Giro 2014 Route stage 9: Lugo – Sestola

Sunday, May 18 – Over 172 kilometres, stage 9 travels from Lugo to Sestola. Flat in the first half, hilly in the second and a summit finish in store at an altitude of 1,528 metres. (Slideshow route/profile)

Giro 2014 Route Stage 9: Lugo > Sestola

Long, straight and flat roads, that’s the story of the early part of stage 9. Upon passing Bologna, the route gradually gets more hilly. Some introductory climbing takes the riders over the crests of Sant'Antonio (704 metres) and Rocchetta Sandri (689 metres), followed by a short descent before the final climb to the finish.

The final ascent is to Passo del Lupo, at an altitude slightly over 1500 metres. According to the road book the closing climb is 10.7 kilometres long but that’s because the organization list the climbing as starting in the village of Sestola, whereas in reality the total climb is about 20 kilometres with a maximum gradient is 13%.

At any rate, Passo del Lupo should see a GC shake-up!