Riders who raced last year’s Giro will be familiar with the first 60 kilometres today as it also featured in stage 5, which was won by John Degenkolb.
That stage was characterised by a nasty little climb in the finale. It’s the same today, and in addition the rest of route is more spicy. After 105 kilometres the first real hills loom. It’s bumpy all the way with riders hitting an altitude of 850 metres on three occasions, two of which come late on.
Two ascents to Vigiano mark the stage finale. The first one crests at an altitude of 948 metres, the second one stops at 895 metres. In the final 7 kilometres the vertical gain is 238 hoogtemetres. Not the most difficult summit finish, it’s more likely to reveal who certainly won’t be in the GC mix in this year’s Giro.
It is not the most difficult stage of the Giro, but riders will need their climbing legs.
Giro 2014 stage 5: Images and more
Click on the images to zoom
How stage 5 was won in 2014
Serra di San Chirico cyclingthealps.comHow stage 5 was won in 2013
Viggiano cyclingthealps.com 
