Author: cyclingmole

Nice > Nice 117.1km Time for one of my favourite stages of the year, it really is a thing of beauty. I’m going to attempt to write a preview to match. Weather A beautiful day to finish the race off. Expect lots of people to remind you this is the race to the sun. Just...

Osimo Stazione > Osimo 193.3km Every year the organisers treat us to a muro stage, this year we’re in Osimo, scene of a fantastic Simon Yates win in the 2018 Giro before it all started to go wrong for him. I like the route, but there’s a little bit inside me that wishes it was...

Nice > Col de la Couillole 142.6km It was meant to be the big GC day, but it seems like we’ve already had one of those. Col de la Couillole was used back in 2017, when Richie Porte destroyed the rest of the field and took a very impressive win for BMC. It’s a tough...

Tourves > La Colle-sur-Lou 197.1km A stage that many will look at and think breakaway, but there are a few fast men who’ll hope that it all comes back together. Technically speaking, 2674m of climbing is within the capabilities of many fast men, but will they cope with the finale? Weather Blowing a gale! At...

Morro d’Oro > Sarnano-Sassotetto 167.6km After today’s punchy climb, it’s time for a proper mountaintop finish, one that will go a long way to settling the GC battle. Weather It starts off quite warm and with little wind, but it doesn’t stay like that. By the end of the stage, it’s going to be just...

Greccio > Tortoreto 218.7km Strap yourself in, it’s the first time this year we’ll see Van Aert, van der Poel, Pidcock Alaphilippe and Girmay going head-to-head. The stage ends with a lap circuit, and it contains a tough little climb which is done three and a bit times. As the stage ends with the hill,...

Saint-Symphorien-sur-Coise > Saint-Paul-Trois-Châteaux 212.2km After today’s GC fun, it’s another day to interest the sprinters, in all likelihood it’s their final shot at glory in this race. They’ll grovel round this weekend, or head home for a beer and Dominos, or is that my weekend? Weather There could be a little bit of rain around...

Saint-Amand-Montrond > La Loge des Gardes 164.5km It’s day 4 and the wind has decided to join the party. Weather A bit grey, a bit rainy and very windy. If forecasts are to be believed, the first half of the stage could see the wind gust up to 50km/h, with a constant around 30km/h. Echelons...

Follinica > Foligno 216.5km The bunch head east in what should be another sprint finish. Weather The wind is coming from the south-west, so it’s crosswind the whole day, but with the wind under 20km/h, it’s unlikely to do much damage. Finale This 4km stretch from 11km to 7km to go is an interesting point....

Camaiore > Follonica 209.7km The second stage is the first opportunity for the fast men with a sprint finish in Follonica. Ineos are in control of the leader’s jersey, they’ll do much of the chasing of the break, but they’ll also get help from the sprint teams, we have three big ones here. Weather Cloudy...