which leads onto the home stretch, which is entirely in slight descent. The home stretch is 450-m long, on 8-m wide asphalted roadway. The road is completely straight until two turns in quick succession break the monotony inside the final kilometre.

 

The terrain is rolling and by no means flat and the many steep climbs near the end may be used to put some of the pure sprinters under pressure. There is no doubt that riders like Ben Swift, Michael Matthews and Giacomo Nizzolo have set their sights on this stage and if Marcel Kittel is still in the race (which is unlikely to be the case), they will try to get rid of him before the finish. This is their final chance before Trieste and to it is hard to imagine that the stage won't end in a big bunch sprint. In the 2006 edition of the Baby Giro, Roberto Ferrari finished 2nd in a bunch sprint in Vittorio Veneto and he will hope to go one better this time around.

 

 

 

Stage 18, Thursday May 29: Belluno - Rif. Panarotta 171km (****)

After their short breather, the riders prepare themselves for three big stages in the mountains that will determine the overall winner of the race. First up is the "easiest" of the trio but it would be a very bad idea to underestimate the 171km between Belluna and Rif. Panarotta that make up a true mountain stage with successive climbs.

 

In its first part, this mountain stage lightly brushes by the Dolomites  as the riders go up the Passo San Pellegrino (category 2, 18.5km, 6.2%, max. 15%). The first part of the climb is rather easy but the second half has a 2.5km section with an average gradient of 11.6%. The route is then all ups and downs (with an intermediate sprint in Cavalese and feed zone in Molina di Fiemme). The stage finale is intense and powerful, with the steep Redebus Pass climb (category 2, 4.6km, 8.7%, max. 15%) in the Mocheni Valley, before the final ascent (category 1, 15.9km, 7.9%, max. 14%) towards Rifugio Panarotta. The stage is raced over mainly wide and well-paved roads.

 

The last 16 km rise steadily, with a gradient of around 7-9%, along a regular course made of hairpin bends. With no flat sections in between, there is little room for recovery on this long climb that ends with 3km of a rather constant gradient of 8-9%. The home stretch is 150m long, on 7m wide, asphalted roadway.

 

This will offer the GC riders another chance to battle it out and the final climb is so hard that it can produce some big time differences. Being long and regular, it is very comparable to the Montecampione climb which the riders tackled four days earlier and it should again suit the pure climbers like Nairo Quintana who excel in this kind of efforts. The stage is not overly prestigious and as riders are now very fatigued and most of the route is very tough there is a big chance that a breakaway will make it to the finish to battle it out for the stage honours.

 

 

 

 

 

Stage 19, Friday May 30: Bassano del Grappa - Cima Grappa 26.8km ITT (*****)

The 19th and 20th stages of the race are two of the most decisive in the three-week race and will crown a deserved winner of the Giro d'Italia. With the 2009 and 2012 being the only recent exceptions over the last few years, the Giro d'Italia has become the only grand tour to regularly include a mountain time trial and this year they have found an even tougher course than usual for the uphill test. While the climb of Monte Grappa isn't as steep as the famous Plan de Corones that was used in 2008 and 2010, it's a much longer affair and far steeper than the climbs used in 2011 and 2013.

 

This very challenging uphill time trial consists of two segments. The first, flat 7km sector leads to the foot of the climb where the first time check is taken. The second uphill part is 19.3km long and features gradients of around 9-10%, except for a short stretch of apparently flat ground. The average gradient is 8.0%. The uphill sector features a series of hairpin bends at regular intervals, before reaching a small plateau where the second time check will be taken. When the climb restarts, the highest gradients of 14% are attained. The last kilometres are entirely uphill, with a constant gradient between 9% and 12%.. The home stretch is 120-m long, in 5-m wide, asphalted roadway.

 

With the opening flat part, the time trial is a funny mix that makes it very similar to the final stage of last year's Tour de Suisse and we could very well see riders chance bikes at the bottom of the climb. Although small differences can be made in the flat section, the final result will all be decided on the Monte Grappa and it will be important not to arrive at the bottom relatively fresh. The climb is rather regular and apart from that little flat section 9km from the finish, it leaves no room for recovery. This makes it one for the pure climbers and we won't see any of the specialists post top times as one may occasionally see it in easier mountain time trials. The Monte Grappa can produce some massive time gaps and it could be the single most decisive stage of the race. The climb last featured in the 2010 edition of the race when Ivan Basso sent lieutenant Vincenzo Nibali off in an attack from a small group of favourites on the descent and the young Italian held on to take a solo victory

 

 

 

Stage 20, Saturday May 31: Maniago - Monte Zoncolan 167km (*****)

One Italian climb is more feared than any other. Since it first featured in a Giro stage in 2003, Monte Zoncolan has gained a reputation as being the hardest climb in Italy. It is certainly no coincidence as the 11.9% average gradient and torturous maximum of 22% can make even the strongest climber look like an amateur rider.

 

In recent years, the Giro d'Italia usually has had its queen stage on the penultimate day but as Monte Zoncolan  is located in the northeastern part of the country, in the Friuli mountains, it has been too far away from the traditional finishing city of Milan to use it as a summit finish this late in the race. With the organizers keen to end their race in Trieste to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the city’s return into Italy’s hands, the door was suddenly open for them to put on the ultimate show on Italy's hardest climb just one day before the finish of the race.

