Giro d'Italia Stage 19 preview: First of mountainous weekend double-header to decide GC
The first is today's 166km run from Biella to Champoluc, with 4,950m of altitude gain – the most of this year's race – condensed into a relatively short stage, and the classic shark's-tooth profile indicating that the pressure is on the GC contenders all day.
After a brief 4km descent out of Biella the profile is more or less up and down all day, with five categorised climbs, the first a category-three at Croce Serra 15km in, three cat-ones, and a cat-two to finish things off.
From Croce Serra there's a short false flat leading to Verres, which kicks off those three cat-one climbs, each over 15km and leading straight into each other by long descents. The 16km Col Tzecore - making only its second appearance in the Giro – hits 15 per cent on its steepest slopes and averages 12 per cent for the final 4km.
Its descent winds down and through the intermediate sprint at Chatillon before kicking back uphill to the Col de Saint-Pantaleon, which averages 7.2 per cent, and the Col de Joux, at average gradients of 6.9 per cent. The Col de Joux is followed by a short descent to Brusson heading straight into the 9.5km final climb to Antagnod, which hits 11 per cent, and ends 5km from the finish line.
It's not a summit finish, with the terrain falling sharply from 3km to go, and a series of switchbacks taking the riders under the flamme rouge into Champoluc. The final kilometre is cobbled up until 400m to go, when it drags up to the line for one last climb.
Route map and profile
Start time
Stage 19 will start at 12.20pm local time (11.20am BST) and finish at around 5.30pm local time (4.30pm BST).
Prediction
If a breakaway manages to hold off the GC charge, it's almost last chance saloon for Romain Bardet, who has two more opportunities to win a Giro stage and complete the Grand Tour set. But this feels too crucial a GC stage for that to be allowed to happen, sadly for fans of ciclismo and the Frenchman.
Of the GC favourites, Simon Yates and Richard Carapaz have it all to do this weekend to make up time on the pink jersey and have both climbed brilliantly so far, Yates showing brief signs of weakness on stage 17 but the Ecuadorian was near-flawless in the opening two and a half weeks.
But the short final descent and kick back up to the line suit Isaac del Toro, who escaped from Carapaz and Romain Bardet on the final downhill to win stage 17, and seems to think the best form of defence of his pink jersey is attack. The high mountains on stage 16 clearly didn't suit him, but he has looked brighter since then and has won on this sort of terrain and altitude before, at the Col de la Loze in the Tour de l'Avenir, so it's not a given that he'll suffer again today.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Daily Mail
3 hours ago
- Daily Mail
I visited one of Italy's famous bucket-list destinations - here's why I would NEVER go back
An idyllic hotspot in Italy that has fast become a must-see destination on social media has been branded 'overpriced and overhyped' by a visitor who explained why she would never return. Curiosity got the better of Phoebe Cornish when she began noticing a quaint, rustic, romantic town appearing extensively on her TikTok and Instagram feeds. Bellagio, located in Lake Como, has seen a surge in popularity in recent years thanks to its narrow cobblestone streets, colourful buildings, striking mountain backdrops and dreamy lakeside promenade. Mesmerised by online clips showcasing its traditional Italian charm, the lifestyle reporter decided to book a flight and see if the 'pearl of Lake Como' was truly worth the hype. According to Lake Como Experiences, Bellagio is easily accessible from Milan, with direct trains run from Milan Centrale to Como San Giovanni station and journeys taking approximately 37 to 47 minutes. For those driving, Milan to Bellagio is roughly one hour and 36 minutes, where ferries from Como connect directly to the village, with trips taking about two hours. Writing for the Express, Phoebe explained that she was immediately 'impressed' once she had stepped off at the ferry port in early June and was greeted by the picturesque setting she had only seen on a screen beforehand. Though she described the area as 'breathtaking' during the day, even whilst wading through hordes of tourists, it soon became apparent that the village was nothing more than an 'overhyped' TikTok destination. She wrote: 'As the sun sets, the atmosphere fades away. Most restaurants closed surprisingly early - around 9pm or 9.30pm - with only a few remaining open until 10pm or 11pm. 