The 2nd stage takes in an elevation gain of 2,300 metres. That’s not excessively, but since the bulk of it is packed into the last 45 kilometres the riders face a trying finale.
The first 100 kilometres of stage 2 are as good as flat and then the route climbs at very shallow gradients – 7.2 kilometres at 3.1% – to Valle San Nicolao. In its wake the uphill to Crocemosso throws in 3,2 kilometres at 5.7%.
By now the climbing muscles will be warmed-up and the first KOM climb in the Oasi Zegna nature park covers 5.7 kilometres at a 5.1% grade. Right after the descent, the riders tackle the Nelva, a 3.2 kilometres climb at 6.6%. The downhill leads into Biella, positioned at the foot of the final climb.
The Oropa ascent might not be the most gruelling climb out there, but it’s certainly captivating, especially with its picturesque finish at the Santuario di Oropa’s white steps. Back in 2017, Tom Dumoulin paved his way to overall victory by clinching a stage win there.
The tricky bit of the Oropa climb is that it features sections of varying steepness. Midway through, for instance, there’s a stretch where the gradients ramp up to 9.5% for more than 1 kilometre, while the sections just before and after offer more of a false flat. In the last 5 kilometres, the Oropa becomes a more consistent climb, with an average gradient of almost 8%.
Favourites 2nd stage 2024 Giro d’Italia
*** Tadej Pogacar
** Daniel Felipe Martínez, Ben O’Connor, Giulio Pellizzari
* Michael Storer, Mauri Vansevenant, Michael Woods, Lorenzo Fortunato
Another interesting read: route 2nd stage 2024 Giro.
Giro d’Italia 2024 stage 2: routes & profiles
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