PREVIEW | Giro d'Italia 2023 stage 19 - Queen stage sees 5400 meters of climbing, Tre Cime di Lavaredo, and ultimate battle between Thomas, Roglic and Almeida
Cycling
Preview. Stage 19 of the Giro d'Italia will take the riders into the dolomites for an absolutely brutal day on the bike. It is the hardest stage of the race which features long and steep climbs, altitude and a summit finish at Tre Cime di Lavaredo.
The queen stage? Stage 19 of the Giro d'Italia will head deep into the Dolomites, for a day that has in the past seen weather affect - most noticeably in 2013. This is the return of Tre Cime di Lavaredo to the Giro d'Italia. 5400 meters of climbing, high altitude, multiple climbs, both long and steep. It's the stuff nightmares are made of for the sprinters.
Estimated start and finish times for Giro d'Italia stage 19: 11:35-17:15CET
Stage 19: Longarone - Tre Cime di Lavaredo, 183.2Km
Another flat start but that means little on this day. There's nothing the peloton can do to avoid the Dolomite monster. A set of iconic passes will be ridden, starting with the Passo Campolongo (4Km; 7%; 95Km to go), it comes after a few small climbs which already take the riders to 1800 meters of altitude.
After a small descent comes the first big climb of the day which is the Passo Valparola. It's 13.9 kilometers at 5.7%, not a brutal ascent but it's summit is at almost 2200 meters of altitude. It features tough gradients towards the end, the riders will begin to feel it in the legs. It summits with 71 kilometers to go.
Passo Valparola: 13.9Km; 5.7%; 71Km to go
Afterwards comes the Passo Giau. This is a brutal ascent, another one that goes up to over 2200 meters of altitude. It's a brutal 10-kilometer ascent at over 9%, constant with steep gradients and no restbite. The race has had plenty memorable moments on this pass, which in this stage ends with 40 kilometers to go.
Passo Giau: 9.8Km; 9.3%; 40Km to go
The descent leads directly into Cortina d'Ampezzo and the next climb starts right away. Now the Passo Tre Croci which is 8 kilometers at 7.2%. It's a climb, like several others on the day, that could be attacked hard, but is unlikely because of the brutality of what still follows. It ends with just over 13 kilometers to go.
There's no descent following, essentially a plateau section which leads to a sharp ramp of 1 kilometer at 11.4% which features a ramp of 18%. But this is still all in anticipation of the official ascent to Tre Cime di Lavaredo, which sees the finish line at 2300 meters of altitude.
The climb is 3.7 kilometers at over 11%. This is, and I cannot stress it enough, a matter of survival. Here teammates matter almost nothing, all riders just have to put in the pace they can sustain to the finish and hope for the best. The fatigue (both from the race and the day), the brutal gradients and the altitude make it possible for massive breakdowns on this beautiful but horrific road up the mountain.
Tre Cime di Lavaredo: 3.7Km; 11.3%
The Weather
Map Giro d'Italia 2023 stage 19
The wind will be calm within the mountains, and the rain has low but a few chances of coming. It should be a regular and warm day in the mountains however it should all come down to the mountains.
The Favourites
Geraint Thomas - Things are going just the way INEOS needs. Neither Jumbo or UAE tried using their numbers to attack once again, and in this brutal terrain De Plus and Arensman will be able to control everything deep into the race as neither team has second GC cards and the gaps to the rest are big. Thomas remains consistent, and only has to stay in the wheels now. His gap is decent into the time-trial, now he has reasons to race even more defensively.
Primoz Roglic - Roglic moved up to second today but this still won't do. The time-trial gives no guarantees to any of the three riders so he does have to make moves to improve his chances of winning the Giro. Jumbo can push the race hard, and Sepp Kuss is proving to be a vital domestique that assures the team doesn't have to take big risks with breakaways. The mammoth amount of climbing won't be ideal for him, but Tre Cime di Lavaredo could fit him quite well.
João Almeida - Almeida struggled a bit today but this stage will suit him. Like Roglic, he's likely too close to pink to take big risks. UAE have enough quality to launch riders into the breakaway, but I also think they won't do anything crazy. He has the form however, and now he needs once again to attack the race if he wants to win it.
The rest of the GC battle, it isn't the most exciting thing to say but I believe it'll be the same as today. A few outsiders will join the breakaway, the rest will not really be seen as they are a level below the podium. They will make differences between themselves but away from the screen. Eddie Dunbar has now moved to fourth place. Damiano Caruso, Lennard Kämna, Andreas Leknessund all look fit in their position, Thibaut Pinot has KOM now and as always his ambitions remain open.
Einer Rubio, Ilan van Wilder and Hugh Carthy are in the fight but now have more than enough time back to try and get in the breakaway. It won't be easy to make it in front however with the flat start. Many riders have taken their success. In a day like this only a top climber can win, even from a break. Santiago Buitrago, Jack Haig, Lorenzo Fortunato and Jefferson Cepeda will be cards, with Sepp Kuss and Jay Vine at a great level but likely to remain in their domestique duties.
