Giro d'Italia | Cima Coppi at risk as Gran San Bernardo pass may not reopen in time for stage 13

Once the Lussari time trial question has been solved, yet another question mark arises on the route of Giro d'Italia. And it's not a small issue, as what was initially intended to be this edition's Cima Coppi - the Gran San Bernardo pass - is currently still covered by loads of snow as it's been snowing buckets over last few days.

The dream of having peloton of Giro d'Italia ride all the way up Gran San Bernardo seems very distant right now, taking into consideration that the mountain pass was never cleared to ride at this part of the year. This would mean that riders will have to use tunnel 500 altitude meters lower.

“Our dream is to cross the pass amid walls of snow," tells Steve Morabito, ex-racer and now head of the Giro-Valais Association to Le Nouvelliste.

"But there is a plan B. If the pass cannot be crossed, riders will enter Switzerland through the tunnel, which will then remain closed to traffic for about two hours. The problem is that for a month it has been snowing practically every day at the top of the San Bernardo. However, the route of the stage is not in question: going through the tunnel, there will be 7 kilometers of racing and 500 meters of altitude difference less. I remember that even in 2006, when the transition was planned, the tunnel was used."

Stage 13 that with start at Borgofranco d’Ivrea and finish with a 12,9 km á 7,3% Crans-Montana climb will take place May 19. The stage is considered as queen stage of second week with over 5000 meters of altitude, including the Cima Coppi, Gran San Bernardo and Croix de Coeur.