Climbs to Watch at the 2024 Giro d’Italia

For beautiful scenery and superlative racing, there’s plenty to look out for in this year’s Giro d’Italia. Max Leonard spotlights some of the segments where the race will be won - or lost.

Starting on Saturday, May 4 and finishing 23 days later in Rome, the 2024 Giro d'Italia takes in some of Italy's most spectacular countryside - and climbs. And while it's hard to know where and when the attacks can - and will - come, we do know the segments that may well define the race. These are our picks of the climbs to watch at Giro d'Italia 2024.

Prati di Tivo

While the race’s first summit finish is in Stage 2, the first big test comes six days later in the Apennines east of Rome. Prati di Tivo is often seen in the Tirreno–Adriatico early-season stage race, but here it pops up at the end of Stage 8. The climb measures 14.6km / 9 mi, with an average gradient of 7% and topping out at 1,450m / 4758 ft

Bocca della Selva

Stage 10 from Pompei to Cusano di Mutri features another summit finish, this one officially measuring in at 17.9km / 11.1 mi, with a 5.6% average gradient. It’s sure to see some attacks and there should be an interesting balance in these middle stages between Tadej Pogačar’s Team UAE controlling the race and other contenders testing him or going for a stage win.

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Mortirolo

The Mortirolo is one of the Giro’s most fearsome classic climbs. It wasn’t actually going to feature this year, but Stage 15, which was meant to head into Switzerland, was modified after the Swiss authorities baulked at the cost. This is not the Mortirolo’s worst side (that is here), but with ramps up to 16%, it may leave riders wishing they’d taken the original route after all. The Mortirolo is Stage 15’s second test, and it precedes the Passo di Foscagno before the uphill finish, making this a very tough day.

Passo dello Stelvio

The iconic Passo dello Stelvio features on Stage 16 and, at 2,757m / 9,045 ft is the race’s highest point, the Cima Coppi. It won’t be decisive, since it comes early in the stage and there’s a long downhill run out to the finish. The KOM is held by Australian pro Jai Hindley, who took the crown in 2020 on his way to second place at that year’s Giro, and his crown is unlikely to be troubled, but watch this if you can for the gorgeous views.

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Passo Brocon

The Passo Brocon comes at the end of a proper long day out in the beautiful Dolomites that also feature the historic climbs of the Passo Sella and the 19.7km / 12.2 mi Passo Rolle. The Brocon will be climbed twice, and the last two kilometers (1.2 mi) average 12%.

Monte Grappa

Monte Grappa is another of the Giro’s hallowed places. Because it saw heavy fighting in the First World War, there are 9 or 10 different routes to the top, but the race organizers have chosen to go up one road twice! Officially billed as 18.1km / 11.2 mi at 8.1%, and with sections at 14%, this is the last chance for any of the GC riders and climbers to get a stage win, so competition will be fierce – despite the grueling stages that have come before.