The first 55 kilometres are the calm before the storm. Or, to be more precise, before the Sella Chianzutan. Which is a good climb to stretch the legs: 10.8 kilometres at 5.3%.
The breakaway will have established itself at the top in the hope to persevere until the bitter end. When the attackers manage to carve out a considerable gap on the Forcella di Monte Rest they might get lucky. The statistics of this climb are a bit boring – 14.7 kilometres at 4.1% -, but it is a multi-layered effort with a descent midway and the last 6 kilometres rising at some 8%.
The Forcella di Pala Barzana is another long climb and similar to the other Forcella, although less irregular. The 13.8 kilometres ascent at 4.2% goes up at 6 to 7% in the last 4 kilometres.
Whether or not the attackers will battle it out for the stage honours, we will definitely see a GC clash on the finish climb. The road to Piancavallo ascends at 9.4% in the first 6 kilometres before it evens out in the second half. The climb to the line adds up to 15.4%.
Favourites 15th stage 2020 Giro d’Italia
*** Jakob Fuglsang, Wilco Kelderman
** Vincenzo Nibali, Rafal Majka, Domenico Pozzovivo
* Ilnur Zakarin, Pello Bilbao, Brandon McNulty, Patrick Konrad
Another interesting read: route stage 15 Giro d’Italia.