Preview - Giro d'Italia 2022 stage 8

Stage 8 will see a circuit over the city of Napoli and above land of the Phlegraean Fields volcano. A very interesting day, at first sight for the sprinters but the profile reveals something in it that can make life very hard for the fast men.The first kilometers aren’t easy, but then throughout the day there will be several laps of a circuit that includes two ascents that will be ridden four times.

Ridden for the final times you have the summits with 35 and 27 kilometers to go. There is the 4th category Monte di Procidia (1.8Km at 6.8%) and then another 700 meters at 9.3%. These two hilltops aren’t the only ones, but they can be quite hard for some sprinters if the pace is pushed, and taking into consideration how close they are from the finish, that’s a big possibility.

A sprint is still the most likely scenario, however it won’t come easy after those hilltops as the final one comes with just 7 kilometers to go, which is 3.3Km at 4.7%. Again, not a hard climb, but if the pace is high enough it can switch things up quite a bit between the fast men. A fast descent will follow into Napoli, and the final 3 kilometers are pan-flat by the sea, where there is time to reorganize and put on a chase if necessary.

**** Biniam Girmay

*** Mathieu van der Poel, Magnus Cort Nielsen

** Caleb Ewan, Diego Ulissi, Andrea Vendrame

* Pello Bilbao, Vincenzo Albanese, Davide Ballerini, João Almeida