It will be a hard day with roads starting to go up after 21 kilometres in the saddle. From there there will no flat metre of asphalt until the finish line. The first peaks are crested with 37.5 en 76.8 kilometres done, but the real action is saved for the finale.
The end of the stage holds two climbs in store. Pian del Falco is 16 kilometres, with stretches at 13% in the upper part. The middle section is nothing to worry about as from kilometre 6 to kilometres 13.5 the climb is a false flat.
After a quick drop riders tackle the Passo del Lupo. Just like in 2014, when Pieter Weening outperformed his fellow escapees, but this time the finish is not on top of the pass. Halfway the climb lies Sestola and it’s there the winner raises his arms in glory after a 7.4 kilometres climb at an average gradient of 5%. The steepest sector at 8% is more or less under the flamme rouge.
The closing climb may not be as long as in 2014, but don’t be surprised to see a likewise scenario in stage 10 of the 2016 Giro d’Italia with escapees fighting for the stage-win and GC-men battling for seconds.
At the line, time bonuses at 10, 6 and 4 seconds lay waiting, while intermediate sprints come with 3, 2 and 1 seconds each.
Race results/race report stage 10, Giro d’Italia 2016.
Giro 2016 Stage 10: Route maps, height profiles, etc.
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