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After the drama and suspense of an action-packed Stage 16, the 2014 Giro d’Italia resumes with an undulating 208 kilometre stage from Sarnonico to Vittorio Veneto.
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While on paper this stage is deemed to be ‘flat’, the undulating nature of the stage and the fact the sprinters are coming off multiple days in the high mountains could favour the breakaway. With three Category 4 climbs and a number of unclassified hills strewn throughout the parcours.
If the sprinters are keen to contest the stage the final 60 kilometres could prove decisive, with the majority of the climbs located within that segment. The rough terrain will make it difficult for the teams of the sprinters to keep the breakaway under control and they cannot afford to give them too much leeway.
The greatest threat to the chances of the sprinters, and a potential launch pad for a late breakaway, will be the Category 4 Muro di Ca’ del Poggio, located just 22 kilometres from the finish. While only approximately 1300 metres in length the climb features an average gradient of 15 per cent, with some sections even reaching as high as 20 per cent.
The weather could once again have a say in matters with weather forecasts predicting a 50 per cent chance of precipitation from thunderstorms in the region. This would only serve to increase the difficulty of the Muro di Ca’ del Poggio’s dizzyingly high gradients.
Curiously, race organisers RCS Sport have once again felt the need to complicate the stage’s finale by continuing the stage after a 3500-metre long straight and having the peloton overcome not one but two tight left-hand corners within the final 1000 metres. With the final 450 metres of the stage ever so slightly downhill and on an eight metre wide straight stretch of road.
Choosing a favourite, or three, for the stage will be difficult given the fact it could become a day for the breakaway, as the General Classification teams will not chase hard if the breakaway has no threatening riders within it. While the Muro di Ca’ del Poggio will complicate matters for the sprinters and may see those without good climbing legs distanced all the way to the finishing line.
If Team Sky can somehow manage to marshal the race or launch Ben Swift in to the breakaway the British team may finally walk away with a stage victory in the 2014 Giro d’Italia. Otherwise today could be a good opportunity for the likes of Nathan Haas to once again try their luck in the breakaway.
Should Lotto Belisol’s Adam Hansen manage to make the breakaway of the day I fully expect him to be a strong contender for the stage victory.
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