Giro 2018 Route Stage 18: Abbiategrasso

Giro 2018 Route Stage 18: Abbiategrasso - Prato Nervoso

Thursday, 24 May 2018 - The 18th stage of the Giro d'Italia brings a summit finish in Prato Nervoso, a ski resort close to the French/Italian border. Following the start in Abbiategrasso the race is played out on flat roads until the riders tackle the climb to Prato Nervoso, which is 13.9 kilometres and averaging 6.9%.

It’s been quite a while since a Grand Tour last visited Prato Nervoso. In 2008, the 15th stage of the Tour de France finished in the ski and winter holiday resort that was created in the early 1960s. It’s not the hardest climb in the world and Simon Gerrans took the flowers. Prato Nervoso featured twice in the Giro d’Italia. In 2000 Stefano Garzelli climbed to victory and Pavel Tonkov did so in 1996.

Starting in Frabosa Sottana, the Prato Nervoso climb is fairly regular. The first 2.5 kilometres are going up at around 5.5% before the ascent toughens up a bit to gradients of around 8% and a steepest section of 10%. At 13.9 kilometres, the climb to Prato Nervoso is averaging 6.9%.

Actually, the last climb is the only climb of the day. So it will be a sudden transition from flat valley roads to a haul up to the line, a bit like last year’s race to Oropa.

The first three riders on the line win time bonuses of 10, 6 and 4 seconds, while the last of two intermediate sprints (at kilometre 130.7 and at kilometre 169.9) comes with 3, 2 and 1 seconds.

Read also: results/race report 18th stage Giro d’Italia 2018.