Date: Friday, May 23
Distance: 180km
Start location: Rovigo
Finish location: Vicenza
Start time: 12:55 CEST
Finish time: 17:11 CEST (approx.)
Though he lived three centuries before its invention, you suspect that Andrea Palladio would have loved the bicycle. In the 16th century, he transformed architecture, applying the principles from classical Rome and updating it for the Italy of the Renaissance, prioritising harmony and balance over excessive decoration. Vicenza was the canvas of his ideas, and is home to dozens of his buildings, from urban palaces and grand churches to humble countryside villas, and over the centuries, many architects visited and were inspired by them, spreading his style worldwide. Above all, his buildings are all defined by being functional, but without sacrificing aesthetic beauty. What better way to describe the bicycle?
For a great view of the many buildings Palladio designed in Vicenza, you can climb the Monte Berico hill, where today’s stage finishes. In the 1420s, a peasant worker called Vincenza Pasini claimed to have been visited by the Virgin Mary and told that if a church were built upon the top of the hill, his village would be spared the plague that was ravaging Veneto at the time. The church was duly built and still stands there to this day.
The Giro d'Italia last climbed Monte Berico for a stage finish in 2015, where Philippe Gilbert romped to victory. The Belgian started his sprint early, bursting out of the peloton a few hundred metres from the finish before catching earlier attacker Tanel Kangert, then reaching the line a whole three seconds ahead of the rest of the peloton to seal the third and final Giro stage win of his career.
Only a puncheur of Gilbert’s calibre is capable of defeating the climbers on a finish as steep as this. After a gentle first 250m rising at just 2%, the gradient kicks up to 10% for the final 750 metres, which is a long time for the heavier riders to go into the red and sustain their speed. And though the GC race has largely been on hold in these Po Valley stages, this final rise is still hard enough to require the contenders to remain attentive. Wearing the pink jersey, Alberto Contador finished second behind Gilbert that day, three and eight seconds ahead of his respective main rivals, Mikel Landa and Fabio Aru, while also gaining bonus seconds. With another ascent of Monte Berico, one of four short but tricky hills featured inside the final 45km, there’s even scope for earlier attacks — not just from stage-hunters, but maybe even GC men who are feeling bold.
Contenders
Puncheurs who can climb well are capable of winning this stage. Lidl-Trek duo Mads Pedersen and Mathias Vacek would have to perform well to hold onto the climbers, so they may lead out their GC rider Giulio Ciccone. But Pedersen has already won a hat trick of stages at this Giro, and Vacek was the strongest rider on the final climb on stage five, which, although it was less steep than Friday’s test, was still a show of his potential. Wout van Aert (Team Visma-Lease a Bike) is another puncheur who has shown his climbing is up to scratch for a stage finale like Monte Berico when he won the strade bianche stage, which featured the 700m at 9% final ramp to the Piazza del Campo.
If the breakaway gets reeled in, the GC men could challenge the strongest puncheurs on the final climb. First and second on GC, Isaac del Toro and Juan Ayuso (UAE Team Emirates-XRG) both have a considerable kick, as does Primož Roglič (Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe). A contender who straddles both being a puncheur and a GC rider is Tom Pidcock (Q36.5 Pro Cycling Team), who has performed well so far on some stages at this Giro, like stage five, where he was third. Arguably, stage 13 suits the Briton more, and he could come away with the victory.
David Gaudu (Groupama-FDJ) could be a darkhorse for the stage. He has beaten Van Aert on an uphill kick to the line, doing so at the 2022 Critérium du Dauphiné, but he would likely have to do so from the breakaway in order to beat the likes of Del Toro, Ciccone or Roglič. Other riders, who are suited to this finale but may look to get into the break, are Soudal Quick-Step pair Paul Magnier and Ethan Hayter, Edoardo Zambanini (Bahrain-Victorious), Orluis Aular (Movistar Team) and Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale Team duo Andrea Vendrame and Dorian Godon.
Prediction
We think Giulio Ciccone will win Lidl-Trek's fifth stage of this Giro with a strong final punch to the line.
