Stage 10 of the Giro d’Italia is another important test for the general classification, with four categorised climbs and a mountain-top finish in Setola. Join The Roar for live coverage from 10pm (AEST).
The second rest day has been and gone, and the riders are restarting the race in the town of Campi Bisenzio for the 219-kilometre trek to the uphill finish.
The day starts on flat roads, before heading up the third category climb of the Passo della Collina, which is completed after 37.5 kilometres. The climb averages out at around six per cent for 14 kilometres (guessing from Strava information).
It is then an untechnical descent for another 30 kilometres, before the second climb, another third category climb, this time up to the town of Pietracolra after 76 kilometres. The climb is similar in gradient to the first climb, but only eight kilometres long.
This time, the descent of the climb is reasonable technical, but nothing too difficult.
The riders descend along the Fiume Panaro river until 100 kilometres to go, where they take a left-hand turn in the town of Marano Sul Panaro to mark the start of an uncategorised, ten-kilometre rise, which averages out at 4.5 per cent.
After this point, the road becomes undulating before the riders go through the two intermediate sprints, at Pavullo del Frignano (146 kilometres) and Lama Mocogno (179 kilometres).
A descent of 10 kilometres is completed after the second sprint point, before the start of the second-last climb of the day.
The only first category climb, up to the town of Pian del Falco, is difficult to read at just over 12 kilometres and around 6.5 per cent, but featuring three distinct sections.
The first four kilometres average out at a gradient of 6.5 per cent along a few switchbacks, but following that is around 6 kilometres at three per cent. The final ramps, from the finishing town of Sestola up to the summit, will be difficult, as the final three kilometres are at just under nine per cent.
It is then a technical descent for less than ten kilometres before the riders climb back up from the opposite side to Sestola.
The final climb is a category three, and only averages five per cent over 7.5 kilometres.
If the stage win is up for grabs for the general classification favourites, it will be hard to bet against a rider like Alejandro Valverde. However, Vincenzo Nibali could put pressure on his rivals with a late attack over the penultimate climb, and string off a fast descent to give himself time before the finish.
Another battle which really heats up today is the King of the Mountains jersey, with 53 points on offer.
Brendon Vella
Roar Guru
A long stage of blogging has come to an end. Thank you for joining The Roar's live coverage of Stage 10 of the Giro D'Italia. Be sure to join Scott Pryde tomorrow for Stage 11.
Brendon Vella
Roar Guru
Top 10 General Classification 1 Jungels 2 Amador +26 3 Valverde +50 4 Kruijswijk +50 5 Nibali +52 6 Brambilla +1:11 7 Majka +1:44 8 Fuglsang +1:46 9 Zakarin+2:08 10 Chaves +2.26
Brendon Vella
Roar Guru
Top 9 on Stage 1 Ciccone 2 Rovny +42 3 Atapuma +1:20 4 Brown +1:53 5 Cunego +2:04 6 Amador +2:10 7 Visconti +2:11 8 Valverde +2:11 9 Chaves +2:11
Brendon Vella
Roar Guru
What an interesting final. At one stage it was reported that Amador had 50 seconds on the GC group on the middle part of the climb, but the bunch accelerated so quickly and Amador could only take a few seconds on the bunch.
Brendon Vella
Roar Guru
Race Review With four categorised climbs on today's stage, it was always going to be one for the climbers, and in this case, young Italian neo-pro Guilio Ciccone took the honors on Stage 10 of the Giro D'Italia. The riders started out in Campi Bisenzio and quickly got down to business, with the first of the four categorised climbs getting underway after 20 kilometres into the stage. At the top of the category three climb to Passo della Collinao, it was Giovanni Visconti (Movistar) who took the top points, as current KOM jersey leader Tim Wellens (Lotto-Soudal) took second, with Ivan Rovnyi (Tinkoff) taking third. It was a similar story at the next climb on the route, the third category climb to Pietracolra, as Visconti took the top points, ahead of Nicola Boem (Bardiani-CSF) and Niemec (Lampre) rounding out the top 3. The riders then descended for 30 kilometres, before rising again up uncategorised climbs before heading into the first of two intermediate sprints. At the first intermediate sprint, it wasa non-contest, with Niemec taking first, with teammates Pirazzi and Boem finishing second and third respectively. In the final kilometre coming into the final intermediate sprint, Georg Priedler (Giant-Alpecin) attacked from the break, and kept that lead over the top of the short rise to the intermediate sprint. Pirazzi and Ricardo Zoidl (Trek-Segafredo) finished off the top 3. Priedler kept his attack going on the descent, and quickly had a gap of 30 seconds over the other breakaway riders, and 4 minutes 30 on the peloton with 35 kilometres to go. As the break hit the final climb, Priedler was infront, but Bonnafond (AG2R) and Darwin Atapuma (BMC) attacked away from the other breakaway riders. Back in the peloton, it was Etixx who took control of the field in defence of Gianluca Brambilla Maglia Rosa lead. On the early slopes of the climb, it was Damiano Cuengo who attacked off the front and caught both Bonnafond and Atapuma. However, the majority of the morning break than regathered at the bottom of the steepest part of the climb. Once the break got onto the steep sections of the climb, it was both Bardiani riders, Ciccone and Pirazzi who broke the group apart, and were joined by Atapuma and Cuengo and quickly caught Prielder. However, at the top of the climb, it was only three men left, as Cuengo took maximum points ahead of Ciccone and Pirazzi. On the early part of the descent, Pirazzi bumped Cuengo wide, allowing Ciccone to get a gap. Back in the general classification group, it was Andrey Amador (Movistar) who attacked, with Astana looking to push the pace to bring him back. Ciccione lead up the final climb and was never challenged, winning ahead of Ivan Rovny (Tinkoff) and Darwin Atapuma (BMC). Back in the general classification group, it was Amador still off the front, but Gianluca Brambilla, who was dropped over the top of the previous climb but found his way back to the GC group of the descent sacrificed himself for his teammate Bob Jungles. This would ultimately help Jungels take the jersey as Amador would only finish a few seconds ahead of the GC group at the end.
Brendon Vella
Roar Guru
Fabulous team ride from Gianluca Brambilla, who got dropped on the category one climb, but came back to soil himself for Jungels on the final climb. Chapeau!
Brendon Vella
Roar Guru
Amador finishes a few seconds in front of the the group, but Jungels move into the Maglia Rosa.
Brendon Vella
Roar Guru
My goodness. Where did the favourites group come from!
Brendon Vella
Roar Guru
Rovny was second, with Atapuma in third.
Brendon Vella
Roar Guru
Visconti is powering Amador to the line.
Brendon Vella
Roar Guru
Neo pro Guilio Ciccione has won STAGE 10 of the Giro D'Italia
Brendon Vella
Roar Guru
Brendon Vella
Roar Guru
1 kilometre to go for Ciccone.
Brendon Vella
Roar Guru
Zakarin attacks, Majka marks.
Brendon Vella
Roar Guru
Brambilla is cooked, time for Jungels to save the leaders jersey for the team.
Brendon Vella
Roar Guru
Visconti looking behind, waiting for Amador.
Brendon Vella
Roar Guru
Amador seems to have 50 seconds ahead of GC group.
Brendon Vella
Roar Guru
Not sure why Visconti has not dropped to help Amador.
Brendon Vella
Roar Guru
3.55km to go for Ciccone has 33" on Rovny
Brendon Vella
Roar Guru
Interested to see how much time Amador has on the GC group.