The 17th stage of the Giro d'Italia will start in Ponte di Legno, a very familiar town for Alpine cycling fans and immediately head up the Passo del Tonale.
It will be short in comparison to some of today’s climbs, but an opportunity for a very strong group to go up the road – at the very least. 8.6 kilometers at 6.3%, before a long descent into some rolling terrain, before the peloton hit the final duo of climbs that will decide the stage.
The general classification is set to be played out, and with such small differences between the big four, everyday can be crucial and deadly. It will be a very interesting finale in a stage which should be hard enough to make serious differences - if the best climbers aren't once again very well balanced.
Stage 17: Ponte di Legno - Lavarone, 168Km to go
The first of which is the Valico del Vetriolo. Due to stage circumstances, it shouldn’t be attacked, however it’s quite a hard climb, with 11.8 kilometers and an average gradient of 7.7%. It summits with 34 kilometers to go and it’s descent features 12 switchbacks, not exactly an easy feature.
Valico del Vetriolo: 11.8Km; 7.7% average gradient; 34Km to go
Very few kilometers split the two, which will allow for very little rest inbetween. The final climb of the day is 8 kilometers at almost 10% gradient. A climber’s Giro, people rightfully say, as in yet another day the peloton will have to go through a brutally steep and long ascent, this time into Monterovere. Constant, and tough, it summits with 8 kilometers to go but if that wasn’t bad enough, the finish line in Lavarone will only be reached by a set of rolling roads where the GC riders have to keep pushing to their very maximum for every single second they can get.
Monterovere: 8.0Km; 9.6% average gradient; 8Km to go
CyclingUpToDate prediction:
**** Jai Hindley
Rúben SilvaEditor-in-Chief
A founding contributor to CyclingUpToDate since its launch in January 2022, Ruben Silva has played a central role in shaping the site’s editorial direction and long-term growth. Before joining the project, he built his experience through independent blogging at Echelons Hub and by producing race previews for Ciclismo Internacional, developing a strong analytical voice rooted in daily engagement with professional cycling.
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Originally from the Porto metropolitan area in Portugal, he holds a bachelor’s degree in Geography. His path into cycling journalism was shaped not through formal media training, but through independent reporting, community engagement, and sustained on-the-ground involvement in the sport.
Over the course of his career, he has conducted approximately 100 interviews across road cycling and cyclocross, ranging from one-to-one conversations and online formats to press conferences and on-site pre- and post-race coverage. His interviews include leading riders, team managers, and prominent figures within cycling media: Tadej Pogacar, Jonas Vingegaard, Mathieu van der Poel, Primoz Roglic, Wout van Aert, Joao Almeida and Tom Pidcock; managers like Patrick Lefevere and Joxean Matxin; and YouTube personality Bryan Kennedy (BKXC)...
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