Stage 13 | Friday, 19 May | Borgofranco d'Ivrea - Crans Montana (Valais) | 74.6 kilometres
The time has come: the Giro reaches the Alps. The first Alpine pass to be crossed was actually supposed to be the Cima Coppi (the highest point of the tour) on the Great Saint Bernard at 2469 metres above sea level. However, due to heavy snowfall and an increased risk of avalanches, the route was modified. The initial plan was not to ride over the San Bernardo but to take the tunnel instead. This is around 600 metres further down. However, due to poor weather conditions, the organisers then decided to cancel the San Bernardo completely and move the start to Le Chable, meaning that the 13th stage is now only 74.6 kilometres long.
With the removal of San Bernardo, the Three Peaks are now the highest point of the Tour of Italy on the 19th stage at 2304 metres. The Croix de Coeur (1st category) will be crossed for the first time in the history of the Giro and has a gradient of around 9 per cent over 15 kilometres.
Once the summit has been reached, there is another long descent, passing the border with Switzerland. This is where the stage ends. However, not in the Rhone valley, which is crossed first, but up in the ski resort of Crans Montana with a mountain finish. The climb, also a 1st category climb, is the easiest of the day with 13 kilometres and an average gradient of 7 per cent.
Sporting assessment of the 13th stage
The day's victory will be decided between the favourites for the overall standings. Although the stage is also interesting for breakaway riders, they are likely to run out of steam by the time they reach Crans Montana and have already endured the hardships.
Schedule, TV coverage & live stream of the 13th stage of the Giro d'Italia 2023
The starting signal for the much shorter stage is due to be given at around 14:30. With an estimated average speed of between 32 and 36 km/h, the winner is expected to cross the finish line between 16:34 and 17:22.
Eurosport will broadcast all stages of the Giro d'Italia 2023, including post-event coverage, until 5.45pm. The paid providers GCN+ and Discovery+ will also show a live stream on the internet from 10.45am.
Giro d'Italia 2023 - Stage 13: The most important information at a glance
- High mountain stage with mountain finish over 74.6 kilometres
- Start of the stage: 14:30
- Estimated arrival time: between 16:34 and 17:22
- Live stream: GCN+ and Discovery+
