Giro d’Italia Week Three Route Preview: The third week of all Grand Tours is the hardest and, like all recent Giri, this year week three has the most climbing. I want to say ‘the Giro is won or lost in the third week’ but the way Tadej Pogačar has dominated so far…. You never know, there might be an upset or a surprise.
More of the same form Tadej Pogačar?
The final week of the first Grand Tour of the year has fifteen categorised climbs and two sprint stages before the finish in Rome. Here is the run-down on the climax of the 2024 Giro d’Italia.
Giro d’Italia 2024 | The Route
Stage 16
Tuesday May 21, Livigno – Santa Cristina Val Gardena (202km)
From Livigno the peloton should have tackle the famous climb of the Passo dello Stelvio (20.2km at 7.2%) at the beginning of the 202 kilometre stage, but the Giro d’Italia had to change the route due to snow. Before the start of the Giro, no one was sure if the race would be able to cross the Stelvio. The mountain was also the Cima Coppi, the highest point of the Italian tour. Now the sixteenth stage will look slightly different, as the riders will not race up the Stelvio. There is too much snow on the road and the safety risks mean that the riders will not summit the 20 kilometre climb.
Tom Dumoulin had a hard chase after his enforced stop for a call of nature
RCS Sport have replaced the Stelvio with the Umbrail pass. With its 16.7 kilometres at 7.1%, this climb is not an easy climb and will also be the new Cima Coppi for 2024. The riders climb to a height of 2,498 metres at the top, only 250 metres lower than the Stelvio Pass. The top of the Umbrail Pass is more than 150 kilometres from the finish. In 2017, the Umbrail pass was part of the Giro d’Italia route, the final climb in a stage over the Mortirolo and the Passo della Stelvio. That year the road was passable. That stage possibly brought the mountain its fame. In the valley between the Stelvio and the Umbrail pass, the pink jersey, Tom Dumoulin, was in dire need of a toilet stop at the side of the road… in a hurry.
Passo Pinei
Passo Pinei
Twelve kilometres from the finish is the top of the Passo Pinei (23.4 m at 4.7%). The climb starts quite steeply, but levels off halfway up. After a flatter middle section, a steeper final of the climb follows. The irregular climb is mainly a challenge due to its length, although the steepest parts have gradients of up to 15%.
Santa Cristina val Gerdena
Santa Cristina val Gerdena (Monte Pana)
After the Passo Pinei, the riders still have the 6.5 kilometre Cat.2 climb to Santa Cristina val Gerdena. With an average gradient of 6.1%, the climb isn’t too difficult, but the steepest ramps go up at 16%. These most difficult parts are near the top. The 2 final kilometres have an average gradient of 11.8%. An attack could come at the end of this 206 kilometre stage.
Stage 16 map and profile
Stage 17
Wednesday May 22, Selva di Val Gardena – Passo Brocon (159km)
160 kilometres of up and down, from the Selva di Val Gardena winter sports area to Passo Brocon. One Cat.3 climb and four Cat.1 and Cat.2 climbs. In the first part of the stage there is the Passo Sella (8.9km at 7.4%) and the Passo Rolle (19.8km at 4.8%). The finale there is two climbs of the Passo Brocon. Via Albergo the peloton faces a climb of 13.3 kilometres at 6.5%. In the final, the mountain is climbed from Pieve Tesino. The finish is on top of the Passo Brocon (12.2km at 6.4%).
Passo Sella
Passo Sella
With a length of 5,500 metres with an average gradient of 6.8, the first categorised climb of the 17th stage is the shortest and the steepest. With ramps up to 11%, this Cat.2 climbs 373 vertical metres. The summit is at 2,244 metres, the climb is a serious start to the day, right from the start.
Passo Rolle
Passo Rolle
Almost 20 kilometres long and an average gradient of 4.8%. Not too hard, but very irregular. The beginning and the end of the climb has very tough sections, with maximum gradients of up to 10%. The middle part is a lot easier, some parts are almost flat. The Cat.1 climb has been included in the Giro route seven times. 2019 was the last time the Giro used the climb. Pello Bilbao beat Mikel Landa and Giulio Ciccone.
Passo Goberra
Passo Goberra
With a length of 5,700 metres and an average gradient of 6%, the Passo Goberra is the easiest climb of the stage. The Cat.3 climb takes the riders up 343 metres, to a height of 985 metres.
Passo Brocon (1st time)
Passo Brocon (Albergo)
In the finale of the seventeenth stage, there are two climbs of the Passo Brocon. The first ascent of the Brocon is 15.4 kilometres long and has an average gradient of 5.6%. On the steepest parts, it ramps up to as much as 12%. The top is at 1,615 metres, lower than the earlier climbs on the stage.
Passo Brocon (2nd time)
Passo Brocon
The final climb is considerably shorter, at 11.9 kilometres. But the average gradient of 6.5% is almost 1% steeper than the previous climb. This last climb is slightly more irregular, there are parts with gradients of up to 14%. Between kilometre 7 and 10, strong riders have the best chance to make a difference. The finish of the stage is at the top of the second climb of the Passo Brocon, at an altitude of 1,610 metres. The Passo Brocon was part of a Giro route once before. In 1956, Charly Gaul won the stage over the Brocon. The finish that day was not on this climb, but on top of Monte Bondone. That year, Gaul not only won the stage, but also the final overall. He repeated his Giro win in 1959. He also won Tour de France in 1958.
