The last week of the Giro d’Italia has arrived, in which the long-awaited battle between the men of the general classification should take place after two weeks with hardly any attacks in the fight for the pink jersey. An attitude that looks like it will change with the climbs to Monte Bondone, Tre Cime di Lavaredo and the time trial with the extremely tough Monte Lussari, as they will force the favorites to squeeze themselves to the maximum in the fight to wear the pink jersey in Rome. Below we know in detail the stages that will decide the winner of the Giro d’Italia 2023.
Stage 16: Sabbio Chiese – Monte Bondone (Tuesday, May 23)
The third and decisive week of the Giro d’Italia will start with the second day ‘Five Stars’ on a 203-kilometre route between Sabbio Chiese and the final climb to Monte Bondone with 5,200 meters of positive elevation gain. After a stage start in which the peloton will go around the west shore of Lake Garda with its many tunnels, the race will harden after passing through Riva del Garda to face the first demanding port of the day, the Passo di Santa Barbara, first category with aus 12.7 kilometers at 8.3%, and the chained one with the ascent to Passo Bordiala (3rd category). A long descent will take the riders to Rovereto for the intermediate sprint before ascending to Matassone (category 2). The descent of this port will take the cyclists to the ascent to Serrada, second category with its 17.7 kilometers at 5.5% to face another long descent in the direction of Aldeno for start the final ascent to the very tough Monte Bondone, first class with its 21.4 kilometers of ascent at 6.7% to finish at an altitude of 1,632 metres.
Stage 18: Oderzo – Val di Zoldo (Thursday, May 25)
Short but very demanding mid-mountain stage with 161 kilometers between Oderzo and the arrival at the top of Val di Zoldo with 3,700 meters of altitude difference. The peloton will get closer to the foot of the Dolomites and will have a demanding first test almost at the start with the climb to the tough Passo della Crosetta, first category with its 11.6 kilometers at 7.1%. The descent from this port will be slowed by the climb to Pieve d’Alpago (4th) before tackling calm terrain on the way to the Pieve di Cadore sprint, which will be the prelude to a demanding finish that will begin with the demanding climb to Forcella Cibiana , in the first category with its 9.6 kilometers at 7.8% and, after its rapid descent, to the final chain with the climb to Coi (2nd, 5.8 kilometers at 9.7% with ramps of 19%) and, almost without rest, the climb to Val di Zoldo, with its 2.7 kilometers at 6.4% .
Stage 19: Longarone – Tre Cime di Lavaredo (Friday, May 26)
The last ‘tappone’ and the third of the four stages classified as ‘Five Stars’ of the Giro d’Italia 2023 could leave the general decided on a route of 183 kilometers between Longarone and the arrival at the top of the Tre Cime di Lavaredo. A day in which the runners will hardly have any flat kilometres, as the road will go uphill almost from the start towards the intermediate sprint of Caprile before facing the first climb of the day, Passo Campolongo (2nd, 3.9 km to the 7%). After their descent, the cyclists will face the first of the three ports in which they will exceed 2,000 meters of altitude: the Passo Valparola, first category with its 14.1 kilometers at 5.6%. The descent of this pass will take runners to another of the mythical climbs of the Dolomites: Passo Giau, first class with its 9.9 kilometers at 9.3% and which will crown at 2,236 meters of altitude. The descent towards Cortina d’Ampezzo will begin the extremely hard final chain with the climb to Tre Croci, in the second category with 7.9 kilometers at 7.2% and the final climb to the Tre Cime di Lavaredo, Cima Coppi of this edition with its 7.2 kilometers at 7.6%, ramps of up to 18% and the final three kilometers at an average of 12.7%, which will crown 2,304 meters altitude.
Stage 20: Tarvisio – Monte Lussari (Saturday, May 27)
As if the Tre Cime di Lavaredo stage were not enough, the Giro d’Italia overall contenders will face a final and demanding test in the penultimate stage with an 18.6 time trial between Tarvisio and the climb to Monte Lussari. It is a stage that is very reminiscent of the final time trial in La Planche des Belles Filles in the 2020 Tour, with a first flat section before facing the final climb to the Monte Lussari, where they will ascend a 900-meter drop in just 7.3 kilometers with an average slope of 12.1% and with the first four initial kilometers at an average of 15% with peaks of 22%. A new climb that will crown the new Giro d’Italia champion before the triumphant ride on Sunday through the streets of Rome.
