The weekend starts with a long flat stage that races due north through the fertile plains of Umbria and Tuscany. There is one climb with 55 kilometres to go, plenty of time for the sprinters' trains to pull back any escape.
Petacchi will be looking for a win here near Firenze where the stage ends on the Mugello track, where there is the famous 15-turn racetrack used for F1 and MotoGP.
TOPICS
-
Colombian prosecutor's office opens investigation into former cycling great Lucho Herrera and brother Rafael over longstanding missing persons case
1987 Vuelta a España winner who paved way for country's racers in 1980s insisted last year he was free of any wrongdoing -
'Every cloud has a silver lining' – Picnic PostNL turn to development pathway and buy-out fee to begin rebuild from Oscar Onley loss
Dutch team to spend €6 million transfer fee on next generation of young talent and back Max Poole as next Grand Tour revelation -
Sam Welsford wins men's Cadel's Criterium, sprinting to victory from the break
Close battle with Jensen Plowright while Matteo Sobrero snares third -
Melbourne to Warrnambool and Women's Warrnambool Cycling Classic under review due to bushfire in the Otways
'All options are being considered including re-scheduling and re-routing' said organiser for the one-day races, which are part of ProVelo Super League
