After yesterday’s bullet-fast start with a team time trial in fearsomely hot conditions, it’s another fast, flat day. The sprinters will have been salivating ahead of stage 1, and looking ahead to the opening batch of stages, it could be a feast for the fast riders.

The route

On the menu are two loops, starting, finishing and passing through Ovada, taking in 120 kilometers. The first clockwise loop takes the riders west; the second, counter-clockwise takes them east and north through Novi Ligure, a fabled place in the history of Italian cycling for its links to the legendary Fausto Coppi. The tragic hero is commemorated along with Constant Girardengo in the intermediate sprint in Acqui Terme, on the Viale dei Campionissimi.

The Giro’s road book, L’ Anita, suggests a hilly stage with multiple short ascents, but that description and reality are often distant cousins. What is true is that the final kilometer sees a gradual rise to the line, so it’s maybe more of a finish for a powerhouse rather than a pure sprinter.

The contenders

It was interesting to see Jolien D’Hoore putting in a shift for Michelton-Scott yesterday, before dropping away to save energy. Alé Cipollini were almost 90 seconds behind Sunweb, so Marta Bastianelli and Chloe Hosking will be focussed on producing a big result today.

Cervélo-Bigla’s Lotta Lepistö is in fine form, retaining her national road and TT titles, and winning a stage at the Women’s Tour. Canyon-SRAM’s Hannah Barnes is in with a shout, as is the mighty Kirsten Wild for Wiggle-High5.

And one rider who can never be ruled out, regardless of the terrain, is Waowdeals’ Marianne Vos.

Pick for the day? Jolien D’Hoore won a finish like this at the Women’s Tour, and has the combination of strength and speed.