After the chaos of Stage 3 and a day-long transfer from Bulgaria, the peloton will be eager to touch down in Italy. Tuesday’s race begins in Catanzaro, the capital of Calabria, and heads northwest to the UNESCO World Heritage city of Cosenza, which lies at the junction of the Neto and Cratí Rivers.

Mostly flat, the 138 km route does include one category 2 climb with gradients as steep as 12%. The sprint point occurs just before the climb, so expect all the fast men to vie for top honors. As for the stage win, I think a breakaway group could be successful, after having shed the sprinters just before the climb.

For those who haven’t heard: UAE Team Emirates have lost three riders, all exceptional climbers. Jay Vine, Marc Soler, and Adam Yates have all left the race after suffering injuries on Sunday. Other teams have lost riders as well. If you’d like a recap of the mayhem, here you go:

Wine Recommendation: 2016 Cantine Odoardi GB IGT Calabria Rosso ($45; 15.5% abv)

Wines from Calabria can be tough to find. In fact, this is just the second I’ve tried in about 10 years. I was pleased to come across a bottle in my local wine shop!

The Odoardi family has owned land in Calabria’s Cosenza and Catanzaro provinces since the 1400s, paying homage to the region’s native grape varieties and winegrowing regions. Operations are now under the careful watch of brothers Gregorio and Giovan Battista, who have plied their trade since the early 1990s.

Grapes for this wine (30% Gaglioppo, 30% Magliocco, 20% Nerello Cappuccio, and 20% Greco Nero) came from densely planted plots (10,000 vines/hectare) in the Savuto and Scavigna DOCs. Yields were strictly controlled, averaging fewer than two pounds per vine. The juice was fermented in stainless steel tanks, then aged for 12 months in French barriques.

Tasting Notes

Deep ruby color at the core; violet flashes at the rim. The nose is popping! Ripe plum, black cherry, grilled meat; dried rosemary and rose petals; cocoa and black pepper. On the palate, it’s more subdued: sweet, almost candied fruit as on the nose; moderate tannin and acidity, rather hot on the cocoa-inflected finish.

Pairing? Go big! Slow-roasted meat, veal osso buco, or duck confit would all work here. Basically, anything you’d pair with a good Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon from a warmer vintage. We put it alongside a gorgeous short rib ragu with roasted vegetables. Yum!

Enjoy Stage 4 and the unspoiled beauty of Calabria. See you tomorrow with a preview of Wednesday’s stage!