Up and down, attack after attack or the GC might call a truce after a long week and all the main contenders will finish together. The way it’s been going, expect the former.
Saturday 16 May: Stage 8 – Fiuggi to Campitello Matese, high mountain, 186km
There’s nothing flat about this jagged stage. Early in the stage is a long cat 2 climb (30km from Sora to Forca d’Acero) then it’s small climbs all the way until the start of the final climb at 13km from the finish.
Stage 8; Giro 2015
The cat 1 Campitello Matese is an average of 7% but as you can see from the profile below, the gradients shift and change the entire climb, making it difficult to get a smooth rhythm. And then in the middle there’s a short, sharp blip of 12%. The GC contenders will be using their teams to go like the clappers here, hoping a few rivals start riding backwards and possibly testing just how much Alberto Contador’s shoulder is troubling him. This could be a very surprising stage.
Stage 8 final climb; Giro 2015
Link: Official race website
Header image: Welcome to Campitello Matese