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Giro d’Italia Stage 17 preview: A day for the sprinters….or a break?

The flat course means there's opportunities for the fastmen

There are four days to go at the Giro d’Italia, and everyone who hasn’t had a result yet is definitely going for it in the remaining stages. On Wednesday, the race heads from Pergine Valsugana to Caorle, covering a total distance of 197 km.

The parcours is far from lumpy; it’s as flat as a pizzelle. The sprinter’s teams will probably want to control it as much as possible to set up a nice big bunch sprint at the end. But could the breakaway specialists spoil the parade? Surely Astana Qazaqstan will want to support Mark Cavendish for a stage win in his last Giro d’Italia ever. On Monday, he confirmed that he would be retiring at the end of the 2023 season.

Hold on: Can Derek Gee take the points jersey at the Giro d’Italia?

This is also a significant day for Jonathan Milan and his Bahrain – Victorious squad. Top points are up for grabs for the maglia ciclamino. Currently, he leads Canada’s Derek Gee, with 176 points to 118. There will be also be several intermediate sprints today, with the winner receiving a full 50 points for the win. Points will be distributed to the top 20 riders, starting from 50 down to 1.

The peloton will undoubtedly be keeping an eye on Gee as he attempts to make another breakaway, but will the sprinter’s team allow him to go? Sometimes, having a few riders dangling out front works in their favour, only to pull them back near the finish line. However, given the way the IPT has been riding, it might be too risky. Additionally, the 25-year-old would gain valuable intermediate points. Gee is no slouch in the sprints, and his confidence must surely be high. Will his team change strategies and see what he can do in the finale today? Mixing things up might be the way to go. Gee himself tweeted that he wouldn’t be joining a breakaway today.

But, of course, when was the last time someone announced their actual strategy on social media?