The moment of truth has arrived for the Giro d’Italia 2024. The final alpine stage, before the final catwalk in Rome, will be used to define the positions in the general classification, starting with who will occupy the two steps of the podium alongside the dominant Tadej Pogacar. The 184 kilometers that will lead from Alpago to Bassano del Grappa will feature the double ascent to Monte Grappa, for a stage that will feature 4200 of elevation gain and will offer an opportunity to gain positions in the standings to those who will have conserved the most energy after three intense weeks of racing. There will be many who will want to try to make their mark on this stage, so the chances of any breakaways should not be ruled out a priori, although the Maglia Rosa may decide to put the final seal on a triumphant edition.

Route Stage 20

The first part of this day, which will see the group pedaling always in Veneto in the provinces of Belluno, Treviso and Vicenza, does not present particular difficulties from an altimetric point of view. From the start in Alpago, on the shores of Lake Santa Croce, in fact, the first thirty kilometers will be downhill to the foot of the Ca’ del Poggio Wall (1.2 km at 12.3%, max. 19%), a short tear but with gradients that reach 19%. Once past this asperity, which could act as a springboard for a breakaway, the route, which will go through the Prosecco areas, will be flat until the flying finish in Possagno, located after 75.3 kilometers, which anticipates the entrance to the circuit that the riders will ride twice before heading to the finish.

Immediately after crossing Semonzo del Grappa, where, on the second passage after 135 kilometers, there will be the Intergiro sprint, the climb of Monte Grappa (18.1 km at 8.1%, max. 14%) will begin. A long ascent with numerous hairpin bends that presents the most challenging gradients in the last three kilometers. Reaching the summit, after 106.1 kilometers, the descent will begin, halfway through which the riders will have to tackle the short but challenging (over 10%) Pianaro climb, which in the second passage will count as a flying finish line. This is followed by another sixteen kilometers of descent to Semonzo del Grappa for the second climb to Monte Grappa, from whose summit there will be 30.7 kilometers to the finish.

After the second descent, it will continue to the finish with the last four kilometers completely flat that will take the runners to the finish line in Bassano del Grappa. The finish, urban and with some curves, is slightly downhill until the turn at the minus 500 meters that then leads into the finishing straight.