Giro 2015: Stage 11 Favourites - Classic specialists or fast men

Stage 11 features plenty of short climbs. It’s the terrain riders like Michael Matthews, Philippe Gilbert and Tom Boonen feel at ease. Or will it be up to the surviving fast men? (Slideshow route/profile)

The first half of the race features the toughest climbs, while the last 50 kilometres are at the Autodromo Internazionale Enzo e Dino Ferrari, the racing circuit near Imola. Three local rounds with a 4,3 kilometres climb at 4.2% crested at 7.6 kilometres from the finish line.

So that’s the kind of racing Michael Matthews has a sweet spot for. Young Moreno Hofland is also one of those fast men who can handle a stage like this while Fabio Felline outsprinted Matthew in the recent Tour of the Basque Country after a hilly stage. Of course it all depends on the pace the Tre Monti is tackled. Will Giacomo Nizzolo, Elia Viviani, Sacha Modolo, Matteo Pelucchi, André Greipel and Luka Megzec survive?

If all of these fast men are dropped it could boil down to a battle between two Belgian classic specialist, Tom Boonen en Philippe Gilbert.

*** Michael Matthews
** Tom Boonen, Philippe Gilbert, Moreno Hofland
* Luka Mezgec, André Greipel, Fabio Felline