Giro 2015: Stage 8 Favourites - GC men on the attack?

No flat metre on stage 8 of the Giro d’Italia. Two long climbs interspersed with plenty of hills. Top finish after a 13.6 kilometres toil up to Campitello Matese, but the final klilometre is a false flat down. Escapees or GC men? (Slideshow route/profile)

The second mountain top finish and just like in stage 5 it remains to be see if the GC-men will start to detonate the fireworks. Don’t be surprised when they decide to keep their powder dry for the gruelling final week. That said, if the best break is reeled in at the closing climb Sky could be up for a tactical manoeuvre with Konig attacking and trying to pave the way for leader Porte.

Otherwise it could be for escapees such as Yuri Trofimov, Pieter Weening, Diego Ulissi, Steven Kruijswijk and Przemyslaw Niemiec and expect a few Italians upfront, think Enrico Battaglin, Damiano Caruso and Stefano Pirazzi.

If it does boil down to a GC-riders clash Contador, Aru and Porte are the ones to watch.

*** Yuri Trofimov, Pieter Weening
** Diego Ulissi, Giovanni Visconti
* Steven Kruijswijk, Alberto Contador, Richie Porte, Fabio Aru