Fifty years on from the first of Jacques Anquetil's two Giro d'Italia wins, this stage honours his memory with the first visit to the renowned marble centre of Carrara since the Frenchman tied with Spanish sprinter Miguel Poblet as the winner of a 2km TT in the town in 1960. Featuring the first big climb of the race, the Passo del Brattello, at the mid-stage point, the profile favours breakaway specialists, particularly as there are also two decent climbs on the run-in that should see off the sprinters. The uphill finish adds another element of unpredictability.
Procycling's favourite to win:
Even with the sprint heavyweights likely to be out of the picture and the main contenders for the maglia rosa sure to be holding themselves back for the far bigger challenge ahead in Sunday's finish on the summit of Monte Terminillo, there should be a biggish group contesting this stage. If so, Androni Giocattoli's fast-finishing Francesco Ginanni may well celebrate his Giro debut in style.
Distance: 172km
Vertical climb: 2,380m
Highest point: 946m
Terrain: Medium mountains
Category: Road Stage
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