On paper, stage 3 of the Giro d’Italia Donne was certain to end in a sprint as the day’s only difficulty was a third-category climb over 70 km from the finish. However, the stage final raised concerns as it was very technical and could be dangerous if raced by a full peloton.
After a 90-degree right-hand turn with 2.1 km to go, the race crossed the city centre of Modena on a cobbled street, but this was one long straight. More concerning was what came after the flamme rouge: A sharp 120-degree turn in which the road narrowed to only one lane was followed by a left-hand turn onto a cobbled forecourt, the roadway again narrowing to about three metres at the entrance to the Parco Piazza d’Armi Novi Sad.
