The fifth stage of the Giro d'Italia takes the peloton from Ceglie Messapica to Matera for 151 km with an elevation gain of 1,550 meters. This is essentially a flat stage until the last 35 km, but the finale, though undulating, does not rule out a sprint finish.

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In the first part, the route remains on the Murge plateau before descending to Taranto and following the Metaponto coast along the fast highway 106: sprint points are located in Massafra, km 43, and Marina di Ginosa, km 76.

The race then leaves the highway to head inland with the short climb of Bernalda and continues on fairly wide roads until the brief, steep, and practically straight climb (wide carriageway) of Montescaglioso, the day's only mountain point, of 4th category. From here, a short descent and uphill false flat to the finish in Matera.

The final kilometers are characterized by a 10% ramp that leads to some city avenues first slightly downhill and then uphill to the finish. Around the last kilometer, two left turns (marked curve at 1200 m) to enter the 300-meter final straight, all slightly uphill, ideal terrain for powerful sprinters.

THE TERRITORY. The Ducal Castle built by the Normans in the 11th century is the most famous calling card of Ceglie Messapica, one of the oldest cities in Puglia that only its distance from the sea has kept on the margins of major tourist flows. A fortune for those who discover it and can immerse themselves in a very distant past testified by the vestiges of the Messapian people who founded it in the 7th century BC. And it matters little if today its appearance is mainly medieval, it takes little to go much further back in time. There are 18 specchie - megalithic monuments up to 20 meters high - in the immediate vicinity of the center.

Ceglie Messapica is also located in the heart of the production of renowned DOP Extra Virgin Olive Oil which represents one of the gastronomic excellences of Puglia. And, speaking of excellence, just move about fifteen kilometers from the town to reach Grottaglie, the "City of Ceramics" where dozens of workshops still operate today where skilled artisans, or rather artists, perpetuate the work of those who over the centuries have made this town famous worldwide.

A few kilometers after the start, the riders will reach Martina Franca with its fascinating historic center characterized by the contrast between medieval alleys and sumptuous Baroque buildings. Then comes Massafra, leaning against a deep ravine in whose tuff walls ancient rock settlements (prehistoric and early medieval) and crypts adorned with paintings, often still in good condition, open up. A visit to this amazing underground world is a must.

For about 40 kilometers, the route travels along the beaches of the Ionian Sea until Lido di Metaponto where it turns decisively inland. The stage is drawing to a close, but not the emotions. The archaeological park of Metaponto with its temples built by the Greeks 2500 years ago offers an extraordinary dive into the past of what was then considered the capital of Magna Graecia.

In Montescaglioso, you visit the Benedictine Abbey of San Michele Arcangelo (1079), the most important of the four monastic complexes that have earned this municipality the nickname "City of Monasteries".

Matera, a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1993, is the royal finish of the fifth stage of the Giro. Just after the riders' arrival, a walk to discover the City of Sassi is a must. The ancient village is divided into two districts, Sasso Caveoso and Sasso Barisano, with the rocky spur of Civita at the center, where noble palaces and the Cathedral stand. The modern spirit of the city is particularly appreciated at MUSMA, the Museum of Contemporary Sculpture, considered the main Italian museum entirely dedicated to sculpture. Not everyone knows, however, that Matera and Montescaglioso are also the heart of the Upholstered Furniture Industrial District. Those thinking of renovating their living room can take advantage of this.