And here we are at the last uphill section of this Giro d’Italia number 107: the program includes stage number 20, the Alpago-Bassano del Grappa of 184 kilometers with 4,200 meters of altitude difference.
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It starts from Lake Santa Croce which leads downhill to Vittorio Veneto and al passage on the Wall of Ca’ del Poggio which leads into the Prosecco area. After crossing the Piave you reach the slopes of Monte Grappa where from Semonzo you face the climb twice which leads to Shrine.
Halfway down (towards Romano d’Ezzelino) on the occasion of both passages at Ponte San Lorenzo you climb the short, but steep (over 10%) tear of the Pianaro. After the second descent the race continues until the finish line.
The climb of Monte Grappa winds with numerous bends and hairpin bends on a medium-narrow mountain road over 18 km at an average of 8% with high peaks of up to 14%.
Last 3 km in the city with straights and some connecting curves. Slight descent until the turning point at 500 m which then leads to the final straight of 350 meters and triumph for the winner.
THE ITALY OF THE GIRO
For the last time the Giro faces climbs in what could prove to be the decisive stage for many riders looking for a result that has not arrived until now. It will be a battle, therefore.
Nothing to do with the atmosphere of peace and relaxation that can be felt on the Alpago plateau, where the stage will start. This is the front door of the Belluno Dolomitesan area dotted with small towns rich in history, made even more special by the large lake of Santa Croce, an equipped kingdom for water sports, and by the Cansiglio Forest. The ancient Forest of the Doges it represents one of the most important environmental resources of the Veneto and in the past it was a fundamental resource for the Republic of Venice for the production of oars. Today it is a corner of paradise where you can get lost among the various nature trails while mountain biking or trekking.
Shortly after startup, the group will pass through Vittorio Veneto, entered the collective memory of Italians as being at the center of one of the most dramatic moments of the Great War (by the way, the Battle Museum is one of the most interesting among those dedicated to that conflict), but which is also worth a visit for the beauty of Piazza Flaminio, the fifteenth-century Loggia di Serravalle and the Cathedral of Santa Maria Assunta, founded in the thirteenth century but with a neoclassical appearance due to the reconstruction which took place in the eighteenth century.
The journey continues touching the extensive Prosecco DOCG vineyards and then arriving at Possagno, the birthplace of Antonio Canovathe greatest exponent of Neoclassicism: you are therefore immersed in the great beauty by visiting the solemn Plaster Cast Gallery – which collects the original models of his sculptures, terracotta sketches, drawings, paintings – his birthplace and the Canova Temple the most shining example of the Master’s architectural flair.
The double ascent of Monte Grappa forces you to immerse yourself in another dramatic page of the First World War. The stop at Military shrine cobstructed on the mountain peak and where they rest 23 thousand casualties on both sides requires heartfelt and extremely timely reflections.
The atmosphere is very different Bassano del Grappa, the arrival point of the stage. Surrounded by hills, it is a pretty medieval town located in the Vicenza area. Walking in the historic center means diving into art: the streets of the center are adorned with the works of authors such as Palladio, Canova, Jacopo Da Ponte, Marinali and Dall’Acqua. However, the symbolic monument of the city is the Ponte Vecchio (or the Alpini) – built on Palladio’s project which a recent restoration has returned to its original splendor. During every walk in the center of the town you have to pass through here, to cross the Piave walking on a monument that is now affectionately part of the memory of all Italians. The visit to Palazzo Sturm, home of the Ceramics Museum and the Remondini Printing Museum, and the mighty Ezzelini Castle then tell of the history and industriousness of the Bassano people.
