Stage Twenty-one - Sunday 27 May
Milan-Milan
31.5 kilometres, individual time trial
Bluffers guide: Fittingly in this of all years we conclude in Milan, in the shadow of her great gothic masterpiece. The city is home to the Gazzetta dello Sport, to Italian cycling and – spiritually at least – to the Giro itself. In days of yore the race always finished here, and Acquarone is spot on in retaining this particular Giro tradition. It’s conceivable the race will be decided here, but in some respects this is about more than this particular edition. The Giro, a celebration of what it is to be Italian, has found its way home…
Buon appetito: Risotto alla Milanese is ubiquitous, but if we’re celebrating Italy it really needn’t be rocket science. Technically (so they say) it Neapolitan, but let’s not split hairs. Pizza, anyone?
Local hero: Andrea Noè (Farnese Vini) – Affectionately nicknamed “Brontolo” (or “Grumpy”, for reasons obvious to anyone who has met him), Noè will be finishing his first Giro d’Italia as a direttore sportivo. He’ll do so after doing 16 of them as a rider, and his will be one of the shortest journeys home.
Bergonzi says: It’s the only “real” time trial, given that Herning is too short to make a big difference. It’s fast and quite technical, and the specialists will really fancy it if they have survived the preceding three days. Ultimately, though, I think it will be a great parade for whoever has the jersey.”
Stage 21 Map
Stage 21 Profile
