The Giro d'Italia convoy was supposed to disembark on May 12th, after the three opening Hungarian stages. It would then depart from Sicily, crossing the entire length of Italy to the finish line in Milan.
As we all know, things didn't quite go as planned. Cycling enthusiasts were forced to endure an unusual May, made even more bitter by the absence of our beloved Giro. So, are we giving up? Of course not! That's why today we're offering you a selection of climbs to copy directly from the most spectacular stages of the upcoming Corsa Rosa.
THE NEWS
STAGE 5 / ENNA - ETNA (PROVENCE PLAIN) / SICILY / 150 km
For those who love extreme challenges, the volcanic stage of this Giro d'Italia is ideal. It's a new climb, never before ridden in its entirety by any Giro champion. We'll ride through the Sicilian hinterland to the foot of the Great Volcano, before launching into the climb with a high-altitude finish.
From the pyramid-shaped city of Enna, Sicily's historic center, we head toward Catania , crossing the hills of the Dittàino Valley. We leave behind vast landscapes dotted with isolated farmhouses, passing the medieval towns of Calascibetta, Agora, and Centùrupe, and scenic agricultural centers like Leonforte.
We already feel like we can touch the volcano's white plume, but we still have to circumnavigate the Etna Regional Park, with its dry-stone walls of volcanic stone that break up the vast countryside.
We venture up the slopes, through the villages of Nicolosi, Zafferana Etnea, and Linguaglossa, steadily pedaling toward the crater. Around us, the landscape becomes lunar-like in the scenic Mareneve, where we tackle tight hairpin bends and climb 1,300 meters to reach Piano Provenzana (1,816 meters above sea level).
THE LONGEST
STAGE 16 / UDINE - SAN DANIELE DEL FRIULI / FRIULI VENEZIA GIULIA / 228 km
This stage stretches for a full 228 km between the Julian Prealps and the Tagliamento Valley. We'll climb the Madonnina del Domm and the northern slope of Monte Spig, the hill of Castelmonte Abbey. We'll reach San Daniele via Monteaperta, completing two laps of a very challenging circuit that culminates with the Castello di Susans climb (15%) and the climb to Monte di Ragogna (16%).
The second of the two Friulian stages offers us over 200 km of ups and downs that outline the Julian Prealps, fading to the banks of the Tagliamento River. We'll begin pedaling in Udine, the geographic center of a land where the Alps and the Adriatic embrace like two brothers: different yet intimately connected.
The curtain rises in the wings of the city theater, from which we set off north of the capital. The pace picks up with the first climb of the day, the climb up the Madonna del Domm, a true treasure trove for local enthusiasts. We continue in high gear until Cividale del Friuli, where the mouth of the valleys long dominated by the Lombards rises toward the Slovenian Alps.
The second segment of the stage begins in the eastern hills of Udine, hills adorned with vineyards and sheltered by woods. Here, a series of villages lead us to Tarcento, which launches the grand finale: a loop to be completed twice, with peaks of 16% on Mount Ragogna. Between sprints and sprints, we reach the finish line in San Daniele, where, to celebrate our feat, we indulge in a taste of the famous local Prosciutto Crudo.
THE HOME STAGE
STAGE 17 / BASSANO DEL GRAPPA - MADONNA DI CAMPIGLIO / 202 km
A route that perfectly represents Venetian resourcefulness, with sharp climbs punctuated by continuous undulations. We'll start in Bassano del Grappa, a stone's throw from the Ursus headquarters, and climb Forcella Valbona, Mount Bandone from the Aldeno side, the Durone Pass, and the final climb to Madonna di Campiglio.
We're preparing to tackle one of the most difficult stages of this Giro d'Italia, dominated by climbs spanning the Veneto and Trentino regions. The day's effort begins in the beautiful Bassano del Grappa, a city famous for its Palladio bridge and just 6 km from the factory where we build our road bike wheels. We head north, slicing through the Astico Valley like a blade.
We leave the urban centers to tackle the first and highest climb, never before attempted by the Giro convoy. At 1,782 meters above sea level, the greenery of Forcella Valbona and the Coe Pass unfolds before us like a painting.
We descend towards the Adige Valley, passing Folgaria and Castel Beseno, before climbing up Monte Bondone to 1,572 meters via the Aldeno road. We then pedal through the Giudicarie Valleys, passing the Comano spa before pumping up our lungs for the final climb.
Looking down on the valley from the Durone Pass, we continue toward Tione di Trento and turn into Val Rendena. A final, desperate, leg-breaking climb brings us to Madonna di Campiglio, queen of the Dolomites.
CONCLUSION
Our journey through Italy's most spectacular climbs ends here, but if steep climbs are your thing, we want to advise you on how to tackle them to the fullest. Here are a couple of insights we think will be helpful:discover why you should improve the performance of your road bike and which are the best carbon wheels for road bikes .
