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Giro d'Italia 2023 Giro D’Italia Route Rumors

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Depends if they want the Cima Coppi to be outside of Italy, which has only happened once (Großglockner, 1971). If they don't, there's always Hochsölden, which starts in more or less the same place, is steep enough to guarantee action of its own but short enough to not totally kill earlier action, especially if Rombo is the Cima Coppi which is obviously a possibility at >2500m.

Hochsolden.gif
Yeah, If anything I'd have a Hochsölden MTF the day before after entering Austria over an easy Pass (the Brenner or the Reschen) and having the Silzer Sattel before it.
SilzerN.gif

No need to mess with a downhill finish after the Timmelsjoch/Rombo, that would create big gaps and a hard MTF the day before would be ideal to built some fatigue.

Even better than a Ötztaler stage would be a Sölden - Reinswald stage, with Timmerlsjoch, Jaufenpass and Penser Joch right after eachother with very little flat between them, followed by a long false flat descent before the short final climb. Put it after a hard MTF and before an easy stage or a rest day and minutes will fly.
https://www.cronoescalada.com/tracks/view/615075
 
Depends if they want the Cima Coppi to be outside of Italy, which has only happened once (Großglockner, 1971). If they don't, there's always Hochsölden, which starts in more or less the same place, is steep enough to guarantee action of its own but short enough to not totally kill earlier action, especially if Rombo is the Cima Coppi which is obviously a possibility at >2500m.

Hochsolden.gif
I always thought Hochsölden after Rombo would be the mtf creating better racing but if they actually ever do a stage similar to this I still really want them to go to the Rettenbachferner just for the absolute batshit craziness of that route. It's basically Stelvio south followed by a Moritrolo on a 1000 meters higher altitude. That sounds so insane that I really really want to see it.
 
I guess that Slovenia is the most probable option if they are going abroad, but stages in Austra could be really interesting.

A stage to Lienz doing the steepest ascent to Pustertaler Höhenstrasse (from Mittenwald), descending via Thal and then the steepest ascent to Bannberg before descending to Lienz. That would give two 4 km, 10-11 % climbs within the last 30 km.

And a mountain stage in the mountains north of Villach/Klagenfurt. There are both several good connected and very steep climbs in this area. A stage could include a climb via Katschberghöhe and a finish at Turracher Höhe.

KatschbergN.gif
 
Depends if they want the Cima Coppi to be outside of Italy, which has only happened once (Großglockner, 1971). If they don't, there's always Hochsölden, which starts in more or less the same place, is steep enough to guarantee action of its own but short enough to not totally kill earlier action, especially if Rombo is the Cima Coppi which is obviously a possibility at >2500m.

Hochsolden.gif
When Tour de Suisse used Rettenbachferner, they finished at 2669 m altitude. Lower than both Agnello and Stelvio.
 
When Tour de Suisse used Rettenbachferner, they finished at 2669 m altitude. Lower than both Agnello and Stelvio.
Are either of those rumoured? They seem to be making Stelvio around every 3 years at the moment which is making it feel a bit less special, but 2020 was the first time from Prato since 2005 and was a great stage of course. Would be great to see Agnello, definitely, something like 2007 Briançon or 2016 Risoul would be most likely if so I anticipate. But I suppose while we're just spitballing ideas it doesn't matter but yes, they could have Rettenbachferner and no overseas Cima Coppi if they had either of those two. However they account for only 4 of the last 15 ceilings of the race and the fact they stopped at Glocknerhaus rather than Franz Josefs Höhe in 2011 when Giau was the Cima Coppi suggested to me a tendency to want to keep the CC in Italy, in which case they'd have to go to either Agnello or Stelvio if they went to the Rettenbachferner (the Deutschlandtour stages in '05 and '07 list the altitude at 2670m so will be the same finish as the Tour de Suisse). Those two climbs are, however, responsible for a couple of the times we've seen the CC lowered or cancelled or stages altered like in 1995, I'm assuming they'd then move the Cima Coppi to the next best summit, like they did from Blockhaus to Sestriere in 2009.
 
It's about time they used the "classic" version of Mortirolo-Aprica and/or Finestre-Sestriere again, most probably the latter since Mortirolo was used this year.

In addition I would like to see a "light" version of this concept and a big Dolomiti stage with a sequence of good climbs and designed for long range attacks.

And of course mye ever present wish to see more big medium mountain stages. The underutilization of this potential in Italy is one of mye two main issues with RCS.
 
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Go up to to Ski station above Rifugio Sapienza and you add 4.5kms at 11% on unpaved roads consisting of vulcanic ashes to it, that should do the trick.
I've also read about the rumours a couple of years ago, but having been there at the beginning of the month: I doubt it's possible. Maybe as an ITT with special equipment. The path up there is not really in rideable condition with a road bike, and the lava gravel very sharp-edged
 
The start should be in Abruzzo and should be announced fairly soon. I'm assuming something like the start from Emilia in 2019, with the two initial stages and then another one in the second weekend when they head back north.
Too soon for the rest. But the finish seems to be set in the east again. Possibly in Trieste.