MILAN – The next edition of the Giro d’Italia will feature challenging climbs including Etna, Blockhaus, Mortirolo and Santa Cristina.
The six mountain stages of the 2022 Giro were revealed on Wednesday, as Grand Tour organizers continue their staggered presentation of the route.
Breaking with tradition, RCS Sport has decided to unveil the details of the competition in several presentations, starting with the seven stages that better serve sprinters on Monday and the six more rugged stages the following day.
However, it is in the mountains that the winner of the Giro should be chosen. Egan Bernal, defending champion, said seeing these six mountain stages that the 2022 edition “will be another difficult edition”. According to him, the ascent of Etna, where the first finish line will be installed at altitude, could eliminate those who will not be at 100% from the first week of the Tour.
The Giro will kick off on May 6 with three stages in Hungary before the first rest day, during which the cyclists will travel to Italy. They should meet their first real one at the conclusion of the fourth stage, with the ascent of Etna.
Three other races will end at the top, including at the Blockhaus, where the finish line is at the end of an ascent of more than 10%, after a series of hairpin bends. This 187 km stage has almost 5000 m of ascent.
There will be more in the traditional stages of the vineyards. The 200 km separating Salo from Aprica include 5400 m of climb on the Goletto di Cadino, as well as the Mortirolo and the Santa Cristina.
Another five-star stage, with a higher degree of difficulty, is the last in the mountains. The 167 km route from Brunello includes the last altitude finish line and the last three climbs of the competition: the San Pellegrino pass, the Pordoi pass, the highest point of the competition, and the Fedeia pass, at the foot of the Marmolada Glacier.
This stage will be the penultimate day of the Giro, before the time trial in Verona, which should be the last stage of the competition.
The details of this last stage will be revealed on Thursday, along with the exact dates of all the stages.
