Giro 2021 Favourites stage 15: Attackers in Slovenian hills

foto: Cor VosA hilly circuit on the Italian/Slovenian border lies at the heart of the 15th stage. Too hard for pure sprinters, not hard enough for GC contenders. So the pink carpet is rolled out for the breakaway to be successful. Or is Peter Sagan up to something...? (Slideshow route/profile)

Following a predominantly flat opening the riders enter the circuit after approximately 60 kilometres. It’s 31.5 kilometres long and included two and a half times, while a punchy 1.7 kilometres climb at 8.5% appears three times.

On the first two occasions the climb continues onto a false flat drag, but the last time – with roughly 15 kilometres out – the riders turn right and head for the finish line in Goriza.

A short and sharp climb inside the last 4 kilometres could be decisive in terms of the stage victory, The riders descend onto an undulating 2 kilometres run-in to the finish line, while a cobbled sector peps up the last kilometre.

Favourites 15th stage 2021 Giro d’Italia

*** Koen Bouwman, Daniel Martin, Peter Sagan, Gianluca Brambilla
** Pello Bilbao, Diego Ulissi, Thomas De Gendt, Lucas Hamilton, Andrea Vendrame
* Patrick Bevin, Felix Großschartner, Matteo Fabbro, Michael Storer, Jan Tratnik

Another interesting read: route stage 15 Giro d’Italia 2021.