The Giro d’Italia returns to Valle d’Aosta on Sunday, May 22nd.

The Rivarolo Canavese-Cogne stage with a length of 177 kilometers will certainly be one of the most challenging with 4,030 meters of difference in altitude and three Kings of the Mountains. The runners will have to face the finishing lines of Pila-Les Fleurs (1,421m above sea level), of Verrogne (1,582m above sea level) and finally of Cogne (1,534m above sea level).

The mountain stages of the Giro d’Italia test the best climbers in the world, who, by tradition, are almost the only ones who manage to win the Corsa Rosa (Pink Race). In fact, they have a very high average gradient (at times they exceed 20%) which makes them different from the Tour de France stages and extremely demanding.

This 15th stage presents a marathon-like mileage and really insidious ups and downs that can hold many surprises.

After the Piedmont section, the stage continues on along the Valle d’Aosta valley floor among castles and splendid Alpine panoramas.
However, the difficulties of the stage are concentrated in the last 80 kilometers, of which over 46 of them are all uphill. A first climb up to Pila-Les Fleurs (the Aosta-Pila cable car will be open from 9.00 am to 5.30 pm), then a descent to Aymavilles, another steep climb up to Verrogne to then descend to Saint-Pierre and reach Aymavilles again before the last toil in the direction of Cogne where the Gran Paradiso majestically awaits the arrival of the racers.

The Giro has not been to Cogne since 1985 when it arrived in Valnontey, in the heart of the Gran Paradiso National Park, and the American Andrew Hampsten won.
The arrival in the beautiful town of Lillaz, known for its spectacular waterfalls, will be the best way to celebrate the 100th Birthday of the Gran Paradiso National Park.