Due north is the direction and Pistoia is the destination for the end of week one of the 88th Giro d'Italia. Once again, a final circuit will condition the stage outcome, but it's not for the speedsters. After passing close to the skyscraper towers of San Gimignano and climbing the San Baronto GPM with 48km to go, next stop is the tough climb of Sammome'. This steep narrow ascent gains 491m. in just 4.5km, then plunges back down to Pistoia to finish in the Piazza S.Francesco d'Assisi. A dangerous finale for riders who have ambitions to win the Giro, for a bad position before the Sammome' could lose valuable seconds.
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