Male Team 11 May - 02 Jun
Giro d'Italia
1231 Kilometers 7 Stages
The Movistar Team will be lining up for the 24th time in the Giro d’Italia in 2019, the hace having brought big success to the Blues since Telefónica took over as title sponsor in 2011. With its main leaders shared out among the three Grand Tours in 2019, the organisation managed by Eusebio Unzué will again have a strong chance of aiming for a good GC result, most importantly with Richard Carapaz -4th overall and stage winner in 2018- and Mikel Landa -former podium finisher, KOM jersey and stage winner-.
Despite a three-week stagerace requiring focus every single day, it’s evident that the Giro has tended in previous years -and does again in 2019- to squeeze all of its big mountains into the second half of the race, with less lumpy finishes, mid mountains and plenty of TT terrain earlier on.
There will be three ITTs in this Giro: the opening stage in Bologna on Saturday 11th –8 km with a steep uphill finish in San Luca-; the most demanding one on Sunday 19th (stage nine), 34km continuously on the rise from the Adriatic coast (Riccione) to San Marino; and the showdown in Verona on Sunday 2nd June, 17km with a counterclockwise lap of the Torricelle circuit, famous for its World Championship appearances.
As well as the two opening time trials, there will be plenty of action in the first 11 stages, with up to three six-hour stages -with lengths close to 240km-. Montalbano (Cat-3) and San Baronto (Cat-4) will spice up stage two to Fucecchio (Sunday 12th); the finish in Frascati (st. 4, Tuesday 14th) will have a final 2km at 4.4% -with maximum slopes at 7%-, after 235km of rolling roads; and stage six, finishing in San Giovanni Rotondo, will be another marathon route with a sting at the tail, climbing Coppa Casarinelle (Cat-2) and the non-rated San Marco in Lamis before the end. The finish in L’Aquila (st. 7, Friday 17th) will also see the peloton tackle a series of short ascents before another uphill arrival, in classic Marche terrain.
The real mountains will be preceeded on Thursday 23rd (st. 12) by the Montoso (Cat-1) ascent, 33km from the finish in Pinerolo. After that, the next two stages will be big Alpine routes. Lys (Cat-1) and Pian del Lupo (Cat-2) will be faced before a mountain-top finish in Ceresole Reale -2,247m above sea level-, on Friday 24th, while Verrayes (Cat-2), Verrogne (Cat-1), Truc d’Arbe (Cat-2) and the terrifying Colle San Carlo (Cat-1) will be tackled en route to Courmayeur (Cat-3), a short yet grueling 131km stage 14 on Saturday 25th. Before the second rest day, the Giro will pay tribute to Il Lombardia (Sunday 26th) with the climbs to Ghisallo, Colma di Sormano and Civiglio before the finish in Como.
The fireworks on week three will be as spectacular as usual in the Giro. The Dolomites ‘tappone’ will come on Tuesday 28th, with Presolana and Croce di Salven -both non-rated-, the new Cevo (Cat-3) and Aprica (Cat-3) -included after a late suppression of the Passo Gavia-, the Mortirolo through its Mazzo di Valtellina side (Cat-1) and the finish in Ponte di Legno after 226km. Wednesday 29th will see riders face a short final ascent to Anterselva (Cat-3) will lumpy roads in its approach, while Friday 31st will bring a longer final climb with no ascents preceeding it, San Martino di Castrozza (Cat-2).
The final mountain stage before the Verona TT will be a huge challenge in Trentino, with the Cima Campo (Cat-2), Passo Manghen (Cima Coppi), Rolle (Cat-2) and the brutal chain of Croce d’Aune (Cat-2) and the Monte Avena (Cat-1) on Saturday 1st June. One of those days where attacks could come way before the end and shake things up… or just see the race going under ‘low-energy mode’ before the last two climbs.