Following the terrible cable car accident at Mottarone, the organizers of the Giro have confirmed that the route of the 19th stage of the event, scheduled for Friday.
The Giro must adapt to events. This Sunday, the cabin of a cable car in Stresa, on the slopes of Mottarone, killed fourteen people. However, the ascent of this pass was initially on the program of the 19th and antepenultimate stage of the 2021 edition of the Giro, scheduled for this Friday between Abbiategrasso and the summit of Alpe di Mera over 177 kilometers.
Through a press release, the organizers of the Tour of Italy confirmed on Tuesday that this route was going to be amended in order to avoid passing near the site of this terrible accident. A modification of the route of this mountain stage which was made “in agreement with the Italian Ministry of Infrastructures and Transport, the Piedmont Region and the various institutions concerned”.
New route Stage 19 of the 2021 Giro d’Italia ➡️https://t.co/YLacKSLEBe
Route modification of Stage 19 of the Giro d’Italia 2021 ➡️https: //t.co/7sMQCOOidC#Round pic.twitter.com/u5rP7bAbGq
– Giro d’Italia (@giroditalia) May 25, 2021
Eleven kilometers less but still three difficulties
If the first section on leaving Abbiategrasso remains the same, the organizers of the Giro have given up on the ascent of Mottarone, which was to be classified in first category and offer 15.4km of ascent with an average gradient of 6.7%. Instead of this demanding climb, the organizers of the Giro will offer riders that of Alpe Agogna, much less difficult and only classified in the fourth category. Once the descent to Stresa is completed, the peloton will resume the program initially planned with the ascent, classified in third category, of the Passo della Colma (7.5km at 6.4%).
Once at the foot of the descent, runners will be entitled to 18 kilometers of valley to reach Scopello and the foot of the final ascent of Alpe di Mera, classified in the first category. 9.7 kilometers long, this climb will offer an average gradient of 9% but with a peak of 14% just under three kilometers from the finish line. The result of this modification is the loss of eleven kilometers compared to the initial route, with this 19th stage which will now be contested over 166 kilometers.
