Plenty of riders will have spent a nervy rest day contemplating this extraordinary mountain time trial. It starts easy enough, ramps up towards the Passo Furcia, then takes off on a hard-packed dirt road towards the summit. Sections of 20 and 24 per cent slow riders to walking pace and ensure the massive crowds can clearly see the toll it takes on them. Many of them will no doubt be hoping that adverse weather leads to the stage being shortened and finishing on the Passo Furcia as was the case when the Giro first came this way in 2006.
Procycling's favourite to win:
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Tour de France stage 5 Live - Edoardo Affini early leader in crucial first week time trial, Remco Evenepoel the big favourite
Yellow jersey Mathieu van der Poel set to defend narrow overall lead -
'It doesn't get much bigger than this' – Young Briton Oscar Onley battles with Pogačar, Vingegaard, Van der Poel at the Tour de France
22-year-old lies seventh overall after impressive start to his sophomore Tour, though team 'not putting pressure on him for a GC position' this July -
Monster all-carbon chainring and custom bars among the smörgåsbord of bling on Remco Evenepoel's time trial bike
Will this bike lead Evenepoel to yet another time trial victory? -
Why can't Tadej Pogačar wear his team-issue skinsuit in today's vital Tour de France time trial?
As mountains ranking leader, Pogačar obliged to wear polka-dot skinsuit in Caen time trial
