Facing the riders today will be one of the hardest stages in this year’s Giro Rosa, possibly even the toughest. It is a non-stop day of up-and-down with very little respite. It’s also this year’s longest stage at just 20 meters shy of 142 kilometers.

We start in Isernia, once a strategically important town in the Apennine foothills, on a point-to-point  southbound jaunt to Baronissi.

After six days of hard racing, this will be the last straw for some of the peloton. Even tougher, this hilly stage comes after such a flat, fast stage on the opposite coast at Roseto degli Abruzzi, and the subsequent transfer across country.

A change of roads, of racing rhythm, maybe weather and climate conditions … it might all add up to too much. Especially if the route profile, like the stage 5 ITT, is so radically different to what the roads will actually be like.

This is a critical stage for the overall – a minute’s inattention on any of the lumps and bumps and the race will be lost. The key difficulty is the second-category Montemilleto Montefusco topping out with 42 kilometers to go – this is the perfect place to split the race up, and it will be hard to get back on terms on the rolling run-in to the finish.

Boels-Dolmans have looked unshakeable so far, especially after their tactical coup on stage four which cost Annemiek Van Vleuten two minutes. Assuming they continue their performance level of the last six days, then Anna Van Der Breggen should be looking to consolidate her overall lead tonight … but, in the Giro Rosa, it is always smart to expect the unexpected.