From @Eshnar's excellent 2022 Giro d'Italia: Stage-by-stage Analysis thread: https://forum.cyclingnews.com/threads/2022-giro-ditalia-stage-by-stage-analysis.37819/#post-2691575
Stage 16: Salò – Aprica 202 km
Tuesday, May 24th, 11:00 CET
Technical Overview:
After the final rest day, it is time for the queen stage. From the town of Salò, on Lake Garda, the riders will head into the mountains and face big and famous climbs all day long. After a first 30 kms of gently ascending false flat, the peloton will reach the foot of the first climb of the day, a big one already: Goletto di Cadino (GPM1, 19.9 km at 6.2%), better known as Passo Crocedomini (which is a pass just a few meters below the actual top), is not as grueling as it is from the opposite side, but it is still a long and tough climb, that will wear legs down nicely, as well as determine the composition of the breakaway of the day. The descent is long, steep and quite technical, so this might also be a good point for riders to jump, if the breakaway is still in reach. At the bottom, the route will keep heading north along the Valcamonica for a little over 30 kms, all ascending with increasing gradients. On the way there will also be the first intermediate sprint, which will most likely be contested by the breakaway. After reaching the town of Edolo, the second climb of the day, the mythical Passo del Mortirolo (GPM1, 12.6 km at 7.6%) starts. Unfortunately this is the easy side, the one that is usually descended. Either way, this is far from being an easy climb, with gradients consistently around 8% with the exception of one flattish km near the top, before a final steep ramp. Its descent is also very tricky and might be a good spot for tactical moves to happen. The descent ends in the town of Grosio, and from there the riders will head down the Valtellina through 20 kms of descending false flat, the last easy part of the stage. At 35 kms to go, the hardest non-categorized climb of this Giro begins. Teglio (5.6 km at 8.2%) should be at the very least GPM3, but it is an intermediate sprint instead. It tops at exactly 30 km to go, 10 of which feature a technical descent. At 20 kms to go, with hardly any flat section in between, the final climb starts. The famous Valico di Santa Cristina (GPM1, 13.5 km at 8%), taken for the first time from the hardest road. Made immortal by the mythical stage of 1994, this pass has always been approached only from halfway, using only its steep second half. This added first half is not as steep as the top one, but it still provides good gradients and makes it a much more demanding climb. The top is at only 6 km to go, 4.5 km of descent and 1.5 km of false flat to reach the finishing line of Aprica, one of the most iconic Giro finishes.
Final km:
The Climbs:
Goletto di Cadino: GPM1, 19.9 km at 6.2%
Much better known as Passo Croce Domini, this climb has been missing from the Giro since the ‘90s. This side is not crazy hard as the other one, but still a big climb that will wear legs down nicely.
Passo del Mortirolo: GPM1, 12.6 km at 7.6%
The easiest side of one of the most iconic climbs in Giro history.
Teglio: 5.6 km at 8.2%
Here the answer of the 8-ball was “intermediate sprint”. We still have an official profile however, which is nice. And confusing.
Valico di Santa Cristina: GPM1, 13.5 km at 8%
This climb is mythical since the 1994 stage, which all of you should watch if you never have. After that edition, it has been climbed only twice more, one in 1999 (but we don’t talk about that one) and one in 2010 (even going a bit higher, up to Trivigno). But it has never been climbed all the way from the bottom of the valley; this will be the first time.
What to expect:
All out battle on the last climb, maybe action on Teglio if we are lucky. The first hour will be very important, what happens on the Goletto di Cadino will determine much of the rest of the stage.
Aprica, June 5th 1994
Stage 16: Salò – Aprica 202 km
Tuesday, May 24th, 11:00 CET
Technical Overview:
After the final rest day, it is time for the queen stage. From the town of Salò, on Lake Garda, the riders will head into the mountains and face big and famous climbs all day long. After a first 30 kms of gently ascending false flat, the peloton will reach the foot of the first climb of the day, a big one already: Goletto di Cadino (GPM1, 19.9 km at 6.2%), better known as Passo Crocedomini (which is a pass just a few meters below the actual top), is not as grueling as it is from the opposite side, but it is still a long and tough climb, that will wear legs down nicely, as well as determine the composition of the breakaway of the day. The descent is long, steep and quite technical, so this might also be a good point for riders to jump, if the breakaway is still in reach. At the bottom, the route will keep heading north along the Valcamonica for a little over 30 kms, all ascending with increasing gradients. On the way there will also be the first intermediate sprint, which will most likely be contested by the breakaway. After reaching the town of Edolo, the second climb of the day, the mythical Passo del Mortirolo (GPM1, 12.6 km at 7.6%) starts. Unfortunately this is the easy side, the one that is usually descended. Either way, this is far from being an easy climb, with gradients consistently around 8% with the exception of one flattish km near the top, before a final steep ramp. Its descent is also very tricky and might be a good spot for tactical moves to happen. The descent ends in the town of Grosio, and from there the riders will head down the Valtellina through 20 kms of descending false flat, the last easy part of the stage. At 35 kms to go, the hardest non-categorized climb of this Giro begins. Teglio (5.6 km at 8.2%) should be at the very least GPM3, but it is an intermediate sprint instead. It tops at exactly 30 km to go, 10 of which feature a technical descent. At 20 kms to go, with hardly any flat section in between, the final climb starts. The famous Valico di Santa Cristina (GPM1, 13.5 km at 8%), taken for the first time from the hardest road. Made immortal by the mythical stage of 1994, this pass has always been approached only from halfway, using only its steep second half. This added first half is not as steep as the top one, but it still provides good gradients and makes it a much more demanding climb. The top is at only 6 km to go, 4.5 km of descent and 1.5 km of false flat to reach the finishing line of Aprica, one of the most iconic Giro finishes.
Final km:
The Climbs:
Goletto di Cadino: GPM1, 19.9 km at 6.2%
Much better known as Passo Croce Domini, this climb has been missing from the Giro since the ‘90s. This side is not crazy hard as the other one, but still a big climb that will wear legs down nicely.
Passo del Mortirolo: GPM1, 12.6 km at 7.6%
The easiest side of one of the most iconic climbs in Giro history.
Teglio: 5.6 km at 8.2%
Here the answer of the 8-ball was “intermediate sprint”. We still have an official profile however, which is nice. And confusing.
Valico di Santa Cristina: GPM1, 13.5 km at 8%
This climb is mythical since the 1994 stage, which all of you should watch if you never have. After that edition, it has been climbed only twice more, one in 1999 (but we don’t talk about that one) and one in 2010 (even going a bit higher, up to Trivigno). But it has never been climbed all the way from the bottom of the valley; this will be the first time.
What to expect:
All out battle on the last climb, maybe action on Teglio if we are lucky. The first hour will be very important, what happens on the Goletto di Cadino will determine much of the rest of the stage.
Aprica, June 5th 1994
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