Giro d'Italia 2012: Stage 9 Preview - San Giorgio del Sannio to Frosinone 166km

Today’s stage heads north west, the opposite direction to yesterday’s, but is 63km shorter and much closer to the coast, giving it an entirely different profile and a rare opportunity for the sprinters, who don’t have too many chances left in the race.

There’s a rolling profile, although nothing too taxing, and the final 2km represent a flat run to the line, although there is a nasty-looking 135-degree left-hand bend a little over 300 metres out that could well help determine who wins today’s stage.

GT: This would be a stage we’d definitely try and take control of, let whoever’s got the jersey control it at the start but then we’d look to help and make sure it’s not a massive group going away and maybe put a guy up immediately with the GC team riding, making sure it comes down to a sprint. As for that bend towards the end, we’ll always look at the last 5k and the run-in and talk about what side of the road you want to be on, which side of the roundabout you want to go round. Then you talk about the ideal leadout and where guys are going to be peeling off, and if there’s any wind or rain, or paint on the road. We’ll definitely discuss that a lot in the morning.

For more on this year's race read our full Giro d'Italia Preview.