Mount Etna Epic Climb | Giro d’Italia’s First Summit Finish

Emma previews the finish of stage 6 of this year’s Giro d’Italia, the famed Mount Etna. This active volcano will likely cause the GC battle to erupt! 🌋

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The riders will hit Mount Etna with 149km of racing in the legs and be faced with a 15km climb. With gaps appearing already in the GC, this will be the first major test for the riders and their teams. It’s likely it’ll be the first big shake up to the GC, who will show their strength?

Let us know who you think will win on Etna 👇

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Watch more on GCN…
📹 GCN Epic Ride Andalucia http://gcn.eu/EpicAndalucia
📹 Top 5 Giro Climbs http://gcn.eu/Giro5Climbs

Music: Epidemic Sound

Photos: © Velo Collection (TDW) / Getty Images & © Bettiniphoto / http://www.bettiniphoto.net/

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– That is Mount Etna
and somewhere up there is the finish of stage six
of the 2018 Giro d’Italia. I thought that was a pretty good excuse to go and ride up an active volcano, which I’ve never done before. Unfortunately you can’t even
see the top at the moment. it’s 3,329 meters, up there
somewhere, shrouded in cloud, or at least I hope it’s cloud,
I mean, it could be smoke. Anyway, let’s go. (upbeat rock music) Riding through fields of
what looks like rubble, but it’s not rubble, it’s
actually solidified lava, which is quite incredible to me. I mean, Mount Etna, is one of the worlds most active volcanoes, with
the first recorded eruption, recorded that is being in 425 BC. That’s a long time to have
recorded eruptions for. It’s actually still warm. (invigorating music) Oh, it feels like I’ve
been riding for ages, and I’ve actually only just gotten to about 1,000 meters above sea level. It turns out the Etna, which
looked like it was so close, is actually just absolutely enormous. For the pros riding stage six
of the 2018 Giro d’ Italia, it’s gonna be the ride in
that makes the difference. It’s 130 kilometers, twisty,
narrow roads, rolling, potholes so for the climbers
it’s gonna be all about surviving that first 130K before they even get to the foot of the climb. (blissful music) With five and a half kilometers to go, the race street takes a sharp right, and up this pitch towards Casa Mia. And this is where the going
really starts to get tough, although it probably has
been quite tough already if you’re racing it
because in Casa Mia there’s a 12% section which is
probably a fantastic place for the climbers to attack. Now I’ve gotta get going
again, this bloody steep hill. (grunts) cruising up Nardoo, it really doesn’t feel like
we’re on the side of a volcano, and in fact, apparently, the
volcanic ash is very fertile, so there are loads of farms and vineyards on the foothills of Etna. Up here that’s given way to
pine trees and chestnut trees, it’s also, have to say,
getting a bit steep. This is gonna see some fantastic action in the race, I’m pretty sure. So beautiful. (blissful music) Little shrine there. (blissful music) This is just absolutely amazing. Come out of the forest and
into this wasteland of rubble. The whole of Sicily spread out
below me, I can’t believe it. Also, getting a bit out of breath. Which actually isn’t that
surprising given that we’re about 16 hundred meters of altitude. I might have to slow
down. (heavy breathing) (upbeat music) Oh, this is a super smooth, love it. New tarmac, oh it’s gorgeous. This is gonna be super
fast in the Giro stage, especially if you got
a tail wind like this. (upbeat music) I had to stop for a bit of a breather after that little effort. I can see snow. Actually it is getting
a little bit chilly, I really wish I brought an
arm warmers or a jacket. Oh, thanks. Looks to me like we’ve got the finish line because the fresh tarmac
runs out, just up there, but the road is still going upwards and I don’t think we’ve got
to quite the top of the climb. I’d really fancy just finishing
it off, have we got time? I mean I reckon it’s only
another 200 meters of climb. Yeah, I’ve got time. Come on, it’s not that far. Okay, thanks. (inspiring music) I’ve emerged from the
forest to this incredible moonscape of black rock
and dust and gravel, and now I really feel
like I’m on a volcano. There’s just a few tenuous
little plants clinging on to life and this incredible view
spread out below me. Have to say, that I would
not want to be here, when that volcano kicks off. – [Narrator] Mount Etna
is a stratovolcano, meaning that it’s conical
shape is built up of layers of hardened lava,
tephra, and volcanic ash. According to Greek mythology, Zeus defeated the most
deadly monster in existence, and trapped him under Etna. – Oh, honey, I’m getting a bit peckish. I could feel a little bit of a Winnie the Pooh moment coming on. Mmm, I love honey. (upbeat rock music) I’ve really enjoyed riding up Mount Etna as part of checking out stage six of the 2018 Giro d’ Italia. I’m also very happy that
I got to a little bit further up than the pros do, and also I get to enjoy
this amazing descend, while they all have to get into their cars and drink recovery shakes. If you wanna check out
another epic road with GCN, why not watch me and Matt,
riding through Andalucia.