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The Mortirolo has been added to stage 15 of the 2024 Giro d’Italia after native authorities in Switzerland declined to authorise the race’s deliberate border crossing en path to Livigno.
The Alpine stage from Manerba del Garda was initially slated to cross into Switzerland with the intention to deal with the 18km ascent of Forcola di Livigno earlier than taking in one other 8km climb to the end in Livigno.
“Holding Alpine passes such because the Forcola di Livigno protected would impose a disproportionate burden. Because of this, the Division of Infrastructure, Power and Mobility of Graubünden (Switzerland) didn’t settle for the proposed passage of the race,” learn a press release from RCS Sport on Monday.
The alteration implies that the Giro will stay in Italy during stage 15 and traverse the Mortirolo earlier than taking in a distinct method to the two,385m-high end at Livigno. The stage stays 220km in size.
The revised route will see the gruppo climb the class 3 ascent of Lodrino and the class 2 Colle San Zeno within the opening 64km as deliberate. The race then takes within the Passo Mortirolo. Though tackled through the gentler method from Edolo, the class 1 ascent continues to be a demanding one, climbing for 12km and reaching pitches of 16%.
After descending to Grosio, the race proceeds in the direction of Livigno with the class 1 Passo di Foscagno (14.6 km at 6.5%), whose summit comes slightly below 9km to the end. A brief, sharp descent follows earlier than the 4.7km ascent to the end through the Passo di Eira.
The finale is a depraved one, with a median gradient in extra of 10% throughout the final two kilometres and gradients of 19% on the method to the road.
Along with the time trial to Desenzano del Gardastage the earlier afternoon, stage 15 to Livigno types a key double-header for the final classification riders on the finish of the Giro’s second week.
Tadej Pogačar (UAE Workforce Emirates) will line out for his Giro debut because the overwhelming favorite, a standing he underlined together with his astonishing solo win at Strade Bianche on Saturday.
Geraint Thomas (Ineos Grenadiers), Ben O’Connor (Decathlon-AG2R), Daniel Martínez (Bora-Hansgrohe), Wout van Aert and Cian Uijtdebroeks (Visma-Lease A Bike) are among the many riders to have confirmed their participation within the race, which will get underway in Turin on Could 4.
