- Sep 20, 2017
- 13,639
- 25,622
- 28,180
The third week kicks off in Switzerland with a solid MTF that lacks a solid run-in.
Map and profile
Start
The race restarts in Bellinzona, capital of Ticino, the canton that contains almost the entire Italian-speaking part of Switzerland. The town is strategically located around an easily-defensible rock directly south of the point where the roads to the Passo del San Gottardo (Sankt Gotthardpass) and Passo del San Bernardino, the main connections with the rest of Switzerland, diverge. Although the Romans had already constructed a fort here in the late 1st century BC, its military significance really started to develop when barbarian invasions came to threaten Italy. The fortifications were greatly expanded as a result in the early 4th century, and Bellinzona has guarded this key gateway to the Po valley ever since. The presence of these defences made the area comparatively safe, and thus a town slowly started to develop.
Throughout the Middle Ages, Ticino was culturally and politically part of Italy. Especially in the second half of this period, the defensive systems of Bellinzona became more and more developed, eventually growing to include three castles and a wall that spanned the valley floor. In 1180, control of the town was granted by the emperor to the city of Como. In the 13th century, Como became Ghibelline, drawing it into conflict with Milan. A century of intermittent conflict, during which Bellinzona was besieged four times and occupied once, culminated in Milanese conquest in 1340. With the rapid growth of transalpine trade to and from the wealthy Duchy of Milan, Bellinzona flourished in the period that followed this.
However, as we know, the golden age of Milan would not last. When its power started to wobble, many of its neighbours took notice. For Ticino and Bellinzona, the most important threat was one we have not yet discussed: the Swiss Confederacy. Established in 1291, by the start of the 15th century it was operating as a mostly independent political entity and pursuing an expansionist military policy. Milan temporarily lost control of Bellinzona in 1403, and in 1419 the Swiss stepped in and seized it. Milan reconquered the town in 1422, but it remained under periodic attack for the rest of the century. Despite this, Bellinzona decided that the Swiss were the lesser of two evils when the French invaded the Duchy of Milan in 1499, and accepted their overlordship in 1500. As discussed previously, Swiss expansionism briefly gave it effective control of Milan, but military defeat in 1515 brought an end to both that and expansionist policies in general. With that, the military significance of Bellinzona decreased. For the next three centuries, Ticino was basically administered as a colony by the Confederacy, until Switzerland was overrun by France in 1798. The French attempt to reorganise Switzerland into a centralised Helvetic Republic proved more trouble than it was worth, and in 1803 Napoleon allowed the establishment of a new Confederacy. Ticino was then finally admitted as a member canton, with Bellinzona being established as its permanent capital in 1878.
By this point, Ticino was deeply impoverished, but the opening of the Gotthard Railway in 1874-82 was a turning point, greatly increasing traffic through the region and particularly benefited Bellinzona due to the construction of a railyard. The railways remain the largest employer in the town to this day. From the early 20th century onwards, the fortifications (then still mostly extant, but in a state of disrepair) were restored, and would be added to the UNESCO World Heritage List in 2000. Its strategic location has meant that Bellinzona has been a regular fixture of the Tour de Suisse, but this will be its Giro debut.
(picture by dconvertini at Flickr, reuploaded to Wikimedia Commons)
The route
Let’s be honest, this route is not worthy of a GT. After the (at least partly self-inflicted) fiasco that was planning to go up Gran San Bernardo and Forcola di Livigno, it makes sense that we are not seeing any of the high-altitude Swiss passes, but there’s a difference between skipping said passes and not doing any major climbs before the MTF. And the alternative solution – a local lap to pad the distance on a junior-length stage – belongs in a 2.1 at best, not a Grand Tour. It’s especially unforgivable because the MTF itself has multiple sides and could therefore have been climbed multiple times, that would have been a lazy solution but a better one than this.
The end result is that we are seeing very little of Ticino. Most of the stage will be spent in the Blenio Valley, which features the local lap (raced twice). Said lap contains two climbs, starting with the pretty easy Torre.
This is followed by the trickier climb to Leontica, with good gradients but nowhere near long enough to make a real impact on a day with a big MTF.
On the way out of the Blenio Valley, the riders pass through the intermediate sprint in Ludiano. The next part of the stage is spent heading up the Leventina Valley in the direction of San Gottardo, as far as Faido (km 31 on the profile below), where the MTF starts. The bonus sprint is directly before the town. As you can see, it’s a drag with a steeper kilometre midway through.
Finish
Solid length and (aside from the flat kilometre) solid gradients throughout, without being spectacular. The climb is fully on a south-facing slope and spends at least half its time in unshaded terrain, which could be a factor if it’s hot and sunny on this stage.
Carì is a small ski resort, with the village consisting mostly of chalets. It has been used as a MTF by the Tour de Suisse in 2016 (won by Darwin Atapuma) and 2024 (won by Adam Yates), both times from this side. Perhaps unsurprisingly, this will be its maiden appearance in the Giro.
(picture by Claudio Vosti at Flickr, reuploaded to Wikimedia Commons)
What to expect?
