- Sep 20, 2017
- 13,654
- 25,666
- 28,180
If you look only at the elevation gain, you would think that this is the first big mountain stage. It really isn’t, though, and once again this is a stage that could play out strangely because of how early in the race it is.
Map and profile
Start
The overnight transfer has taken the peloton back across the mountains to the Riviera dei Cedri, the northwesternmost part of the Calabrian coast. Named for its widespread cultivation of lemons, it is a fairly popular (among Italians) beachside destination, which explains why the Giro goes here quite regularly. On this occasion, Praia a Mare is the host, and it’s a real shame that we didn’t go to Sunny Beach on stage 1 because otherwise this Giro would somehow have managed to visit arguably the two most generically named beach resorts in Europe in a single week (Praia a Mare translates to Beach on the Sea).
The town is located opposite the Isola di Dino, now uninhabited but with a history involving a Palaeolithic settlement and a Byzantine monastery. The mainland has also been settled for quite some time, as evidenced by the ruins of Byzantine and Norman fortifications, but there was nothing more than a small fishing village here until past the turn of the 20th century. In 1928, this village officially became a town rather than a frazione of the nearby hillside village Aieta, and acquired its current name. The decades after the war saw touristic development kick into overdrive and shape the town as it still stands today. It has hosted two previous Giri, in 2016 (the previously-discussed stage from Catanzaro, won by Diego Ulissi after a fairly exciting finale) and in 2018 (won by Sam Bennett in a full bunch sprint). On both occasions, there was also a stage start: that is all Praia a Mare gets this time.
(picture by Benjamin Smith at Wikimedia Commons)
The route
This stage is most easily described as a watered-down version of stage 7 in 2022 (won by Koen Bouwman from the most Dutch breakaway in modern GT history), which featured the same main climb as today and also finished in Potenza, but featured four KOMs. The route starts by briefly heading north along the coast, quickly crossing the border into Basilicata and then turning inland. Valley roads are few and far between in this part of Italy, though, and so it isn’t all that long until the first climb of the day starts, to Prestieri. The profile below is missing the first 2.4k, which average a steady 6%.
The next 100 or so kilometres are frankly disappointing. Potenza is directly to the north, but rather than heading in that direction, the route uses quite literally the only valley roads in the area to head east, north and then west, bypassing the mountains entirely on the route towards Viggiano. Here, we are on terrain that should be familiar from 2022. The uncategorised climb up to Viggiano itself uses an easier road into town than the one seen in 2022 (5.5k at 5.5% as per PCS), but the ensuing KOM is the same as it was then. As you can see, it’s the hardest climb of the race so far by a country mile.
Finish
In 2022, this climb was followed up by a descent and then a final, much easier KOM to La Sellata. This year, the riders take the ridge road to the same location instead, eliminating most of the climbing but also putting Montagna Grande di Viggiano 11k closer to the finish. The descent into Potenza and the ensuing little climb into the centre of town are also the same as that year, but this time the finish itself is less far, on the ring road at the base of the escalators rather than atop a little ramp.
Potenza was last visited by the Giro twelve months ago, so to avoid writing the same thing twice I’m quoting myself below, with some slight alterations to reflect the fact that this is not 2025 anymore.
(picture by Michele Luogno at Wikimedia Commons)
What to expect?
Between the elevation gain, the early climb and the limited GC interest, the profile could hardly be better for any climbers looking to win from the break, but with the stage coming so early there will be barely any of them far down on GC. Unless Vingegaard is in pink, odds are that the jersey will not be given away easily, which opens up possibilities for a weak break, a day for the peloton, or if we get lucky, lots of chaos.
Map and profile
Start
The overnight transfer has taken the peloton back across the mountains to the Riviera dei Cedri, the northwesternmost part of the Calabrian coast. Named for its widespread cultivation of lemons, it is a fairly popular (among Italians) beachside destination, which explains why the Giro goes here quite regularly. On this occasion, Praia a Mare is the host, and it’s a real shame that we didn’t go to Sunny Beach on stage 1 because otherwise this Giro would somehow have managed to visit arguably the two most generically named beach resorts in Europe in a single week (Praia a Mare translates to Beach on the Sea).
The town is located opposite the Isola di Dino, now uninhabited but with a history involving a Palaeolithic settlement and a Byzantine monastery. The mainland has also been settled for quite some time, as evidenced by the ruins of Byzantine and Norman fortifications, but there was nothing more than a small fishing village here until past the turn of the 20th century. In 1928, this village officially became a town rather than a frazione of the nearby hillside village Aieta, and acquired its current name. The decades after the war saw touristic development kick into overdrive and shape the town as it still stands today. It has hosted two previous Giri, in 2016 (the previously-discussed stage from Catanzaro, won by Diego Ulissi after a fairly exciting finale) and in 2018 (won by Sam Bennett in a full bunch sprint). On both occasions, there was also a stage start: that is all Praia a Mare gets this time.
(picture by Benjamin Smith at Wikimedia Commons)
The route
This stage is most easily described as a watered-down version of stage 7 in 2022 (won by Koen Bouwman from the most Dutch breakaway in modern GT history), which featured the same main climb as today and also finished in Potenza, but featured four KOMs. The route starts by briefly heading north along the coast, quickly crossing the border into Basilicata and then turning inland. Valley roads are few and far between in this part of Italy, though, and so it isn’t all that long until the first climb of the day starts, to Prestieri. The profile below is missing the first 2.4k, which average a steady 6%.
The next 100 or so kilometres are frankly disappointing. Potenza is directly to the north, but rather than heading in that direction, the route uses quite literally the only valley roads in the area to head east, north and then west, bypassing the mountains entirely on the route towards Viggiano. Here, we are on terrain that should be familiar from 2022. The uncategorised climb up to Viggiano itself uses an easier road into town than the one seen in 2022 (5.5k at 5.5% as per PCS), but the ensuing KOM is the same as it was then. As you can see, it’s the hardest climb of the race so far by a country mile.
Finish
In 2022, this climb was followed up by a descent and then a final, much easier KOM to La Sellata. This year, the riders take the ridge road to the same location instead, eliminating most of the climbing but also putting Montagna Grande di Viggiano 11k closer to the finish. The descent into Potenza and the ensuing little climb into the centre of town are also the same as that year, but this time the finish itself is less far, on the ring road at the base of the escalators rather than atop a little ramp.
Potenza was last visited by the Giro twelve months ago, so to avoid writing the same thing twice I’m quoting myself below, with some slight alterations to reflect the fact that this is not 2025 anymore.
(picture by Michele Luogno at Wikimedia Commons)
What to expect?
Between the elevation gain, the early climb and the limited GC interest, the profile could hardly be better for any climbers looking to win from the break, but with the stage coming so early there will be barely any of them far down on GC. Unless Vingegaard is in pink, odds are that the jersey will not be given away easily, which opens up possibilities for a weak break, a day for the peloton, or if we get lucky, lots of chaos.
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