Departure and arrival of the Roman Forum, the shadow of the mighty Coliseum. And then Piazza Venezia Porta Pia, Italy Corso, Villa Borghese, Via del Babuino, Piazza del Popolo, Prati San Pietro, Via della Conciliazione, Via del Corso, one detour to the Circo Massimo and Teatro Marcello ... Never seen such a chrono. 15.3 km straddles two millennia, from the Rome of the Caesars, that of the Papacy, from the Mussolini of Italy, passing villas, La Dolce Vita and Egyptian Obelisks of memory, with a look at the Lateran Pacts and brotherhood among peoples and religions that cycling expression and that - when it can - trying to promulgate.

Technically it is a proof against time easy, pretty flat - the only slope is characterized by the ascent of Via Veneto - the unknown with the fund, in Rome is not always perfect, alternating between asphalt, cobblestones and granite.

It is not the time trial, in our view, that will determine the fate of the final round (it's quick, free climbing) could, however, give some more emotion and perhaps a sudden reversals for the podium.

Trivia: 46th visit of the Tour in the Capital, and the Eternal City. Ganna began in 1909 and successors were of a certain lineage: Pavesi, Corlaita, Girardengo (5 wins here), Belloni, Linari, Binda, Piemonesi, War, Olmo, Cinelli, Minardi, Albani, Nencini, Van Looy missing ... but the great , like Coppi, Merckx, Hinault. Roman Mysteries.