There's always an exodus of notable, mainly sprinting, talent before the Giro's critical mountain tests, and why not given there is nothing much to whet their appetite during the final week of the race. With the biggest climbs now looming, the sprinters will be determined to make the most of the two stage-winning opportunities they have left. This is the pick of them, so any break today is almost certainly doomed unless their lead amounts to more than a minute coming off the final small climb.
Procycling's favourite to win:
It's difficult to see past Greipel, Petacchi and Farrar, especially as several potential sprint contenders will be leading these guys out. Watch, though, for Androni's Alberto Loddo, whose 25th career win this year was his first ever on home Italian soil. The passage through Macerata may be a good omen for Katusha's rouleur extraordinaire Mikhail Ignatiev (right), who won there during Tirreno-Adriatico.
Distance: 206km
Vertical climb: 770m
Highest point: 301m
Terrain: Flat
Category: Road Stage
-
USA CRITS: Lucas Bourgoyne back in the winner's circle while Elizabeth Castaño makes a statement at High Line Criterium in Georgia
Overall series standing tighten with two races remaining -
Ginia Caluori and Cat Ferguson earn top spots for women in gravel debuts at The Traka 100 while Matyáš Kopecký wins men's division from five-rider sprint
Fourth and final gravel race in Girona decided on Sunday -
How to watch La Vuelta Femenina 2026 – TV coverage, live streams for the first women's Grand Tour of the season
All the broadcast information you need to follow the seven-day Spanish race, which began Sunday and heads for a hilly day on stage 2 -
Festival Elsy Jacobs à Luxembourg: Electric sprint by Erin Boothman lands 19-year-old first career victory
Steffi Häberlin second and Nina Berton third from original breakaway group of eight
