After a challenging gravel stage on Thursday, riders will face a completely different challenge on the first Friday of the Giro d'Italia 2024. A long time trial from Foligno to Perugia is on the agenda, promising to shake up the general classification. IDLProCycling.com guides you through it!
Course stage 7 Giro d'Italia 2024
It feels like it's been a while since we've seen such a long time trial in a grand tour. Last year, the Giro featured several tough time trials and 2024 will continue in the same vein, starting with this challenging race against the clock on day seven. Generally speaking, this time trial is split into two parts: a flat section and an uphill section.
The action starts with 32 kilometers of fast riding over flat roads heading northwest. This part is straightforward and fast-paced. But strategy will also play a role, because after 32 kilometers of riding towards Perugia, the capital of Umbria, riders will face the climb up to Casaglia.
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The first 1.3 kilometers of the climb have a steep 11.8 percent gradient, a stark contrast to the flat sections before it. Beyond the summit, there’s over five kilometers left, rising through a series of nasty undulations. In total, the climb stretches 6.5 kilometers at an average gradient of 4.0 percent.
The final kilometer in the center of Perugia is notably technical, leading to a cobbled street finish. It's the kind of typical quirky time trial you would expect from the Giro.
Continue reading below the photo.
Cyclimb
40.6 km: Perugia (6.5 km at 4.0%, first 1.3 km at 11.8%)
Times
Start first rider: 1 PM
Finish last rider: around 5:09 PM
Weather stage 7 Giro d'Italia 2024
Temperatures around Foligno and Perugia will be around 23 degrees Celsius on Thursday, but the wind could also play a significant role in the race outcome. Blowing at a force of four on the Beaufort scale, it will consistently gust across the course.
Favorites stage 7 Giro d'Italia 2024
Tadej Pogacar, who mounts his time trial bike for a cooling down after nearly every stage and claims to have honed this aspect of his racing, is in the pink jersey and the clear favorite for this time trial. The Slovenian may lose some time in the first part, but the second part is tailor-made for him.
The main competition is likely to come from INEOS Grenadiers, though other teams are probably relieved there's no team time trial in this edition of the Giro. Riders like Geraint Thomas, Filippo Ganna, Magnus Sheffield, Thymen Arensman and former world champion Tobias Foss all have the potential to crack the top five in this stage.
Ganna appears to be the rider most likely to challenge Pogacar, especially given his strong climbing in the first stage and a lighter ride on Thursday. As a contender for the GC, Thomas is also focused on gaining time on his rivals, while Sheffield is overdue for a big time trial win. Arensman and Foss, for various reasons, may not be at their best yet, but they too are contenders.
Pogacar’s teammates, Mikkel Bjerg and Felix Grossschartner, also have the ability to go far, but one might question their full commitment as there is another tough stage looming on Saturday. Other specialists like Benjamin Thomas (Cofidis), Jan Tratnik (Visma | Lease a Bike), the recently crashed Will Barta (Movistar) and Luke Plapp (Jayco AlUla) will certainly not let this opportunity pass them by. Perhaps even riders like Max Schachmann (BORA-hansgrohe) and Jonathan Milan (Lidl-Trek) might make a move for points.
Lastly, other GC contenders like Antonio Tiberi (Bahrain Victorious), Alexey Lutsenko (Astana Qazaqstan Team), Ben O'Connor (Decathlon AG2R) and particularly Daniel Felipe Martinez (BORA-hansgrohe) will view this as a chance to gain time, while pure climbers like Cian Uijtdebroeks (Visma | Lease a Bike), Einer Rubio (Movistar), Romain Bardet (dsm-firmenich PostNL) and Juan Pedro Lopez (Lidl-Trek) will focus on minimizing losses.
Favorites stage 7 Giro d'Italia 2024, according to IDLProCycling.com
Top favorites: Tadej Pogacar (UAE-Team Emirates) and Filippo Ganna (INEOS Grenadiers)
Outsiders: Geraint Thomas, Magnus Sheffield (INEOS Grenadiers), Daniel Felipe Martínez (BORA-hansgrohe) and Mikkel Bjerg (UAE-Team Emirates)
Long shots: Thymen Arensman, Tobias Foss (INEOS Grenadiers), Antonio Tiberi (Bahrain Victorious), Alexey Lutsenko (Astana Qazaqstan Team), Ben O'Connor (Decathlon AG2R), Jan Tratnik (Visma | Lease a Bike), Benjamin Thomas (Cofidis) and Luke Plapp (Jayco AlUla)
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