ANTERSELVA/ ANTHOLZ

LENGTH: 9.6KM / AV G R A D 5 . 5%

THE INTERSECTION BETWEEN cycling and winter sports has led to some depressing headlines in recent months, but the Giro’s summit finish on stage 17 is the result of a rather more benign interplay between the disciplines. Anterselva – or Antholz to most locals – is best known for the Südtirol Arena biathlon track, a regular stop on the Biathlon World Cup circuit, and the Giro’s finish on the mountain comes wrapped in advertising for the 2020 Biathlon World Championships in Anterselva.

Stage 17 of the Giro takes place entirely within the autonomous region of Trentino-Alto Adige and straddles its two constituent parts. The stage begins in Commezzadura in the largely Italian-speaking province of Trentino, but after crossing the Passo della Mendola, the race enters the province of Bolzano, better known as Südtirol, where German is the language of day-to-day life. South Tyrol passed from Austria-Hungary to Italy after World War One but the dispute over its jurisdiction endured off and on for much of the 20th century. The issue returned to prominence in 2017, when the government of Austria proposed offering citizenship to South Tyrol residents.

The Giro is, of course, an almost yearly visitor to South Tyrol, which is bordered by the mighty Stelvio. Recent excursions of note include Nairo Quintana’s controversial triumph at Val Martello in 2014 and Tejay van Garderen’s win at Ortisei two years ago, but this will be the corsa rosa’s first ever finish at Anterselva. The climb is 9.6 kilometres in length and grows steeper nearer the 1,635m-high summit, with ramps of 12 per cent. In any language, it translates into a stiff challenge.

This will be the Giro’s irst ever inish at Anterselva, with ramps of 12 per cent