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« Stage 19Return to Giro d'Italia 2012 Live DashboardStage 21 »
Stage 20 Preview
and Results

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Stage 20: Caldes → Passo dello Stelvio
Date: Saturday, May 26
Distance: 219 km
Categorized Climbs for Stage 20:

Km / To Go Climb Length Grade Max Cat Google Earth Streetview
33 / 186Passo del Tonale15.1 km6.1 %8 %2 3D Tour Streetview
78 / 141Passo dell'Aprica15.9 km3.1 %9 %3 3D Tour Streetview
98 / 121Teglio5.9 km8 %15 %2 3D Tour Streetview
144 / 75Passo del Mortirolo11.4 km10.5 %22 %1 3D Tour Streetview
219 / 0Passo dello Stelvio22.4 km6.9 %12 %1 3D Tour Streetview


View Stage 20 in Google Earth (kml file) or Export the Stage 20 GPX file

Stage 20 start time: Saturday 10:25 CET (8:25:00 AM GMT+0000); Weather for Caldes, Italy
Earliest live video: 13:30 CET (11:30:00 AM GMT+0000); Live/delayed coverage options
Approximate finish: 17:20 CET (3:20:00 PM GMT+0000); Weather for Passo dello Stelvio, Italy

This stage preview is available in the following languages:

(We are looking for translations in ALL other languages. Please submit your translation with the stage no. and language in the subject title. If you don't see your preview posted within 12 hours then please resend your preview as an attachment if you didn't already do so because we've had problems with some inline character sets like German.)

Stage 20 preview: Caldes → Passo dello Stelvio, 219 km (Mountain)


The most surprising thing about Passo dello Stelvio, the second highest paved pass in Europe, is the bustling little town you'll find at the top (photos courtesy of Skip Lauderbaugh)


May 25 update: Passo dello Stelvio... three of the most beautiful words in cycling if you love the mountains. I cycled it 10 years ago and it's stunning in both beauty and engineering (photos) although the Giro d'Italia will be climbing it from the Bormio side which is shorter and less scenic.

The Queen stage of this year's Giro d'Italia, as selected by the fans, ends with the very steep Passo del Mortirolo (11.4 km @ 10.5 %, max 22 %) followed by Passo dello Stelvio, the highest mountain the Giro d'Italia ever uses. The Stelvio is naturally the Cima Coppi (highest point) of this year's race at 2758 m (9048 ft) and, on larger scale, is the fifth highest paved road in Europe and the second highest paved mountain pass. The Mortirolo, Stelvio and the three other categorized climbs on this stage can be explored in greater detail from the table below.

We'll start the final road stage of this year's race from Caldes, in the Trento province, before heading west through the Brescia province and then looping northeast into the Sondrio province. The Sondrio province borders with Switzerland and the last four categorized climbs are part of the Italian Alps. Overall, there is a lot of climbing on this stage, the longest mountain stage of the race at 219 km, but other than Passo del Mortirolo, the climbs aren't as steep as the previous two mountain stages. By the way, this is the 33rd time the Mortirolo has been used by the Giro d'Italia making it one of the events most popular climbs.

This stage is the last chance for pure climbers like Joaquim Rodriguez, Michele Scarponi and Domenico Pozzovivo to gain time before the final day time-trial in Milan. Although, Ivan Basso is a better time-trialist than any of these riders, he'll need to put time into Ryder Hesjedal, who will have to a bad day on either Stage 19 or 20 if any of the aforementioned riders are going to win this year's Giro d'Italia. Either Ivan Basso or Domenico Pozzovivo should win this stage. — Steve

Categorized Climbs for Stage 20:

Km / To Go Climb Length Grade Max Cat Google Earth Streetview
33 / 186Passo del Tonale15.1 km6.1 %8 %2 3D Tour Streetview
78 / 141Passo dell'Aprica15.9 km3.1 %9 %3 3D Tour Streetview
98 / 121Teglio5.9 km8 %15 %2 3D Tour Streetview
144 / 75Passo del Mortirolo11.4 km10.5 %22 %1 3D Tour Streetview
219 / 0Passo dello Stelvio22.4 km6.9 %12 %1 3D Tour Streetview

Stage 20 Google Earth Flyover (09:14 No Audio) — cyclingthealps
Stage 20 Animated Flyover (00:34 Music) — rai
Stelvio Recon and Preview by Dan Lloyd (07:13 English) — IGMarketsCycling
Stelvio Webcam — popso.it
Passo dello Stelvio - A Brief History — podiumcafe
General Classification after Stage 19
1  RODRIGUEZ OLIVER, Joaquin (KATUSHA)            84:06:13
2  HESJEDAL, Ryder (GARMIN-BARRACUDA)               + 0:17
3  SCARPONI, Michele (LAMPRE - ISD)                 + 1:39
4  BASSO, Ivan (LIQUIGAS-CANNONDALE)                + 1:45
5  URAN URAN, Rigoberto (SKY PROCYCLING)            + 3:21
6  POZZOVIVO, Domenico (COLNAGO - CSF INOX)         + 3:30
7  GADRET, John (AG2R LA MONDIALE)                  + 5:36
8  DE GENDT, Thomas (VACANSOLEIL-DCM)               + 5:40
9  HENAO MONTOYA, Sergio Luis  (SKY PROCYCLING)     + 5:47
10 CUNEGO, Damiano (LAMPRE - ISD)                   + 6:09
11 TSCHOPP, Johann (BMC RACING)                     + 6:18
12 CATALDO, Dario (OMEGA PHARMA-QUICKSTEP)          + 6:19
13 NIEVE ITURALDE, Mikel (EUSKALTEL - EUSKADI)      + 6:28
14 MORENO FERNANDEZ, Daniel (KATUSHA)               + 6:41
15 BRAMBILLA, Gianluca (COLNAGO - CSF INOX)         + 8:18

Last (Ultimi) Km Profile
Gazzetta's Pier Bergonzi Previews Stage 20 (1:00 Italian) — gazzetta