The Gran Fondo Giro d’Italia 2015 will follow the route of the queen stage of the race after organisers confirmed details for the Corsa Rosa’s official sportive.
Entries for the ride, which will take place on Sunday May 17, days before the professionals ride the same route on stage 16, open next month.
Riders wishing to tackle the route will face a brutal parcours, with the Campo Carlo Magno, Passo del Tonale, Aprica and Mortirolo climbs all featuring before a second ascent of Aprica.
Covering 175km in total, the route rises almost immediately, passing the Madonna di Campiglio on a leg-burning opening ascent. The Passo del Tonale is then more than 15km in length, with an average gradient of six per cent, before the first passage of Aprica.
A medium route, covering 102km, is available and finishes at that point but those on the full sportive must then tackle the giant Passo del Mortirolo.
After a steady welcome to the climb, the brutal ascent kicks up sharply before reaching an 18 per cent hairpin after more than four kilometres of ascending.
From there, the gradient rarely dips below an average of 12 per cent for the next five kilometres and even the final section of the 12.8km climb features plenty of ramps in double figures.
The route then loops back before the final climb of Aprica, where nine days later the professional peloton will race what is set to be a pivotal stage of the race.
Further details about the event and how to register will be released in December.
