Porto Sant’Elpidio played a role in the 2012 Giro d’Italia. The 6th stage finished in the coastal town, while breakaway rider Miguel Rubiano took the spoils. More recently, Porto Sant’Elpidio hosted stage finishes on the Tirreno-Adriatico. In 2014, Mark Cavendish sprinted to victory and in 2015 Peter Sagan took the spoils at the end of a rain-soaked race.
No finish this time, but the race kicks into gear in Porto Sant’Elpidio to follow the coastline all the way to Rimini. Although the seaside resort is famous for its long sandy beaches, it is also a place with a dark story. On 14 February 2004, Marco Pantani was found dead at the Le Rose Suite Hotel on the Viale Regina Elena. Il Pirata is the last rider who did win the Giro and the Tour de France in the same year. In 1998, Pantani joined an illustrious list with Fausto Coppi, Jaqcues Anquetil, Eddy Merckx, Bernard Hinault, Stephen Roche and Miguel Indurain.
The 11th stage of the 2020 Giro would have been wasted on one of the best climbers in cycling history as the route features hardly any elevation gain.
Giro d’Italia 2020 stage 11: route, profile, more
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