Giro d'Italia Stage 19 Kickoff Preview: Reasons You Don't Want to Miss the Action
The upcoming stage 19 of the Giro d'Italia promises to be a captivating mountain affair, set for Friday's schedule. With a demanding terrain that boasts a challenging 4,950 meters of elevation gain in just 166 kilometers, this stage is poised to deliver an exhilarating and chaotic race.
The stage commences with a steep ascent at Croce Serra, merely 3.7 kilometers into the ride. This category-3 climb will likely trigger a series of attacks from breakaway contenders, setting the stage for unpredictable racing.
Following the Croce Serra climb and descent, riders will navigate a 25-kilometer flat valley stretch. Although relatively stable, it is expected that attacks will persist without a definitive breakaway during this section. The first genuine opportunity for a breakaway will present itself at the Col Tzecore, a hard enough category-1 climb to force a true selection.
The route continues with the Col Saint-Pantaleon, a long category-1 climb, followed by the Col de Joux under the shadow of the late category-2 sting at Antagnod. This grueling day will undoubtedly spark drama among the pink jersey contenders, though their focus may shift to the brutal Colle delle Finestre on stage 20.
With just three stages remaining, the Giro d'Italia has reached a pivotal moment. The departures of pre-race favorites Primoz Roglic and Juan Ayuso have left the overall classification wide open, with UAE Team Emirates-XRG's Isaac Del Toro currently leading the pack. However, he faces a stiff challenge from competitors such as Richard Carapaz, who is 41 seconds behind, and Simon Yates, 10 seconds further adrift.
For UK viewers, coverage will be available on TNT Sports 3 and Discovery, starting at 11:00 BST with an hour of build-up before the race start at 11:30 BST. In the US, Max will broadcast the race live starting at 6am ET, while in Canada, Flobikes' coverage begins shortly after. Australian viewers can catch the event for free on SBS On Demand, with coverage kicking off at 8:10pm AEST.
During this challenging stage 19 of the Giro d'Italia, the breakaway contenders are expected to launch attacks after the steep ascent at Croce Serra, thereby initiating unpredictable racing. The first genuine opportunity for a successful breakaway is anticipated at the Col Tzecore, a demanding category-1 climb that could force a true selection among the riders.