 

The riders will travel over the relatively short distance from Maniago to the top of Monte Zoncolan. The first part stretches along the Friulan hills. The route hits San Daniele del Friuli, Majano, Buia and Bordano. The climbs begin after Tolmezzo: Passo del Pura, Sella di Razzo and Monte Zoncolan (which will be climbed from the Ovaro side) come right after  each other. The Passo del Pura (category 1, 11.3km, 7.7%, max. 13%) is a constant ascent, climbing along the side of the mountain for about 9km at a gradient of 8%, in a series of hairpin bends, with peaks often reaching double-digit gradients. A short descent leads to the dam of Lake Sauris, where the route then takes the road coming from Ampezzo and leading to the Sella Razzo climb (category 2, 15.9km, 5.2%, max. 15%) after going past Sauris di Sotto and Sauris di Sopra. This climb is mostly relatively easy but has a steep 4km section with an average of 9.1% near the top. A quick descent then leads to the Degano stream Valley, up to Ovaro, at the foot of Monte Zoncolan.

 

The famous climb starts out relatively "easy" with 1.5km of just 9.1% but then it hits its most difficult section. The next 5km have an average gradient of a massive 15.4% and the gradient doesn't drop below 14% at any point. The next two kilometres have an average of "just" 13.9 before it levels out near the top, with the penultimate kilometre rising at 7.1% and the final one having an average of 8.9%.

 

The final kilometers rise steeply. With 3 km to the finish, two (left-right) hairpin bends alternate with an almost flat sector The climb then features gradients from 12 to 18%, up to the three tunnels (150 m – 60 m – 110 m) leading to the final 500 m, with an average gradient of 11% and peaks reaching as high as 16% by the hairpin bend located 250 m before the finish. The road surface is asphalted and the roadway is 5m wide.

 

The climb debuted in 2003 when Gilbert Simoni stamped his authority on the race by taking a solo win but that year it was climbed from its easier side. It was first climbed from Ovaro in 2007 when Simon again took the win while Ivan Basso laid the foundations for his overall victory in 2010 by taking a solo win. It last featured in 2011 when Igor Anton dropped an otherwise unbeatable Alberto Contador to take what is arguably the biggest win of his career.

 

This stage is reserved for the favourites as everybody wants to add his name to the honour roll on the Zoncolan and the climb will be the scene of a huge battle where there is no reason to keep anything in reserve for the upcoming stages. On such steep climbs, it is every man for himself and we will see riders arrive at the finish one by one in a race that will crown a deserved winner of the 2014 Giro d'Italia.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Stage 21, Sunday June 1: Gemona del Friuli - Trieste 172km (*)

Unlike the Tour and the Vuelta which always finish in Paris and Madrid respectively (even though the Vuelta will deviate from that pattern in 2014), the final destination of the Giro varies a bit. It is very often Milan which hosts the final stage of the Italian grand tour but in 2009 the race finished in Rome and in 2010 Ivan Basso was declared winner in Verona. After finishes in Milan in both 2011 and 2012, the 2013 edition will finished in Brescia and for the first time since 2007 when Maximiliano Richeze sprinted to a win in Milan, the final stage was not a time trial as Mark Cavendish ended his impressive Giro campaign by taking another stage win.

 

This year the Grande Arrivo has been moved to Trieste to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the city’s return into Italy’s hands and again the organizers have decided to allow the sprinters a final chance to shine - maybe as an incentive to make them stay in the race in the brutal final week. Unlike the Tour and Vuelta which usually end with very short stages, the riders will travel a rather long distance as they will head over 172km from Gemona del Friuli to Trieste. This stage starts at the very symbol of the devastating 1976 earthquake. The stage is flat, straight and constantly descending  towards the lowlands and the regional capital, with just an uncomplicated climb at Passo di Monte Croce (category 4, 1.3km, 4.0%, max. 8%) between Nimis and Faedis. The route goes across Cividale del Friuli Redipuglia and Miramare, then it reaches Trieste, where the stage will finish after covering 8 laps over the 7.2-km long, fast city circuit, marked by a short climb in its central part. The feed zone is located in Monfalcone.

 

The 7,150-m long circuit stretches along wide, well-paved, flat avenues that lead to the short climb located in Via San Marco. The road climbs at a steady 5-6% gradient over a few hundred meters. The first part of the descent features a series of short bends on narrowed roadway, and then rolls on long, straight roads across the city center. In the final 2km, there are just three slight bends, with the final two coming 600m from the line. Heading along the seafront, the road bends slightly to the right, leading the riders onto the home stretch which is 250m long on 6.5m wide, asphalted roadway.

 

Last year the final stage got a lot of criticism from the riders that deemed the final circuit to dangerous and the stage way too long. While the organizers haven't reduced the distance by much, they have certainly made the circuit a lot easier and there are no major technical difficulties this time around. The main obstacle is the small climb that may be used as a launch pad for an attack but it should do nothing to prevent that the Giro d'Italia ends like most other grand tours: with a big bunch sprint suiting the fastest sprinters.

 

Trieste last hosted a stage in 2009 when Alessandro Petacchi beat Mark Cavendish in a bunch sprint and the Italian would love to repeat that performance as he returns to the rare role of being the lead sprinter in his home race.