Hello and welcome to live text coverage of the second stage of this Italian Grande Salida, the big opening weekend that takes us west across the lower Alps and into France on Tuesday. After yesterday’s cool, calm collection by Alpecin-Deceuninck, which saw Jasper Philipsen tap home the winner and take home the rojo, today’s is designed for an altogether different sort of superhero. Described as “Flat. Uphill finale” the medium length, medium difficulty final climb should reward risk-taking, a no guts, no glory style of racing. It’s unlikely to produce major splits among the contenders, but we are nevertheless entitled to expect fireworks on the Piedmont hillside this afternoon.
