Giro d'Italia Giro d'Italia 2025 stage 20: Verrès – Sestrière, 205 km

[QueenStagiaire]

Is there a more regular climb than the finestre?

Jebel Jais

 

[Samu Cuenca]

No, bringing in hay, not coca or whatever Bananito is doing in that pic...

It's giving the same vibe of a world class climber being forced away from racing

 

[Mayomaniac]

Is there a more regular climb than the finestre?

Giau from the Colle Santa Lucia junction onwards is also really regular

 

[Cookster15]

The Giro course design has copped a lot of criticism but I don't think there can be much criticism of this stage. With the situation of the race after stage 19 it promises an epic day.

Carapaz can win his second Giro here, but its hard to be confident. Del Toro keeps surprising. If Del Toro is in touch at top of Finestre he wins this Giro.

 

[Red Rick]

The Giro course design has copped a lot of criticism but I don't think there can be much criticism of this stage. With the situation of the race after stage 19 it promises an epic day.

Carapaz can win his second Giro here, but its hard to be confident. Del Toro keeps surprising. If Del Toro is in touch at top of Finestre he wins this Giro.

I mean, the amount of effort it takes to *** it up with Finestre would be astounding.

 

[AmRacer]

Yates cracks 🫣

 

[Eddy Evenepoel]

On Sestriere however...I can see a scenario where Majka/McNulty/Yates pace Del Toro on Finestre and the GC is decided on a couple of seconds.

Two out of McNulty, Yates and Arrieta should be in the break. Probably the latter two, Tudor, Movistar etc would probably chase McNulty.

 

[EddyMazzoleni]

How can a civil engineer make such a perfect gradient?

I was once visitin WW1 trenches near Ornavasso (the village of Elisa Longo Borghini) and there was this sign explaining like 9-10% gradient are the most efficient when you use donkeys as transportation, that is apparently the reason why so many road in the alps are like that.

 

[dgodave]

I was once visitin WW1 trenches near Ornavasso (the village of Elisa Longo Borghini) and there was this sign explaining like 9-10% gradient are the most efficient when you use donkeys as transportation, that is apparently the reason why so many road in the alps are like that.

I probably would have never learned this in my entire life had you not posted it here.

 

[Red Rick]

Weird question maybe but why is the start like 2h earlier than normal?

 

[DJ Sprtsch]

...why so many road in the alps are like that

That, and the mountains which are just everywhere.

 

[YavorD]

Weird question maybe but why is the start like 2h earlier than normal?

Well, it it start 1h 40 minutes earlier than today's and it's 40km longer.

It's probably down to the transfer.

 

[solo80k]

Will Del Toro have his PDBF moment tomorrow?

He's a strong rouler, he's got a relatively strong team, he knows how to ride on dirty roads, he knows exact numbers of the current record holder on Finestre as it's his teammate.

But does he have legs to keep Carapaz within the distance?

 

[search]

Let's hope we'll all be as happy as Fondriest when telling the tale of tomorrow's stage

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3av2frEN00g&t=68s

 

[search]

It's probably down to the transfer.

most likely, yeah. Eisel (I think) said on German ES that the teams would do half the distance on Saturday. It's an 8+ hour trip to Rome.

 

[Squire]

I can see a scenario where Majka/McNulty/Yates pace Del Toro on Finestre and the GC is decided on a couple of seconds.

If Majka/McNutly/Yates can stay close enough to Carapaz on Finestre that they will be of help to Del Toro in saving his GC, then Carapaz' attack hasn't been strong enough to deserve to win the GC anyway. And if those guys are coming back from the break, then the other teams haven't done their job.

Expecting a mano-a-mano, and I hope Carapaz wins it, but I'm not entirely convinced that he'll take enough time.

 

[dgodave]

Im assuming theres no chance for remnants of a break to be available for GC guys in the valley up to Sestriere...?

 

[YavorD]

If Majka/McNutly/Yates can stay close enough to Carapaz on Finestre that they will be of help to Del Toro in saving his GC, then Carapaz' attack hasn't been strong enough to deserve to win the GC anyway. And if those guys are coming back from the break, then the other teams haven't done their job.

Expecting a mano-a-mano, and I hope Carapaz wins it, but I'm not entirely convinced that he'll take enough time.

Yeah, but how much would be sufficient gap between Carapaz and Del Toro:s team mates on Finestre?
Tbh they are very good climbers and 1.30 should be achievable for them without diminishing Carapaz' strength.
Then it can really be down to some seconds.

 

[Red Rick]

If Majka/McNutly/Yates can stay close enough to Carapaz on Finestre that they will be of help to Del Toro in saving his GC, then Carapaz' attack hasn't been strong enough to deserve to win the GC anyway. And if those guys are coming back from the break, then the other teams haven't done their job.

Expecting a mano-a-mano, and I hope Carapaz wins it, but I'm not entirely convinced that he'll take enough time.

Better rider on Finestre will usually also just climb Sestriere faster, especially if the better rider left something in the tank on Finestre.

Froome took 43s on Finestre in 2018, and a minute on Sestriere.
Aru took like 50s on Finestre in 2015 and 1'30 on Sestriere

In my book Finestre gets consistently underrated because there is not a single climb like it and because it's also significantly longer than the likes of Mortirolo and Angliru.

 

[Red Rick]

Im assuming theres no chance for remnants of a break to be available for GC guys in the valley up to Sestriere...?

I may be #1 on the internet in saying DS's are stupid, and I don't think for a second any DS will *** this one up.

 

[Squire]

Yeah, but how much would be sufficient gap between Carapaz and Del Toro:s team mates on Finestre?
Tbh they are very good climbers and 1.30 should be achievable for them without diminishing Carapaz' strength.
Then it can really be down to some seconds.

I will be very surprised if Del Toro plays it so cool that he just relies on his team when Carapaz attacks. He should be stronger than all his teammates, so I cannot see him holding back just to be paced instead of going after him, when pacing doesn't really have that much benefit on such a climb.

 

[dgodave]

I may be #1 on the internet in saying DS's are stupid, and I don't think for a second any DS will *** this one up.

I dont understand. What the *** up scenario you refer to?

You mean in letting a break get far enough up the road?

 

[YavorD]

I will be very surprised if Del Toro plays it so cool that he just relies on his team when Carapaz attacks. He should be stronger than all his teammates, so I cannot see him holding back just to be paced instead of going after him, when pacing doesn't really have that much benefit on such a climb.

No, I didn't mean Del Toro will be waiting for them (unless he is week).
I meant after mano-a-mano battle if he is somewhat in the middle between Carapaz and his teammate/s.

 

[Red Rick]

Yeah, but how much would be sufficient gap between Carapaz and Del Toro:s team mates on Finestre?
Tbh they are very good climbers and 1.30 should be achievable for them without diminishing Carapaz' strength.
Then it can really be down to some seconds.

If he can't put 1'30 into McNulty who's like 10kg heavier than him and never does anything on big, steep climbs, or an 89 year old Majka then I will just go back to complaining about the level of this Giro and suggest the Giro be relegated from GT status.

 

[Red Rick]

I dont understand. What the *** up scenario you refer to?

You mean in letting a break get far enough up the road?

Yes. Usually that scenario happens with climbs that are shorter. In this case, Finestre is a full hour, and it's the only climb in cycling that can be raced full gas for an hour. Today's breakaway winner lost 2'45 on the sub 40 minute Col de Joux where the GC favorites weren't going full gas.

No climber that can lose under 5 minutes should make it into the breakaway. And if they do, all the other teams should use their flat domestiques to pull that guy back.