Giro 2024: These are the gravel sections in the sixth stage

The peloton will race today during the sixth stage of the Giro d’Italia 2024 in the vicinity of Siena, the famous finish of Strade Bianche, and so the well-known gravel strips should not be missed. But what is actually being thrown at the riders? CyclingFlits takes a closer look at the gravel strips.

In stage six of the Tour of Italy, the peloton races from the coast Viareggio inland direction Rapolano Terme. The course is 180 kilometers long and has an elevation gain of 1,900 meters. Along the way, the riders will encounter two fourth-category climbs, two intermediate sprints and, above all, three gravel sections.

The ride can be roughly divided into two halves. The first seventy kilometers are virtually flat, the 110 kilometers that follow are constantly up and down. The riders will be particularly afraid of the three gravel strips, good for 11.6 kilometers of unpaved roads. It cannot be compared to what the riders will have on their plate during Strade Bianche in the spring, but it will still provide a spectacle.

The first strip around Vidritta is 4.4 kilometers long and starts after just over 130 kilometers of racing. There is barely 600 meters between the first two gravel zones. There is therefore no time to position yourself better, while having a good spot seems crucial for the second sector of 4.8 kilometers. This contains the second categorized climb of the day with the Grotti (2.5 km at 6%).

The third gravel zone to Pievina is 2.4 kilometers long and ends with the second intermediate sprint of the day, approximately 17 kilometers from the finish line. The fact that the absolute final has no new sectors means (according to the age-old cycling saying) that you may not be able to win the race on the gravel strips, but you can lose it.