Stage 3 - Volos to Lamia
After two exciting opening stages, there’s no rest for the peloton today, with a 207 km route to tackle, along with 4,216 metres of elevation gain to contend with. It’s going to warm, and it’s going to be tough. Add to this, there’s also a sprint or 2 to contend with, and you’ve got the makings of an epic day of cycle racing to look forward too.
Okay, let’s start things off with a little history and culture, and bring you up to speed with today’s starting city – Volos, one of the largest and most beautiful in Greece. Sitting at the foot of Mt. Pelion and on the shores of the Pagasetic Gulf, the fresh sea breezes blend with the mountain air, in this home of the mythical Centaurs of Ancient Greece. Built in the 3rd -century BC, by Demetrios Poliorcetes, Volos was the starting point of the famed expedition of Jason and the Argonauts; whilst today’s expedition takes the peloton through the mountains and onwards to Lamia. However, before leaving, it’s worth spending some time exploring this amazing city, and maybe taking in a coffee along the seafront.
For history lovers, the Palia quarter, in the west of Volos, is said to have been inhabited since 3000 BC. You can take a tour of the Roman Baths, see the ruins of a 6th -century castle, visit the Ottoman powder magazine, an aqueduct and ancient theater, or the numerous other museums and sites that adorn this city that blends the ancient and modern.
Coastal mountains & fast flowing roads
Our first KOM for the day arrives at only 12.9 km, at Agios Georgios. This quiet, traditional and authentic mountain village, overlooks the Pagasetic Gulf. This category 1 climb is only a precursor for the peloton though, as the route rises and falls through the mountains, before arriving at the longer climb of Chania which begins at 51.1km and climbs at an average of 7.8% for over 10.3km. Thankfully, the riders are rewarded with a long descent and a sweeping ride along the coastal mountains, before briefly returning to Volos and an intermediate points opportunity for the sprinters at the 90.1km point.
This is soon followed by a second intermediate sprint at Almyros, after 124.7km, where the riders turn right and away from the coastal plains, and head back into the mountains. For those who choose to take in the sprint here though, you can also enjoy a visit to the Almyros Archaeological Museum, which houses locally sourced artifacts from Neolithic to the late Roman period. Our riders however will be heading onwards to Lamia, via the hills, which begin again at the 80km point.
These winding mountain roads, lined with greenery, hold many secrets from ancient times, and a few hidden dangers for the peloton, too, with the unexpected twists and turns. This long and sapping climb continues as the road now rises slowly and methodically, with the heat testing all riders, until the next KOM points are gained after 154km, atop a category 2 climb. Thankfully, the gradient falls now, as the peloton are returned to easier gradients and rolling mountains., as the coastal plains and city of Lamia come into view.
Lamia – capital of Phthiotis
Dating back to antiquity, Lamia is today the capital of the regional unit of Phthiotis and of the Central Greece region. It sits slightly inland from the Malian Gulf, beneath rolling hills and mountains that benefit from the sea breezes. This historical city has a ruined castle, and a superb archaeological museum, housing an Important collection of sculptures, pottery, tools and jewellery from the Neolithic, Bronze Age, and Geometric periods, archaic objects from the Temple of Apollo at Kalapodi, and masks of Dionysus and Persephone. However, our riders won’t have time to visit – unlike you – as they’ll be preparing for the sprint finish.
Stage analysis: Stage 3 is the Queen stage of this year’s Tour of the Hellas. With over 4200m of elevation gain across the 207km stage. This will be the first big general classification stage. Although the length of the stage would generally keep things together, the hardest part of the stage does come early and therefore will force the GC guys to take advantage. We would think that when the race returns to Volos, we will have several groups with the possibility of some regrouping. The middle of the stage is flat with a 2nd category climb coming before the finish. I suspect the climb is too far from the finish to be key to winning the stage. We predict there will be a very small group battling it out for stage glory with the GC set up but not conclusive.
