Stage 17 Preview: A Mountain Trek from Ponte di Legno to Lavarone
Following the Mortirolo drama, this decisive week keeps its rhythm with another formidable mountain chapter. The stage stretches across 165 kilometers with a total altitude gain of 3,740 meters, linking Ponte di Legno to Lavarone. It promises a powerful start and a demanding finish, packing three notable climbs into a route that ultimately avoids a high-altitude finale.
The day presents a pair of distinctly different sections, each testing a different facet of a rider’s strength. Departing from the Lombard town of Ponte di Legno, the peloton immediately begins a sustained ascent, climbing from the outset with an average grade that remains challenging as they traverse 8.6 kilometers at a continuous incline, then easing slightly to 6.3 percent without including the Passo del Tonale. Riders who are incisive off the line will find the early grind a fair reward, setting the tone for what comes next. The opening descent runs for about 70 kilometers, offering a long stretch of fast, technical riding that can shape the dynamics of the day before the next ascent begins to bite again.
Crossing the Adige River, the route enters a steeper, more demanding section that culminates in a climb to Giovo. This segment is categorized as a first-category challenge, featuring 5.9 kilometers at an average grade near 6.8 percent, a test of leg power and line choice as the road tightens and the cadence drops. After this, the riders face roughly 30 more kilometers toward the base of the day’s primary difficulty in the Valico del Vetriolo. The Vetriolo climb stretches for 11.8 kilometers, maintained at an output that presses the legs and the lungs, demanding smooth power distribution even as the gradient shifts and the surroundings grow more rugged.
Following the Vetriolo ascent, the peloton drops into a long, technical descent that lasts about 12 kilometers, where the riders shift into a different mindset and balance speed with control. They then pick up the famous Menador road, a route etched into local memory because of its carved tunnels and hairpin bends that evoke the era of fierce, strategic racing. The climb to Monterovere marks the next critical test, a 1.8-kilometer stretch that averages roughly 9.8 percent and forces riders to dig deep for every last watt. The final kilometers are bumpy and demanding, with the finish line waiting in Lavarone after a demanding but not terminal climb sequence.
The day’s logistics place the start at 12:40 and the anticipated arrival around 17:13, giving riders a generous window to pace themselves through a meticulous course that rewards both consistency and a bold, late surge from those looking to gain time before the next summit battles.
In the race hierarchy, Richard Carapaz of Ecuador defends the pink jersey, entering the stage with a three-second lead over Jai Hindley of Australia (Bora-Hansgrohe) and a 44-second buffer over Joao Almeida of Portugal (UAE Emirates). Spaniard Mikel Landa sits in fourth, 59 seconds behind the race leader. The stage is designed to test the field’s ability to maintain a steady rhythm while enduring the cumulative fatigue of multiple climbs, and it offers a clear stage-winning opportunity for riders who can combine strategic terrain awareness with a well-timed acceleration as the road tilts upward toward the finish.
All tactical layers of this stage weave together a narrative where climbers, GC contenders, and strong all-rounders alike must decide where to expend energy. The route’s diversity—long descents, steep ascents, and technical mountain stretches—creates small opportunities for differences to emerge, often in the most surprising places. The day rewards planful pacing, smart recovery on the easier sections, and a decisive push on the decisive ramps near the end. For fans and followers, the stage is a showcase of planning meeting execution, with the mountain roads of northern Italy once again proving that the race is won not just on the biggest summit but in the quiet, relentless miles that lead there.