Stage 17 map and profile
Stage 18
Thursday May 23, Fiera di Primiero – Padova (171km)
All of the peloton will be looking forward to Stage 18. The 171 kilometre stage goes from Fiera di Primiero to Padova and has only 550 metres of climbing. From the start in Fiera di Primiero, the peloton heads towards the only climb of the day, Lamon (3.5km at 5.6%), it shouldn’t be a problem for the fast-finishers, those that are left.
Padova
Lamon
The one and only categorised ‘mountain’: The Lamon. It comes at the beginning of the stage and is only 3,500 metres long with an average gradient of 5.6%. This Cat.4 climbs to 608 metres.
Another for Jonathan Milan?
Stage 19
Friday May 24, Mortegliano – Sappada (157km)
Stage 19 could be a day for the GC men, but they might be scared of Saturday’s big mountain stage. 157 kilometre and has 2,850 climbing metres from Mortegliano to Sappada. After a flat start there are two Cat.2 climbs and one Cat.3. The finale has three climbs: the Passo Duron (4.4km at 9.6%) Cat.2, the Sella Valcalda (6.5km at 5.9%) Cat.3 and the Cima Sappada (7.4km at 5.4%) Cat.2. After the final climb there are 7 kilometres of rolling road before the finish in Sappara, at an altitude of 1,235 metres.
Passo Duron
Passo Duron
After the first intermediate sprint, the route climbs to the foot of the first categorised climb of the day. The Passo Duron, with its summit 53 kilometres from the finish, it is the most difficult part of the day. Despite the length of only 4.4 kilometres, the average gradient of 9.6% with peaks of up to 18%, not easy. After a short descent from the Passo Duron, a second ascent follows almost immediately. This Cat.3 climb from Cercivento, the Sella Valcalda, is only 6.5 kilometres long and has an average gradient of 5.9%. The height of the climb to only 958 metres.
Cima Sappada
Cima Sappada
About 15 kilometres from the finish, the Cima Capadda starts. 8.5 kilometres and an average gradient of 4.7%, the final climb of the day. The climb is irregular and has steep sections of up to 15%. The last part towards Sappada in particular is difficult. After the top of the final climb is reached, there is 7 kilometres of rolling terrain before the finish. This finish line is at an altitude of 1,235 metres in Sappada. The finish has been on the Giro route seven times before. The last time was in 2018 when Simon Yates won a hilly 15th stage finishing in Sappada, ahead of Miguel Ángel López and Tom Dumoulin.
Stage 19 profile and map
Stage 20
Saturday May 25, Alpago – Bassano del Grappa (181km)
The 181 kilometre long penultimate stage has an elevation gain of 4,250 meters and goes from Alpago to Bassano del Grappa. After a relatively flat run-up, two tough climbs and long descents of a Cat.1 pass in the Veneto Prealps await the riders before they reach the day’s finish. These climbs of Monte Grappa (18.2km at 8.1%) are over 18 kilometres long and have an average gradient of more than 8 percent. On the steepest strips, percentages of 14 percent are reached. Even though the riders climb the long mountain twice, they do not finish on top. The finish is after the second descent from the Grappa Mountain.
Muro di ca’del Poggio
Muro di ca’del Poggio
After 30 kilometres of racing, the peloton starts at the Muro di ca’del Poggio. Not the one from Milano-Sanremo, but this cat.4 climb is steep. It is only 1 kilometre long but has an average gradient of 12.1%.
Monte Grappa
Monte Grappa (twice)
After the steep Muro di ca’del Poggio, 55 kilometres later there is the first ascent of Monte Grappa. The climb takes the race to a height of 1,675 metres, it’s 18.1 kilometres long and has an average gradient of 8.1%. Despite two short downhill sections, the climb is very consistent. The last part of the climb is the most difficult part of the Monte Grappa with an average gradient of 9.5%. There are ramps of up to 17%. The Cat.1 has been in a Giro route four times before. In the 2017 Giro, the climb was central to the penultimate stage, Thibaut Pinot won ahead of Ilnur Zakarin and Vincenzo Nibali. Tom Dumoulin lost time on the stage in the battle for the overall, but he limited his loss to 15 seconds.
Stage 20 map and profile
This year the peloton will climb the Passo Grappa twice from Semonzo del Grappa. The top of the second climb is 31 kilometres from the finish, from there it descends to the finish town of Bassano del Grappa and the fight for the 2024 Giro will be over.
Bassano del Grappa
Stage 21
Sunday May 26, Roma – Roma (125km)
The road to Roma
The final stage of the 107th edition of the Giro d’Italia is set on the streets of Rome and gives the sprinters a chance for stage success. The stage gives the various winners plenty time to enjoy their victories The 122 kilometre stage starts with a loop to the Tyrrhenian coast. From there the peloton heads back inland towards Rome. The last stage has practically no climbing and finishes with a local circuit of 9.5 kilometres through the centre of the capital city. The sprinters will have their chance of glory at the finish.
The final on the streets of Rome
2024 Giro d’Italia map
*** Stay PEZ for Stage Reports every day. ***
Like PEZ? Why not subscribe to our weekly newsletter to receive updates and reminders on what’s cool in road cycling?
