May 27 Stage: The Giro today is in the Region of the Earthquake, Abruzzo, where 300 people died and thousands are still with no houses living in tends. This is the south of Italy, people are happy that the Giro is honoring the land of this tragedy, the race will give them a day of joy, of hope, of smile. This is also Di Luca home region and with the banners they ask him to fly in the stage for them, for the entire region. (see picture on the top left side).
Today is a short stage, only 80 km. They arrive to the top od the Blockhaus. The real climb starts in the small beautiful village of Pretoro. Decorations for the Giro are all over, on small balconies, on the railways of the cliff, along the road.
When I arrived here, after climbing through the steep swithcbacks of this medieval town and after talking to the local people, I realized that this is the steepest part of this long (20 km climb), thn it levels off. I thought this is the spot where if someone wants to attack will do it. The climb through Pretoro has grades between 12 and 14%, then the climb, soon outside Pretoro, actually becomes gradual and steady aound 7-8% until Passo Lanciano (12 km from Pretoro), then it gets a little steeper again for 1-2 km after Passo Lanciano towards the Top "Mamma Rosa" and then it levels off again all the way to the end.
In fact Pellizzotti and then Armstrong attacked and accellerated exactly on the switchbacks of this small town of Pretoro making the all crowd absolutely crazy.
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