Key Stages of the Giro – Part 2

Stage 14

Saturday May 23
Start: Campi Bisenzio
Finish: Bologna (San Luca)
Type: Mountain
Distance: 172 km
View profile

This stage sees a return of the mountains after a three day break, but there’s nothing really serious until Monday’s stage (see below). It’s likely that in the context of the fight for the pink jersey, there will be no major upheaval in Bologna. The stage arrives in San Luca, well known to regulars of the Tour of Emilia. With five climbs, the final ascent to Bologna may be the ideal place for a breakaway.

Stage 16

Date: Monday May 25
Start: Pergola
Finish: Monte Petrano
Type: Mountain
Distance: 237 km
View profile

If the race has not alreay shaken out a winner, this will undoubtedly be the queen stage of the Giro. The passes are much more difficult than those of the two previous days, so this is the ideal stage for large gaps to be opened. The first 150 km, while easier than the remainder of the stage, will force the riders to burn a couple of matches. Then come the last 100 kilometers of the stage, an absolutely terrifying sequence with three climbs: the Monte Nerone (12 km at 7.5% on average), the Monte Catria (11 km at 8% on average) and the final climb to Monte Petrano (10.5 km at 8.2%). Monte Petrano will offer great opportunities for attack. The last five kilometers are 9.5% on average. For climbers, this is a golden opportunity.

Stage 17

Date: Wednesday, May 27
Start: Chieti
Finish: Blockhaus
Type: Mountain
Distance: 83 km
View profile

The second rest day is followed with a very short 83 km stage. This is obviously the shortest stage, but also the highest, with the climax at Blockhaus (2064 m). After a nervous 60 km approach, the Blockhaus climb comes with 23km of riding at a 7.3% average slope. Laurent Fignon has bad memories of this climb. Victim of a craving for Giro n 1984, the Parisian had two minutes over Francesco Moser, but they would weigh heavily in he end. Three years ago, Ivan Basso had taken the pink jersey here, but the stage ended at mid-slope of the Blockhaus at the Passo Lanciano. This time he will go to the top.

Stage 19

Date: Friday May 29
Start: Avellino
Finish: Mt. Vesuvius
Type: Mountain
Distance: 164 km
View profile

Stage 19 takes the race to the heart of one of the most prestigious sites on the Italian peninsula. The finish takes the pack to the summit of Mt. Vesuvius and overlooks one of the most beautiful bays in the world. The famous volcano is not the most complicated of the three weeks, but this is the last pass of the race. The first 150 km of the stage before arriving at the foot of Vesuvius are extremely hilly. The final climb is seven kilometers at around an 8% average slope.

Stage 21

Date: Sunday May 31
Start/Finish: Rome
Type: Individual time trial
Distance: 14.4 km
View profile

For this centennial, organizers want to bring across all the richness of culture, geography and architecture of Italy. They have therefore chosen to leave Milan, the site of the usual drama of Giro arrivals, to the capital. We could not imagine a better final race than a competition against the clock in the streets of Rome. As in the prologue in Paris in the 2003 Tour de France, or as in Rome two years ago, the course will showcase the wonders of the Italian capital, passing the Forum at Mont Palatin, and of course, the Colosseum. The course itself does not present any particular difficulties. At 14km, this should not prove to be a huge test, but after three grueling weeks, it may prove too long for some.

Tags: blockhaus, francesco moser, Giro d'Italia, Italia, Italy, Ivan Basso, Rome, time trial, vesuvius