Giro 2022 Route stage 9: Isernia

Giro 2022 Route stage 9: Isernia - Blockhaus

Sunday 15 May - The 9th stage serves the first big test on the Giro. At 187 kilometers the riders traverse a mountainous route with almost 5,000 climbing metres, the lion's share of which lies in a double ascent of Blockhaus.

The pink caravan sets off from Isernia and the route climbs almost immediately from the start, although initially at shallow gradients. After almost 40 kilometres KOM points are awarded in Roccaraso before the gradients ease off and a long descent ushers in an intermediate phase on undulating terrain.

The riders tackle the Passo Lanciano – which is another name for Blockhaus – for the first time from Pretoro. After cresting the 10 kilometers climb the route descends towards Scafa, only to go back up again.

From Scafa, the finish climb is 26 kilometres long, while the average gradient sits at 7.3% gemiddeld. The official distance and gradient may be different – 13.6 kilometres at 8.4% -, the fact remains that the legs of the riders will be tested from Scafa onwards. Even more disturbing to some will be the average gradient of the last 10 kilometres: 9,4%, while this section features the steepest stretch of 14%.

The Blockhaus was first included on the 1967 Giro d’Italia with Eddy Merckx powering to his first stage win in a Grand Tour. Since then Franco Bitossi (1968), José Manuel Fuente (1972), Moreno Argentin (1984), Ivan Basso (2006), Franco Pellizotti (2009), and Nairo Quintana (2017) climbed to victory on the sheer endless slopes.