It would have been a typical stage for the sprinters, if not for that huge climb in the first part. The Simplon Pass does not fit that profile at all. The 20.2 kilometres at 6.5% seems totally out of place. Some minor hurdles here and there, but the route is a sprinter’s dream. Were it not for the obstacle that looms large after 36 kilometres: the Simplon Pass.
After descending the pass the riders have still 100 kilometres on the flat ahead of them. There’s one small climb remaining in Quinzano San Pietro – 1 kilometre at 6.1%, with 16 kilometres left – and a false flat inside the last 10 kilometres, but that’s it. So when the sprinters make it back to the peloton after the Simplon Pass nothing stands in the way of a fast finishers showdown in Cassano Magnago.
The second intermediate sprint comes with time bonuses of 3, 2 and 1 seconds, while 10, 6 and 4 seconds are awarded to the first three riders on the line.
Ride the route yourself? Download GPX stage 14 2023 Giro d’Italia.
Another interesting read: results 14th stage 2023 Giro.
Giro d’Italia 2023 stage 14: route, profile, more
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