Giro d'Italia 2020, stage 21: Cernusco sul Naviglio – Milano 15.7 km ITT

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That long shot of Milan, the air looks awful.

So I looked on PurpleAir. AQI index 154 right now. Terrible.

Milan and Turin have terrible air quality. The problem is created by two factors: pollution and Pianura Padana. The biggest problem being that the Pianura Padana is surrounded on 2 sides (north and west) by the Alps and on 1 side by the Appennines (south). Tthese mountains work like a wall, preventing air circulation in northern Italy (mainly Lombardia and Piemonte). Basically the wind gets in from east (Adriatic Sea) but can't get out because of Alps and Appennines block. The result is that pollution stagnates and accumulates.

Some time ago there was an idea to flatten the Passo del Turchino in Liguria, in order to "open a window" on the Pianura Padana to let the air circulate better.
 
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