This should be the easiest of the mountain stages to control, and there are nowhere near enough Swiss riders targeting this stage to counteract that if the peloton wants this one.
Map and profile
Start
The race restarts in Bellinzona, capital of Ticino, the canton that contains almost the entire Italian-speaking part of Switzerland. The town is strategically located around an easily-defensible rock directly south of the point where the roads to the Passo del San Gottardo (Sankt Gotthardpass) and Passo del San Bernardino, the main connections with the rest of Switzerland, diverge. Although the Romans had already constructed a fort here in the late 1st century BC, its military significance really started to develop when barbarian invasions came to threaten Italy. The fortifications were greatly expanded as a result in the early 4th century, and Bellinzona has guarded this key gateway to the Po valley ever since. The presence of these defences made the area comparatively safe, and thus a town slowly started to develop.
Throughout the Middle Ages, Ticino was culturally and politically part of Italy. Especially in the second half of this period, the defensive systems of Bellinzona became more and more developed, eventually growing to include three castles and a wall that spanned the valley floor. In 1180, control of the town was granted by the emperor to the city of Como. In the 13th century, Como became Ghibelline, drawing it into conflict with Milan. A century of intermittent conflict, during which Bellinzona was besieged four times and occupied once, culminated in Milanese conquest in 1340. With the rapid growth of transalpine trade to and from the wealthy Duchy of Milan, Bellinzona flourished in the period that followed this.
However, as we know, the golden age of Milan would not last. When its power started to wobble, many of its neighbours took notice. For Ticino and Bellinzona, the most important threat was one we have not yet discussed: the Swiss Confederacy. Established in 1291, by the start of the 15th century it was operating as a mostly independent political entity and pursuing an expansionist military policy. Milan temporarily lost control of Bellinzona in 1403, and in 1419 the Swiss stepped in and seized it. Milan reconquered the town in 1422, but it remained under periodic attack for the rest of the century. Despite this, Bellinzona decided that the Swiss were the lesser of two evils when the French invaded the Duchy of Milan in 1499, and accepted their overlordship in 1500. As discussed previously, Swiss expansionism briefly gave it effective control of Milan, but military defeat in 1515 brought an end to both that and expansionist policies in general. With that, the military significance of Bellinzona decreased. For the next three centuries, Ticino was basically administered as a colony by the Confederacy, until Switzerland was overrun by France in 1798. The French attempt to reorganise Switzerland into a centralised Helvetic Republic proved more trouble than it was worth, and in 1803 Napoleon allowed the establishment of a new Confederacy. Ticino was then finally admitted as a member canton, with Bellinzona being established as its permanent capital in 1878.
By this point, Ticino was deeply impoverished, but the opening of the Gotthard Railway in 1874-82 was a turning point, greatly increasing traffic through the region and particularly benefited Bellinzona due to the construction of a railyard. The railways remain the largest employer in the town to this day. From the early 20th century onwards, the fortifications (then still mostly extant, but in a state of disrepair) were restored, and would be added to the UNESCO World Heritage List in 2000. Its strategic location has meant that Bellinzona has been a regular fixture of the Tour de Suisse, but this will be its Giro debut.
(picture by dconvertini at Flickr, reuploaded to Wikimedia Commons)
The route
Let’s be honest, this route is not worthy of a GT. After the (at least partly self-inflicted) fiasco that was planning to go up Gran San Bernardo and Forcola di Livigno, it makes sense that we are not seeing any of the high-altitude Swiss passes, but there’s a difference between skipping said passes and not doing any major climbs before the MTF. And the alternative solution – a local lap to pad the distance on a junior-length stage – belongs in a 2.1 at best, not a Grand Tour. It’s especially unforgivable because the MTF itself has multiple sides and could therefore have been climbed multiple times, that would have been a lazy solution but a better one than this.
The end result is that we are seeing very little of Ticino. Most of the stage will be spent in the Blenio Valley, which features the local lap (raced twice). Said lap contains two climbs, starting with the pretty easy Torre.
This is followed by the trickier climb to Leontica, with good gradients but nowhere near long enough to make a real impact on a day with a big MTF.
On the way out of the Blenio Valley, the riders pass through the intermediate sprint in Ludiano. The next part of the stage is spent heading up the Leventina Valley in the direction of San Gottardo, as far as Faido (km 31 on the profile below), where the MTF starts. The bonus sprint is directly before the town. As you can see, it’s a drag with a steeper kilometre midway through.
Finish
Solid length and (aside from the flat kilometre) solid gradients throughout, without being spectacular. The climb is fully on a south-facing slope and spends at least half its time in unshaded terrain, which could be a factor if it’s hot and sunny on this stage.
Carì is a small ski resort, with the village consisting mostly of chalets. It has been used as a MTF by the Tour de Suisse in 2016 (won by Darwin Atapuma) and 2024 (won by Adam Yates), both times from this side. Perhaps unsurprisingly, this will be its maiden appearance in the Giro.
(picture by Claudio Vosti at Flickr, reuploaded to Wikimedia Commons)
What to expect?
This should be the easiest of the mountain stages to control, and there are nowhere near enough Swiss riders targeting this stage to counteract that if the peloton wants this one.
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