Preview GIRO 2024. Stage 5 (Genoa-Lucca). Will Tim Merlier make it 2-1 in a ‘match’ against Jonathan Milan in Tuscany?

Short:

Start: at 12.45 pm

Arrival: at 5:15 PM

Distance: 178 km (defile of 7.9 km)

The track:

From Genoa we always follow the Via Aurelia that goes up and down. This mainly involves driving along the Ligurian coast. Ultimately, 1996 meters of elevation have to be overcome.

That’s more than the opening stage, but on the other hand the stage is also almost fifty kilometers longer. It is not completely flat by any means. Organizer RCS classified this stage as the hill stages. In terms of difficulty, this stage received two stars. Initially, three stars were provided, but that may have been because beyond Sestri Levante it goes inland to drive up the Passo del Bracco (top at 610 meters). That is a third category climb that had a negative aftertaste, especially last year when Tao Geoghegan Hart broke his hip in the descent after a fall with Primoz Roglic and Geraint Thomas, among others. Now, however, this obstacle is being overcome from the other side. The col has a steep start, but then the gradient decreases. Ultimately it is a climb of 15.3 kilometers with an average gradient of 4.1 percent.

In principle, the sprinters are given enough time to prepare for the three sprints of the day that precede the finish. The Intergirosprint is in Luni and is between the two intermediate sprints. Points can be won for the specific Intergiro ranking, but those points also count towards the maglia ciclamino. It is expected that the sprinters will sprint for every point there as if their lives depend on it. Unless there are enough people ahead in the day’s flight.

The first sprint is in Ceparana after 99.2 km and then another one follows in Camaiore, exclusively for the points jersey. At the same time, the Giro is located at the foot of the Montemagno, which is a fourth category slope in Tuscany. Or 4.7 kilometers of climbing with an average gradient of 3.6 percent. If the pace increases sharply, this can be enough to cause serious problems for some climbers, but in principle they still have time to catch up. From the top to the finish it is another 21 km and it gently descends along the Val Freddana to Lucca.

Our stars:

There are so many sprinter teams present that for the third consecutive day a mass sprint is almost inevitable. Also because the sprinters then have to wait until Sunday in Naples before they compete again. For leader Pogacar it does not matter whether someone else takes the pink from the long flight, or whether he has to continue wearing that leader’s outfit. We will again go for Tim Merlier as the three-star favorite, but in a sprint with so many fast legs that is very relative. Even Fabio Jakobsen has a better chance today than the past two days. The condition is that he has not fallen too far back on the Montemagno, but then there is still his lead out Tobias Lund Andresen.

*** Tim Merlier

** Kaden Groves, Jonathan Milan

* Caleb Ewan, Phil Bauhaus, Fabio Jakobsen

These are the key moments:

That will basically be the final. The last three kilometers are flat, with some wide bends to pass the historic heart of Lucca. There is only a ninety degree left turn about 1.5 miles from the end. The last 350 meters there is a gentle bend, but only from there you will see the line on Viale Giosué Carducci.

Here’s what you still need to know:

* This fifth stage connects two very renowned cities in Italy. Genoa was still the arrival city two years ago. Then Stefano Oldani won for Alpecin-Deceuninck. In 2015, the now absent Elia Viviani was the fastest in the bunch sprint.

* Lucca is the hometown of Mario Cipollini, who is still the record holder in the Giro with 42 stage victories. In some way this finish is also a tribute to the Lion King and ex-champion

* The Tuscan finish city is full of historic buildings. The city has a 4,200 km long wall that is bicycle-friendly and is illuminated even at dusk.

* Forty years ago, Lucca organized La Grande Partenza of a Giro that was then won by Francesco Moser.

* The weather forecast for Wednesday is favorable. It will be a sunny day with summer temperatures and there is hardly any wind. One Beaufort is forecast, from the west, so there will be a little headwind after the last climb, but in a city full of buildings this will hardly play a role in the sprint.