The second stage will already be the scene of the first real uphill finish of this Giro d’Italia 2024. The 161 kilometers between San Francesco al Campo and Biella will have a total of more than 2,300 meters of elevation gain, all condensed into the last 70 kilometers of the route. But before the decisive final ascent to the legendary Sanctuary of Oropa, 11.8 kilometers long with an average gradient of 6.2 percent, the peloton will face two more official Gpm’s in the very tough second half of the course. It will most likely be a day for pure climbers and GC men, who will do battle on a climb made famous by Marco Pantani‘s unforgettable comeback victory at the 1999 Corsa Rosa.

Route Stage 2 Giro d’Italia 2024

The first 93 kilometers after the start in San Francesco al Campo will be easy and almost totally flat. But once past the flying finish line in Valdengo, a continuous and very tough up and down will begin, which will continue until the final finish line. The first climb of the day will be that of Valle San Nicolao (7.2 km at 3.1 percent), followed immediately by that of Crocemosso (3.2 km at 5.7 percent), which will come down 54 kilometers from the finish line and precedes the first Gpm of the day, that of Oasi Zegna (3rd Cat., 5.5 km at 5.6 percent with maximum gradients of 12 percent).

A short descent will bring the peloton to the entrance of the second and penultimate Gpm, the 3rd Cat. of Nelva, 5 km long with an average gradient of 5.7 percent, which could also be the scene of some action by the best-equipped teams on the climb. A long nosedive will lead the riders to the flying finish in Biella, which will award bonus seconds and mark the beginning of the very tough and decisive final climb, which starts 11.8 kilometers from the finish. The climb to the Sanctuary of Oropa will be a first-category Gpm with an average gradient of 6.5 percent and peaks as high as 14 percent. On these gradients we will see the best climbers emerge who will try to put each other in difficulty. Watch out for the last 4 kilometers of the climb, which will have an average gradient of 9%.