Giro d’Italia 2014 stage 16 is a 139 km high mountain stage from Ponte di Legno to Val Martello (Martelltal). It is this year’s Cima Coppi stage (see notes 1).

Giro d’Italia 2014 stage 16 quick info

  • DATE: May 27, 2014, Tuesday
  • STAGE TYPE: High mountain
  • START-FINISH: Ponte di Legno (1350m) > Val Martello (Martelltal) (2059m)
  • LENGTH OF THE COURSE: 139.0 km
  • DIFFICULTY: 5-star

Giro d’Italia 2014 stage 16 profile

Giro d'Italia 2014 stage 16 profile (new)
Giro d’Italia 2014 stage 16 profile

Climbs

There are 3 main (and very tough) climbs in the stage route:

  1. Passo di Gavia (23.3rd km, 2618 m) The epic Passo di Gavia climb is starting at 6.1st kilometer at Ponte su T. Frigidolfo (1298 m). Riders will gain 1320 meters in 16.5 kilometers (average 8%, max. 16%). The average gradient is 5.3 in the first part (2 km), then 8.8% in the second part (2 km – 7.750 km – the max. gradient of 16% is in this part). 3rd part between 7.750 – 13.350 km has an average gradient of 7.9%, and the last part has an average gradient of 8.8%.
  2. Paso dello Stelvio (70.3rd km, 2758 m) – Cima Coppi The Cima Coppi is the highest altitude reached by cyclists during the Giro d’Italia. It was established in 1965, five years after the death of the “campionissimo” (champion of champions) Fausto Coppi. 2014 Giro’ Cima Coppi, the epic climb of Passo dello Stelvio is starting at 48.1st kilometer at Bormio (1205 m). Riders will gain 1553 meters in 21.7 kilometers (average 7.2%, max. 12%).
  3. Val Martello/Martelltal (139th km, 2051 m), Summit finish Starting at 113.9th kilometer at Coldrano (661 m). Riders will gain 1422 meters in 22.3 kilometers (average 6.4%, max. 14%).

Passo di Gavia (Gavia Pass)

Giro d'Italia 2014 stage 16 climb details - Passo di Gavia (new)
Giro d’Italia 2014 stage 16 climb details – Passo di Gavia

Passo dello Stelvio

Giro d'Italia 2014 stage 16 climb details - Passo dello Stelvio (new)
Giro d’Italia 2014 stage 16 climb details – Passo dello Stelvio (new)

Val Martello (Martelltal)

Giro d'Italia 2014 stage 16 climb details - Val Martello (new)
Giro d’Italia 2014 stage 16 climb details – Val Martello (new)
Giro d'Italia 2014 stage 16 climb details - Val Martello 3D (new)
Giro d’Italia 2014 stage 16 climb details – Val Martello 3D (new)

Last kilometers

Giro d'Italia 2014 stage 16 last kms
Giro d’Italia 2014 stage 16 last kilometers

Giro d’Italia 2014 stage 16 map

Giro d'Italia 2014 stage 16 map (new)
Giro d’Italia 2014 stage 16 map (new)

Passo di Gavia (Gavia Pass)

Passo di Gavia (Gavia Pass) is a high mountain pass in the Italian Alps. It is the tenth highest paved road in the Alps.

The pass lies in the Lombardy region and divides the province of Sondrio to the north and the province of Brescia to the south. The road over the pass (SS 300) connects Bormio to the northwest with Ponte di Legno to the south and is the single track most on its southern section.

Passo di Gavia is often on the route of the Giro d’Italia road bicycle race and is sometimes designated the Cima Coppi, the highest point of the race. On 5 June 1988, the race passed over the Gavia in a snowstorm, making for an epic stage won by Erik Breukink. American Andrew Hampsten, the second-place finisher, became the overall race leader and went on to win the Giro.

Andy Hampsten at Giro '88, climbing Passo di Gavia
Andy Hampsten climbing Passo di Gavia, Giro d’Italia 1988.

Passo dello Stelvio

Passo dello Stelvio (The Stelvio Pass) located in Italy, at 2757 m (9045 feet) is the highest paved mountain pass in the Eastern Alps, and the second-highest in the Alps, slightly below the Col de l’Iseran (2770 m, 9088 feet).

Passo dello Stelvio retains its importance for cycling when it is open from June to September. Countless cyclists struggle to get to the highest stretch of road in the Eastern Alps. It is the highest finish of any Grand Tour.

The Giro d’Italia often crosses the Stelvio Pass (it was crossed by the Giro for the first time in 1953 when Coppi beat Koblet). The last winner on the pass was Thomas De Gendt in 2012. Every year, the pass is closed to motor vehicles on one day in late August when about 8000 cyclists ride on the Stelvio.

Giro d’Italia 2014 stage 16 start: Ponte di Legno

Ponte di Legno
Giro d’Italia 2014 stage 16 start: Ponte di Legno

Ponte di Legno (Pònt in local camunian dialect) is an Italian comune of 1816 inhabitants in Val Camonica, province of Brescia, in Lombardy.

Giro d’Italia 2014 stage 16 finish: Val Martello (Martelltal)

Val Martello (Martelltal)
Giro d’Italia 2014 stage 16 finish: Val Martello (Martelltal)

Val Martello (Martelltal in German) is a valley in the province of Bolzano, which starts in the village of Laces and extends for about 30 km.

The valley surrounded by the Stelvio National Park, ends with the lake Gioveretto, after the lake, the road ends in a large parking lot near the Enzian Gasthof Schönblick and at an altitude of 2051 m. Along the valley of the brook runs Plima, but despite this, the valley is not particularly rich in watercourses.

Notes

  1. The Cima Coppi is the summit with the highest altitude reached by cyclists during the Giro d’Italia. It was established in 1965, five years after the death of the “Il Campionissimo” (champion of champions) Fausto Coppi.
Passo dello Stelvio

Related: Cima Coppi

Sources

M. Özgür Nevres

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