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.
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