Giro 2015 Route stage 13: Montecchio Maggiore

Giro 2015 Route stage 13: Montecchio Maggiore – Lido di Jesolo

Friday, May 22, 2015 - 'As flat as a billiard table’. That phrase seems to have been coined for this stage. Rarely was a stage as flat as the 153 kilometres ride from Montecchio Maggiore to Jesolo. A bunch sprint can hardly be avoided.

Montecchio Maggiore lies at an altitude of 55 meters above sea level, making it the highest place in today’s road book. Two castles are towering over the town and according to legend these formed the inspiration to the story of Romeo and Juliet.

No secret love for the riders however, they leave Montecchio Maggiore to head east and pass through the historic streets of Vicenza. Yesterday’s arrival town, and birthplace of Emanuele Sella, is full of the palaces and churches. Definitely worth visiting whenever you are in Italy.

The route continues eastwards in a rather straightforward fashion. It’s plain plains, hills and mountains seem far away. Venice is not, however, and the riders pass just north of the city along the marshy coast. At San Dona di Piave, the route branches off to the south.

The finish is in Jesolo, the easternmost town on the Venice Lagoon. The finish is ideal for sprinters who love their arrivals as flat and straightforward as humanly possible.

Click here for race report and race results.