Giro 2021 Favourites stage 4: Bike handling in intriguing finale

foto: Cor VosThe Giro d'Italia serves a promising finale on the fourth day of action. Bike handling, climbing and descending skills are prerequisites for those eyeing the stage win. Short, sharps climbs and technical descents are packed together inside the last 25 kilometres. (Slideshow route/profile)

Stage 4 of the Giro is flat for 80 kilometres and then the riders enter a new phase of approximately 100 kilometres. The most testing sections appear in the last 25 kilometres.

The finale opens when the riders clamber out of the valley of the Torrente Scoltenna steam. Via a 4 kilometres climb at 8% they reach a undulating plateau of 7 kilometres. A 6 kilometres drop runs straight onto the 4.2 kilometres finish climb at 9.9% into Sestola. After reaching the summit there are 2.5 kilometres left to race.

The technical finale suits versatile riders who combine climbing, descending and bike handling skills. Chances are that the breakaway makes it to the finish line and fast legs could prove to be valuable also.

The stage winner could emerge from the breakaway, although a GC clash can’t be ruled out either.

Favourites 4th stage 2021 Giro d’Italia

*** Matej Mohoric, Alberto Bettiol, Pello Bilbao, Giulio Ciccone
** Davide Formolo, Simon Yates, Remco Evenepoel, João Almeida
* Pavel Sivakov, Matteo Fabbro, Felix Großschartner, Valerio Conti, Gianluca Brambilla

Another interesting read: route stage 4 Giro d’Italia 2021.