Giro 2022 Favourites stage 19: Steep ramps to suit the breakaway

Especially, since the next stage is much more suited for a GC battle with consequences. So GC contenders are expected to keep their powder dry for the big final mountain stage to the Passo Fedaia.

Stage 19 opens with 70 kilometres on the flat. The route then includes two ascents within 20 kilometres – the first of 3.7 kilometres at 8%, the second of 12.1 kilometres at 4.6%. The riders then enter Slovenia to continue to the hardest climb of the day.

The Kolovrat is 10.3 kilometres long and the average gradient sits at 9.2%. Which is impressive in itself, but it’s the gradients that go all over the place that will do the damage. Kilometres at 4.3% play leapfrog with kilometres at 12.5%.

The Kolovrat is not ging to be decisive, but the breakaway is sure to be decimated on the climb. From the summit the riders descend to a flat run-up of 10 kilometres to the finish climb.

The Santuario di Castelmonte climb is 7.1 kilometres long and averages 7.8%. Mostly the slope is steeper though, as a short descent biases the average gradient. A perfect spot for attackers to distance their last companions – if any – appears inside the last 1.5 kilometres with 500 metres at 11%.

[This article was written before the start of the Giro. We’ll update it on the third rest day]

Favourites 19th stage 2022 Giro d’Italia

*** Bauke Mollema, Pavel Sivakov, Lennard Kämna
** Thomas De Gendt, Vincenzo Nibali, Alejandro Valverde, Mauri Vansevenant
* Davide Formolo, Koen Bouwman, Jan Hirt, Jhonatan Narváez, Joe Dombrowski, Jonathan Caicedo

Another interesting read: route 19th stage 2022 Giro.