Prediction Giro d'Italia 2023 stage 19:
*** Geraint Thomas, Primoz Roglic, João Almeida
** Ilan van Wilder, Einer Rubio
* Eddie Dunbar, Damiano Caruso, Hugh Carthy, Lorenzo Fortunato, Jefferson Cepeda, Jay Vine
** Ilan van Wilder, Einer Rubio
* Eddie Dunbar, Damiano Caruso, Hugh Carthy, Lorenzo Fortunato, Jefferson Cepeda, Jay Vine
Pick: Geraint Thomas
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.
Beyond editorial work, he has been closely involved in the expansion and coordination of CyclingUpToDate’s wider network, helping establish and support sister platforms across multiple languages. This includes ongoing collaboration with CiclismoAlDia (Spanish), CiclismoAtual (Portuguese), WielrennenUpToDate (Dutch), and RadsportAktuell (German), contributing to a shared editorial vision and consistent international coverage.
He also helps oversee editorial governance across the network, setting standards for accuracy and consistency and coordinating updates or corrections when needed.
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)...
Within 18 months of launch, he helped grow CyclingUpToDate’s English-language platform into one of the most-read cycling news websites, built entirely from the ground up. As both a professional journalist and lifelong cycling enthusiast, his focus remains on delivering accurate, timely, and well-contextualized coverage.
claps 2visitors 2
Just in
Popular news
Latest comments
- big rival … ridiculous.Ketterechts07-11-2026
- It would be great if the World Champion's jersey could be rotated among McNulty, Simmons, and Jorgenson. They threaded the needle perfectly. If each hadn't done exactly what he did, exactly when he did it, the race would have gone to one of the more heralded superstars. That said, how nice that this humble and hardworking guy gets his moment in the sun.
MarkFour07-11-2026 - This is a really interesting idea, which, if well prepared could even be very successful. Very little money needs to be involved for a first season and any success could lead to rapid interest from sponsors.Jumpyjohn07-11-2026
- Hmmm, you seem to have a very convenient black and white view of things. Perhaps you haven’t been around much to discover how complex problems can become over time with people who know how to control, manipulate (or worse) others so gradually or subtly that you arrive at an irresolvable situation before you realise. This is how many inconveniences get introduced to the young, naïve, passionate or “desperate”, knowing they are not armed, protected or strong enough to defend themselves once it’s too late. Why do you think omerta culture is so widespread, why do you think so many people continue to go through so many awful things in life that others can’t understand anyone getting into? Life may be far more jolly for you but you would do well to understand (or reflect more on) the real world to refrain from being so quick to criticise those in a hard spot that may have genuine reason for speaking out.Jumpyjohn07-11-2026
- Seriously do you think when somebody gets into a serious accident, the ambulance is called by the hurt person?🤦 there is always a buddy system in place for a risky job. police , firefighters etc so that if someone gets hurt, the other call that in.abstractengineer07-11-2026
- I get the point totally. We live in the snowflake society where some riders forget they are getting paid to ride and get results. When they have a few issues they try to look outside of the real issue instead of themselves. It odd so many of the team are making no complaints and getting on with their job. If you do not like what you do find another job simples. Tough love as my mum would say.paultryan200207-11-2026
- many people advise him to grow slowly and rather do giro and/or vuelta instead of tdf. but i can totally understand that he is not satisfied with taking over once pogi declines, but instead beat him in his prime. so if he goes for tdf again, i‘m all for it. let‘s hope that pogi recovers soon!Ketterechts07-11-2026
- So gracious to offer something no-one would be prepared to pay for. The Giro is not the Tour and doesn’t command the same interest or attract the same “elite” (those willing to pay to be a part of something they consider has ego boosting potential). Roadside viewing will always largely remain free for everyone outside circuits. Introduction of a symbolic entrance to mountain climbs is worthy of exploration. Asking 1-2€ isn’t going to repulse real fans (most will spend 50-100€ on their outing that day all things included) but will prevent a portion of the total knobhead thrillseekers who will join in any large gathering as long as it’s free, just because they’re attracted to crowds, without which it it difficult for them to work up their anti-social behaviour.Jumpyjohn07-11-2026
- How is radio going to help when someone went over a cliff or bridge or off the roadside into a forest unnoticed and is laying there unconscious?Jumpyjohn07-11-2026
- Yep, next we’ll be accusing F1 drivers of avoiding Le Mans.Jumpyjohn07-11-2026
Loading
Take a deep breath. 🗺 Here is the Route of the Giro d’Italia 2023. . Fai un respiro profondo. 🗺 Ecco il Percorso del Giro d’Italia 2023. #Giro @ENIT_italia
Write a comment