The day starts in Corte with a ride into the Restonica valley. The road follows the valley west, climbing steadily between rock walls, wooded sections and the river deep into the mountains. After returning toward Corte, the actual crossing of the island begins. South of town, the route continues through Venaco and Vivario into higher terrain. The central climb leads to the Col de Sorba; this is where the stage becomes clearly alpine, with a narrow road, maquis, rock and long stretches with few villages. After the pass, the descent drops toward Ghisoni. From there, the route follows the Fiumorbo valley east, passing gorges and wooded slopes. The terrain only becomes lower late in the day. The final kilometres into Solenzara bring the return to the sea and close one of the hardest stages of the tour.
