Following stage 5 in the Giro d’Italia the pack bids goodbye to the Italian islands. After three days on Sardinia and a two-days stay on Sicilian soil the mainland ushers in the pink peloton. But first the Pedara-Messina stage.
After the start in Pedara the road goes down a little. Via Trecastagni the riders travel to the first climb, which is the Formazzo. The summit, at an elevation of 824 metres, is crested with 37 kilometres done. At kilometre 98.2 the riders are atop Taormina after a 3.15 kilometres climb at 4.9%. That’s it as far as uphill sections go.
Possibly the efforts of yesterday’s toil on the flanks of Mount Etna slows down the pack a bit in the first 100 hilly kilometres. And if nobody wakes up in time on the flat coastal roads leading to the finish line, this might open up opportunities for a breakaway to hold till the end. Yet, the Giro is still young, so we should expect a successful chase.
Vincenzo Nibali was born in Messina, however, a stage win seems highly likely. This arrival is tailor made for fast men.
The first three riders on the line take time bonuses of 10, 6 and 4 seconds, while the final intermediate sprint (after 118.2 kilometres) comes with 3, 2 and 1 seconds.
Results/race report 5th stage 2017 Giro
Giro 2017 stage 5: Route maps, height profiles, and more
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