Racing

Giro d’Italia 2015 – preview: where the race will be won or lost

Long time trial, brutal climbs and unpaved roads to decide the final destination of the pink jersey

Stage 20 – Saint-Vincent to Sestriere

The 2015 Giro d'Italia boasts a balanced parcours, which has attracted a stellar cast of riders (pic: RCS Sport)
The first summit finish of this year's race is on stage five (pic: RCS Sport)
The sole individual time trial will offer the likes of Rigoberto Uran and Richie Porte to make big strides overall (pic: RCS Sport)
Stage 15 finishes atop the Madonna di Campiglio, scene of Marco Pantani's solo triumph in 1999 (pic: Sirotti)
Stage 16 is packed with brutal climbs, not least the Passo di Motorolo (pic: RCS Sport)
Stage 19 is bottom heavy, with three climbs packed in after more than 150 kilometres will already have been raced (pic: RCS Sport)
The Cima Coppi, this year, is on the 'unpaved' climb, the Colle delle Finestre - the latter half is untarmacked while the entire climb boasts a mean average gradient (pic: RCS Sport)

Stage 20 – Saint-Vincent to Sestriere

The Cima Coppi climb – the highest point of the race – this year features on the penultimate day, with the Colle delle Finestre peaking at 2,718m.

The Alpine ascent comes after 150km of racing on stage 20, which is mostly flat, and kicks up sharply from the off with a 14 per cent slope welcoming the weary riders to the ascent.

Twisting hairpins from Meanna di Susa lead the way to the white gravel finale – where the road surface, and not just the gradient, could prove decisive.

It is not just the unpaved section which should be feared though, the whole climb boasts an average gradient of nine per cent and if the weather is bad it could be a brutal stage.

Last year’s penultimate stage saw Nairo Quintana mark Rigoberto Uran expertly, while Contador has the experience to do the same should he be leading.

But a stunning descent and a final 9.2km climb before the finish in Sestriere means there will be plenty of work to do for whoever is supporting the leading man come May 30.