Stage 13: Busseto to Cherasco, 254km, flat

It’s the longest stage of the Giro so it’s a good thing it’s flat. The peloton crosses the Po Valley for the first 190km, has a few short climbs in the Langhe hills, one cat 3 climb coming around the 217km mark and then a sprint finish.

This is almost certainly the last stage until the final day for the sprinters so the fast twitchers will be hungry for a stage win. It won’t be easy, though, particularly because everyone will be keen to drop three-time winner Mark Cavendish on the final climbs. With John Degenkolb and Nacer Bouhanni both departed, it could be a big opportunity for someone such as Elia Viviani (Cannondale) or Giacomo Nizzolo (RadioShack-Leopard) to step up and claim a big win.

Given the length of the stage and the two days in the mountains which immediately follow it, this is a good opportunity for a breakaway to stick too, so we could see a finish similar to yesterday’s with the pack hunting down the day’s escapees with the finish line looming.

Links: Official website