Stage 6 of the Giro d’Italia should finally give the sprinters another clear opportunity, with a 161-km route from Paestum to Naples. The stage is mostly flat along Italy’s Tyrrhenian coast, but the finale could create chaos. Riders will loop around Mount Vesuvius before entering Naples on narrow, technical roads. The final kilometre includes cobblestones, a sharp 90-degree corner and a U-turn before the uphill drag to the line in Piazza del Plebiscito.
Groenewegen, Milan or Magnier?
After two near-misses already in this Giro, Dylan Groenewegen might be poised to challenge again. The Dutch sprinter showed strong speed in Sofia but launched too late against the very in-form Paul Magnier, who has quickly become the standout fast man of the race. Jonathan Milan remains another major threat if Lidl-Trek can deliver him into position before the tricky finale.
Rain is also forecast, adding another layer of danger to an already tense sprint finish in Naples. We’ve already seen lots of crashes–one that knocked out almost half of UAE, and another one with Osgoode, Ont.’s Derek Gee-West. Thankfully, the national champion was mostly scuffed up. He still lost over a minute, so he’s got his work cut out for him. Soon, the real tests begin. Tomorrow’s stage should show who’s in form–GC wise–and who ain’t.
Rain, rain go away
Stage 5 was also in nasty weather, with lots of rain that mean the pack was cool to let the break go. But what a finish it was! Giulio Ciccone passed the maglia rosa to Portuguese rider Afonso Eulálio. Both he and his break mate, Igor Arrieta, went down hard but recovered. The UAE rider even went off course at one point, but still managed to catch back on and take a fine win.
You can tune into Thursday’s race at 7:40 a.m. EDT on Flobikes.com. Canadian Cycling Magazine will have a full report right after, as well.
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