A climb from 620 to 1,262 meters sounds tough. But is the almost 40-kilometer ascent to Štrbské Pleso steep enough to drop the sprinters?

Thursday’s second stage of the Tour of Slovakia covers 187 kilometers from Levoča to Liptovský Mikuláš. The riders face a tough start with two Category 2 climbs before reaching the day’s main challenge: the climb to Štrbské Pleso in the High Tatras.

The entire Tour of Slovakia is available to stream live on SC Play, included with your ProXCskiing.com membership.

Watch stage 2 here – start time SC Play 14:30 →

The road rises almost immediately after the start, with the first summit coming after just 8.9 kilometers. This could provide a good opportunity for riders looking to establish an early breakaway.

After 127 kilometers, the peloton reaches Štrbské Pleso. The ski resort is well known to Norwegian and Swedish cross-country skiing fans, having hosted both World Cup and World Championship events. At 1,262 metres above sea level, it is the highest point of the day and the race’s first Category 1 climb.

However, despite its length, the climb is not particularly steep. The listed six-kilometer ascent averages just 3.1 percent. That could allow many of the sprinters to stay in contact.

After the summit, around 50 kilometers of downhill and flatter roads remain before the finish. That means the major teams may have little interest in spending energy controlling the breakaway over Štrbské Pleso.

If a breakaway rider is to win the stage, they will probably need a substantial advantage by the time they reach the summit.

Key points – Stage 2

• 0km – Start: Levoča, 12:45. Official start at 12:50 local time.
• 8.9km – Uloža: Category 2. 8.9km at 4.9%. 972m elevation. KOM points: 6–4–2–1.
• 35.1km – Kozí hrb: Category 2. 5.9km at 4.2%. 839m elevation. KOM points: 6–4–2–1.
• 45.7km – Spišská Kapitula: Intermediate sprint. 6–4–2–1 points and 3–2–1 seconds in the general classification.
• 88.6km – Kežmarok: Intermediate sprint. 6–4–2–1 points and 3–2–1 seconds in the general classification.
• 127km – Štrbské Pleso: Category 1.6km at 3.1%. 1,262m elevation. KOM points: 12–8–6–4–2–1.
• 163.1km – Liptovský Hrádok: Intermediate sprint. 6–4–2–1 points and 3–2–1 seconds in the general classification.
• Finish, 187km – Liptovský Mikuláš.

• Time bonuses in the general classification: 10–6–4 seconds
• Green jersey points: 20–15–12–10–8–6–4–3–2–1
• Expected finish: 17:05–17:30 local time

Read More: How to watch Tour of Slovakia on SC Play

REGISTER HERE AS A MEMBER