Planning for the Giro d'Italia

We finally settled on our dates, moving things a little later for a better chance of the Stelvio being open so we can ride over it from Bormio towards Bolzano. Hmm, is the Giro going over the Stelvio this year? When? Only 3 days after the date on our preliminary schedule?

When I create a preliminary schedule for flight-booking purposes, I plan potential point-to-point and day rides, sightseeing days in places we really want to see, and tack some flex days on the end. Easy enough to move some of those ahead and plan to be in Bormio for an extra day to watch the Giro. We reserved an apartment in Bormio for 3 nights right after booking our flights and before arranging accommodation in Florence (arrival) and Oleggio (departure).

Stage 18 is described on the official Giro website as "a colossal Alpine stage with 5,400 m vertical altitude gain in as little as four climbs... the route tackles the Stelvio from the hardest side [Prato di Stelvio] and, immediately afterwards, takes in the final climb leading to the Laghi di Cancano with 21 hairpins along the mountainside (the so-called “scale di Fraele”)."

Stage 18 profile from giroditalia.it. We are planning the relatively small climb at the end, up to Laghi di Cancano.

Scale di Fraele photo from epicroadrides.com.

Al rode this climb as a day ride from Bormio in 2018 (on a lightweight road bike) and says it's not too bad. Not too steep and very scenic. I'm looking forward to seeing the Giro in person and hope the weather cooperates!

A famous photo of Aldo Moser crossing Passo allo Stelvio in the 1965 Giro d'Italia (from Wikipedia). I hope we get better conditions!

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Rachael AndersonThat would be exciting to see the Gyro d’Italia! We got to see a stage of the Tour de France back when Lance Armstrong was riding. It was very exciting!
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3 years ago

Jacquie GaudetTo Rachael AndersonIt would be! That was the plan for 2020 and, though we will be in Italy during the 2022 Giro, the route has not been published yet and I doubt we will be able to easily revise our itinerary at that point. On the other hand, we should be able to step into a bar or café and watch some while enjoying a beverage, which is not the case in Canada.
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3 years ago