Once the flag is dropped the route follows the wide valley of the Adige River for some 15 kilometres before the road starts to climb to Caldaro. The 7.5 kilometres ascent is averaging 5.4%, while peaking at 10%. Following the drop the riders return to Ora on the flat. At kilometre 54.5 they are back where it all started.
A 3.9 kilometres at 3.9% hill climbs to Montagna and then the pack is back on the roads they raced just after the start. Once again the riders ascend to Caldaro, yet this time they continue on the Passo della Mendola, prolonging it to a 15.2 kilometres ascent with an average gradient of 6.4%. The Mendola peaks at 1,363 metres above sea level.
An 8 kilometres drop brings the riders back to 985 metres before it goes back up again on the flanks of the Passo Palade. Not the hardest climb in the world – 12.9 kilometres at 4.0% -, but still it leads to the highest point of the day at 1,519 metres. A descent of some 20 kilometres dips into the valley for the last 7 kilometres on the flat.
The first three riders on the line take time bonuses of 10, 6 and 4 seconds, while the intermediate sprint (at kilometre 44.3) comes with 3, 2 and 1 seconds.
Read also: results/race report 3rd stage 2018 Tour of the Alps.
Tour of the Alps 2018 stage 3: Route maps, height profiles, and more
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