Stage 15 – Marostica to Madonna di Campiglio
Stage 15 – Marostica to Madonna di Campiglio
Hot on the heels of the individual time trial is a stage with a real sting in its tail, climbing the Passo Daone and then the Madonna di Campiglio.
Scene of Marco Pantani’s famous solo win in 1999 and infamous failed ‘health check’, the latter is 15.5km in length, rising to 1,715m up.
Though the average gradient is a modest 5.9 per cent, the climb gets tougher as it goes on with some nasty ramps towards the peak which could separate the front group.
The Passo Daone should not be underestimated either, with its brutal hairpins – the average gradient is rarely below double digits on the lower slopes – and fierce kick at the end.
If a group can go clear over the top and build up a gap on the rapid descent that follows – you would have called it Alberto Contador territory but for his race-ending Tour de France crash last year – then they could quite easily stretch their lead further on the Madonna di Campiglio.
Any rider who has emptied themselves in the time trial the day before will certainly pay for it on stage 15.