Giro 2021 Route stage 20: Verbania - Alpe Motta
Saturday 29 May - The climbers face their last chance to move up in the GC on stage 20. The 164 kilometres race travels over the San Bernardino Pass and Splügen Pass to the steep uphill finish at the Alpe Motta. The elevation gain is 4,200 metres, which is impressive since virtually all vertical metres are situated in the second half of the race.
Verbania is the place where Filippo Ganna was born on 25 July 1996. The time trial World Champion won four stages in last year’s Giro, including three ITT’s.
The first part of the race runs along the Lago Maggiore into Switzerland. Shortly after Locarno the riders enter the valley of the Moesa river on their way to the San Bernardino Pass.
Starting in Soazzo, the climb to the summit is 23.7 kilometres long. The average gradient sits at 6.2%, which is modest and that’s because a 2 kilometres downhill appears 9 kilometres before the summit, while the last 700 metres are merely a false flat.
Packed with hairpins and surrounded by a gorgeous scenery, the San Bernardino Pass is a beautiful mountain road.
The descent leads into Splügen, at the foot of the pass with the same name and situated at 1,460 metres. So that’s still at altitude, meaning that the next climb is not as long. The Splügen Pass serves 8.9 kilometres of climbing at 7.3%.
The summit of the Splügen Pass coincides with the Swiss/Italian border and the riders return into Italy via a 20 kilometres descent. In Campodolcino they loop steeply back up the mountainside on the stunning old road to Madesimo. The Alpe Motta climb is 7.3 kilometres long and averages 7.6%, while the gradients are hardest in the final part, although the ascent levels out in the last 300 metres.
The second intermediate sprint – situated 2.4 kilometres before the finish – comes with 3, 2 and 1 seconds, while time bonuses of 10, 6 and 4 seconds are awarded to the first three riders on the line.
Another interesting read: live race report 20th stage 2021 Giro.
Giro d’Italia 2021 stage 20: routes, profiles, more
Click on the images to zoom
Watch the highlights of recent races here:
Related articles Favourites stage 20: Last chance for climbers - Giro 20 The Route - Giro 20 Route and stages - Giro 20 Withdrawals - Giro 20 Riders - Giro 20 GC Favourites - Giro 20 More articles Tour of Valencia 2023: The Route
Tour of Valencia 2023: Favourites
Tour of Valencia 2023: Riders
Tour of Valencia 2023 Route stage 1: Orihuela - Altea
Tour of Valencia 2023 Route stage 2: Novelda - Alto de Pinos
Tour of Valencia 2023 Route stage 3: Betera - Segunto
Tour of Valencia 2023 Route stage 4: Burriana - Alto de la Cueva Santa
Tour of Valencia 2023 Route stage 5: Paterna – Valencia
UAE Tour 2023: The Route
UAE Tour 2023: Riders
Giro 2023: The Route
Giro 2023: Riders
Giro 2023 Route stage 1: Fossacesia - Ortona
Giro 2023 Route stage 2: Teramo - San Salvo
Giro 2023 Route stage 3: Vasto - Melfi
Giro 2023 Route stage 4: Venosa - Lago Laceno
Giro 2023 Route stage 7: Capua - Gran Sasso
Cycling Calendar 2023
Ruta del Sol 2023: The Route
Tour de France 2023: The Route
Tour de France 2023: Riders
Tour de France 2023 Route stage 1: Bilbao - Bilbao
Tour de France 2023 Route stage 2: Vitoria-Gasteiz - San Sebastián
Tour de France 2023 Route stage 3: Amorebieta-Etxano - Bayonne
Tour de France 2023 Route stage 6: Tarbes - Cauterets
Tour de France 2023 Route stage 9: Saint-Léonard-de-Noblat - Puy de Dôme
Tour de France 2023 Route stage 13: Châtillon-sur-Chalaronne - Grand Colombier
Tour de France 2023 Route stage 14: Annemasse - Morzine
Tour de France 2023 Route stage 15: Les Gets - Saint-Gervais Mont Blanc
Tour de France 2023 Route stage 20: Belfort - Le Markstein
Vuelta 2023: The Route
Like our Facebook page and stay on top of all pro-race information!