Stage 4: Policastro Bussentino – Serra San Bruno
Distance: 246km
Highest point: 907m
Category: Medium mountains
TACTICAL BATTLE
South into deepest, darkest Calabria for the second longest stage of the Giro. It looks a belter too, with stunning woodland scenery and the rapid 12-kilometre climb to Croce Ferrata to round things off. Though touching gradients of 10 percent in places, the peloton is likely to be on the big ring much of the time and we can expect some ferocious racing towards Serra San Bruno (pop. 7,000), a normally quiet hilltop town famous for being the birthplace of the Carthusian monastic order.
Stefano Zanatta says: "Stage 4 is notable for being the first uphill finish of the 2013 Giro d’Italia, which also marks the start of the parallel race, the one for the GC. I can see about 20 or so riders coming up to the finish line together and any of the GC contenders losing time here will probably regret it as they’ll be in big trouble later on. As regards the final climb, it’s hard to call, but sometimes these stages can become quite tactical."
Stage 4 map
Stage 4 profile
