PREVIEW | Tour of the Alps 2024 - Giro d'Italia warm-up with Geraint Thomas, Ben O'Connor and Filippo Ganna as headliners

From April 15th to 19th, the Tour of the Alps takes center stage. This race serves as the crucial build-up event before the Giro d'Italia, featuring five challenging days of racing through the Alps, where the majestic mountains provide a daunting backdrop. Here, we preview the upcoming race.

The first day of the race takes place in the flat valley roads, with a few ascents here and inbetween to split things up. No warming up, the peloton faces three climbs in only 133 kilometers where big gaps can already be created.

Andalo which is 15.5 kilometers at 5% early in the day to warm up, but then a double ascent to Penone which is 4.4 kilometers at 9.4%. These end with 44 and 17 kilometers to go before a finale in Cortina.

The second day of racing will be much more guided towards a specific moment. It's a relatively easier day, but with a tough finale nonetheless. 190 kilometers from Salrono to Stans, it features an ascent which is 4.5 kilometers at 7.4% summitting only 15 kilometers to go.

East of Innsbruck deep into Austrian territory is where the third stage of the race takes place. A short 124-kilometer stage with a brutal combination of climbs towards the end.

The riders face a two-climb circuit twice including ascents of 3.2Km at 9.5% and 3.2Km at 9.9%. In the final lap they end with 13 and 4 kilometers to go before a fast downhill finale into Shwaz. The many steep climbs will certainly make room for attacks and big gaps at the finish line.

The queen stage of the race. This 141-kilometer day between Laives and Borgo Valsugana is a brutal day by the standards of any race, and would be a top Grand Tour stage if it were presented in one. There are over 4200 meters of climbing within this short day of racing, split into six different climbs.

15.2Km at 5.7% almost right from the start. Then two transition ascents which are 2.9Km at 9.2% and 4.5Km at 8.9%. Both hard, but a mere warm-up for the two most important moments of the day.

The Passo del Compet (10.2Km at 8.1%) summits with 55Km to go and the end of the descent is the base of the Passo del Vetriolo which is 9.3Km at 8.7% and summits with 37Km to go. If that were not enough there is still one more climb before the finale, which is an uncategorized 5.3Km climb at over 7% which is placed only a few kilometers away from the downhill finale.

After four days of difficult racing, this final stage of the Tour of the Alps can still be very difficult. It's only 118 kilometers in distance but features two big climbs where the difference can be made.

The Palu del Fersina which is 12.5 kilometers long at 6.2%, ending with 51 and 26 kilometers to go and are separated only by it's own descent. There is still a hilltop before the ultimate finale in Levico Terme which is 2Km at 6% which will be the final opportunity to create the differences in the race.

*** Ben O'Connor, Chris Harper
** Geraint Thomas, Antonio Tiberi, Romain Bardet
* Sergio Higuita, Wout Poels, Aurélien Paret-Peintre, Hugh Carthy, Carlos Verona, Ivan Sosa, Filippo Zana, Michael Storer, Davide Piganzoli

Pick: Ben O'Connor