Stage 5 is billed as ‘flat’ in the race manual, but a quick glance at the route profile proves that is a loose definition of the word.
A steady ride from Catania to Messina is punctuated by a Cat. 2 whopper up Portella Mandrazzi, with Juan Pedro Lopez (Trek-Segafredo) hoping for a serene first day in pink after wrestling the leader’s jersey of Mathieu van der Poel (Alpecin-Fenix) on Mount Etna.
Can Quick-Step Alpha Vinyl Team drag Mark Cavendish over the summit, shield him to let him recharge, then explode and propel him to a second stage win? The Manx Missile will have just shy of 100km to recover after the summit – but how much effort will the team have expended to get him to a bunch sprint?
Giro d’Italia
‘Agreement? What agreement?!’ – Kamna’s claim of ‘secret’ deal on Etna dismissed
13 HOURS AGO
This is the last outing on the Sicilian shores, with the race belatedly heading to the Italian mainland on Thursday.
HOW CAN I WATCH THE GIRO ON TV AND LIVE STREAM?
WHEN IS STAGE 5?
STAGE 5 PROFILE AND ROUTE MAP
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Giro d’Italia
Giro d’Italia Stage 4 as it happened – Van der Poel loses pink after Kamna wins on Etna
YESTERDAY AT 07:58
Giro d’Italia
How many stages can Cavendish win at the Giro?
YESTERDAY AT 17:17