Reading the route of the first stage concluded with a final climb towards the citadel of Visegrad (3.8 km at 5% average gradient) recalls the start of the Tour de France 2021 when "MVDP" was the favorite on the first day in Landernau.
He had to wait until the next day and Mûr-de-Bretagne to seize the golden tunic.
"It may seem easy but it's not," insisted the Dutchman on Wednesday, who judges Friday's final "not very steep".
"It will be difficult to attack there and let go of sprinters like (Caleb) Ewan," he said.
Especially since it is the only difficulty of the day: leaving Budapest from the south, the peloton must make a loop to the west and follow the Danube for the last thirty kilometers to the hill of Visegrad overlooking the river.
Giro 2022: the route of the 105th edition Valentin RAKOVSKY AFP
After a pin four kilometers from the finish line, another follows less than a kilometer further.
The placement will be decisive for the winner as well as for the favorites who risk being delayed by falls in this tortuous final, at the start of the ascent.
"I think Mathieu van der Poel is right, it will be difficult to let go of fast guys like Caleb (Ewan), especially since he is very good on these small climbs," said one of the contenders for the final classification, Simon Yates. .
"But I think it's also a very fitting ending for van der Poel."
© 2022 AFP