Monday is a well-deserved rest day for the ragazzi in Italy, and they are going to need it.
The Giro d’Italia resumes Tuesday with a substantial 42-km individual time trial from Viareggio to Massa. Although there was a time when TTs of that length–and considerably longer, were standard, in recent years Grand Tours have stayed away from it. For that reason, it could prove one of the defining days of the race.
Fast and flat
The chrono is a flat, high-speed test along the Tuscan coast. With few technical sections and long straight roads, the course looks tailor-made for the pure specialists, though the general classification battle will be impossible to ignore.
Two-time world champion Filippo Ganna is the clear favourite for the stage win and one of the first major names to start. The Italian TT specialist heads down the ramp at 8:20 a.m. EDT, giving him a chance to post an early benchmark that could survive all afternoon. The former world champ will undoubtedly be flying along in a massive gear as you have your second coffee of the day.
Other contenders for the stage include Mikkel Bjerg at 8:29 a.m., Rémi Cavagna at 8:31 a.m., and Alec Segaert at 8:40 a.m.
The GC men
For the overall classification hopefuls, the tension ramps up later in the day. Osgoode, Ont.’s Derek Gee starts at 9:52 a.m. EDT. The Lidl-Trek rider, a former pursuiter, could fare well on the course–although recently he has said he prefers TTs that are a bit lumpy. Still, the multiple national TT champ could claw back some more time and move his way up the GC. Right now he sits 14th overall, some six minutes down on pink jersey Afonso Eulálio.
Thymen Arensman begins his ride at 10:16 a.m., and Magnus Sheffield starts earlier at 9:10 a.m. EDT. Both of these riders could have a good day, too.
Race favourite Jonas Vingegaard is among the final riders on course, setting off at 10:28 a.m. EDT, just three minutes before race leader Eulálio leaves the start house in the maglia rosa — well, technically a body da cronometro rosa.
On a course this long and this fast, expect significant time gaps by the end of the day. For some, however — well, anyone who isn’t targeting the stage or the GC — it will be a measured effort. Do what you need to finish within the time limit and try not to use too much energy. Save that for the next two weeks–because there are some nasty stages coming up.
TTs aren’t always the most exciting things to watch, but tomorrow may be an exception due…
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