Giro d'Italia 2024: Third mountain finish in a row, and the last - this is stage 17
Sebastian Lindner
· 18.05.2024
Stage 17 | Wednesday, 22 May | Selva di Val Gardena - Passo del Brocon | 159 kilometres
After two mountain finishes in a row, the 17th stage is the third in a row. At 159 kilometres, the day will be significantly shorter than the previous ones, but by no means easier. Once again, more than 4,000 metres of climbing await the peloton. And this time in compressed form.
From Selva di Val Gardena, the starting point not far from Monte Pana, the finish of the previous day, the route climbs directly to the Passo Sella (2nd category) for nine kilometres with a 7.4 per cent gradient. As there are no flat kilometres on this stage, the next 35 kilometres or so are downhill and head straight south to Predazzo. There the route bends to the east and leads over the Passo Rolle (1st category), which lives up to its name with almost 20 kilometres and a gradient of less than five per cent.
A good 30 kilometres of descent follow again to the south. A small intermediate climb, the Passo Gobbera (3rd category) takes the riders to Canal San Bovo, where the 13.3 kilometre climb to the Passo Brocon (2nd category) begins. The riders climb the mountain from the north side, ride down it to the south - and then back up again. Because the stage ends on the Brocon. From Pieve Tesino, the southernmost and lowest point of this loop, the route climbs up again. Not on the same road that is used for the descent, mind you - the Tour of the Alps already climbed here once before in 2022 - but on a path a little further west. At 11.8 kilometres, it is shorter than the ascent from the north and only slightly steeper, but is still classified as 1st category.
For the first time, a stage of the Giro ends on the Passo Brocon. The tour has also only been here once before. In 1956, almost 70 years ago.
Sporting assessment of the 17th stage
A stage for all those aiming for the mountains jersey. Simon Geschke (Cofidis) is likely to have chosen this day to close in on Tadej Pogacar (UAE Team Emirates), who also claims this jersey for himself. Or at least to ensure that he takes the blue jersey to Rome as the Slovenian's deputy.
Of course, the classification can also be made here, as it is the last mountain finish. Especially the riders, the pros from the front ranks of the overall standings, who already had problems the day before, could be put in a real predicament here. Or they could take heart again with a heroic ride. However, it is more likely that the gaps will be so large after this stage that there won't be much left to salvage on the final mountain stage on the penultimate day of the tour.
Giro d'Italia 2024 - Stage 17: The most important information at a glance
- Mountain stage with mountain finish over 159 kilometres
- Mountain classifications: 5, sprint classifications: 3
- Start time: 12:25 pm
- Estimated arrival time: between 16:53 and 17:31
- TV: from 12:15 pm Eurosport 1
- Live stream: from 12:15 pm Discovery Plus
- More info on TV broadcast & live stream