'After a full day of exploring the lake, we craved a relaxed late dinner or a drink with a view. However, Bellagio was already winding down.' She admitted she was 'naive' in expecting the same night-time buzz experienced in bustling cities such as Milan, and became especially frustrated when returning from late evenings out in nearby towns, such as Lenno. Despite its culinary backdrop and mile-long queues, Phoebe felt let down by the 'unremarkable' food offered in restaurants across the village, including a 'very dry tiramisu' served by one host. She added that meals were generally overpriced, lacked flavour and felt underwhelming. The writer rounded up her thoughts with a scathing take: 'It is the busiest, most tourist-saturated town on Lake Como and feels far more commercialised than the quieter, more authentic areas.' She also noted that Bellagio 'fails to be accessible' to visitors who are less mobile, and that there are limited options when it comes to public transport in the town itself. Despite leaving the town deflated, Phoebe noted that Bellagio is 'not without its appeal.' She enjoyed practicing Italian with her warm and welcoming Airbnb host, ate fresh fish each day, and took in breathtaking views across the lake during the trip, which made her feel 'genuinely connected' to the village. Phoebe also encouraged visitors to hop onboard the £18 slow ferry from Como to Bellagio, where passengers can cruise past the charming villages of Tremezzo and Cernobbio, a journey she described as 'scenic and relaxing.' Meanwhile, a popular British tourist hotspot has banned walking barefoot, picnics, and drinking booze on the streets among a swathe of other prohibitions in a brutal crackdown. Holidaymakers visiting Portofino, a small coastal town on the Italian Riviera in Liguria, are now facing fines for carrying out a variety of actions typically enjoyed abroad. Starting today, travellers in Portofino will no longer be able to walk through the town barefoot, in swimwear, or topless - or sit in the piazza in such attire. Consuming alcohol on public streets has also been prohibited, with only restaurants, bars, and designated areas left to booze in. Begging, sitting, or lying on the streets, walls, sidewalks and parks has also been banned along with having picnics. The new ordinance, signed by Mayor Matteo Viacava, will take effect during the summer season and temporarily expire on September 30.
Daily Mirror
11 hours ago
- Daily Mirror
York tips: Newsboy's picks and 1-2-3 for every race on Wednesday on ITV
Our ace tipster takes you through the card for the opening day of the prestigious Ebor Festival, one of the racing highlights of the summer schedule There is no better way to get prepared for the historic York Ebor Festival than follow ace tipster Newsboy. Over the next four days he will be providing in-depth analysis of every race in his not-to-be-missed column. Day one features one of the highlights of the whole year in the Juddmonte International, won in the past by greats of the sport, which delivers a rematch between the Aidan O'Brien-trained Delacroix and Godolphin's Ombudsman, who finished one-two in the Eclipse Stakes last month. 1.50 Hong Kong Jockey Club World Pool Handicap THE MAN, denied the opportunity to run at Goodwood by Biblical rainfall, has the ideal conditions to show what he can do. It all looked very promising for the Richard Spencer-trained son of Mehmas when he made his racecourse debut at Southwell in April 2024, as The Man got his career off to the perfect start with a one-length beating of Storm Call. But the wheels came off when my selection was upped in grade as a two-year-old. The Man beat just one rival home in the Group 2 Coventry Stakes and Group 3 Molecomb Stakes at Goodwood on his next two starts and the Listed Roses Stakes - an easier task, on paper - here in August resulted in an eighth-of 16 finish behind Tropical Storm. Then followed a 265-day hiatus, during which time The Man underwent two surgical procedures - one to improve his breathing and the other to remove his wedding tackle. And David Egan's mount looked a different horse in a handicap over an extended five furlongs at the Dante fixture in May, bursting clear to humble Loom by two and a quarter lengths. An 8lb rise in the weights to a new British Horseracing Authority mark of 92 was well earned, and The Man has only just begun. Brazen Bolt, Bergerac and Jordan Electrics are capable of having a say in an open start to the fixture. NEWSBOY'S 1-2-3: 1 THE MAN, 2 BRAZEN BOLT, 3 JORDAN ELECTRICS 2.25 Tattersalls Acomb Stakes ITALY has a strong chance of emulating the success of stablemate The Lion In Winter in this race 12 months ago. It will hardly make the News At Ten that Italy, a juvenile trained by Aidan O'Brien, has a desirable pedigree - he's a son of Wootton Bassett out of Bound, herself a sister to 2020 Derby victor Serpentine. A 200,000-guinea purchase as a yearling, the bay colt went off a hot 4-9 favourite against five opponents at Leopardstown in May and made a taking debut with a three-quarter-length margin from Thesecretadversary, who went on to uphold the form with a fine second in the Listed Chesham Stakes at Royal Ascot. Italy then had 57 days off before reappearing in the Group 2 Superlative Stakes on the final day of Newmarket's July Festival and was once again a warm order, starting the 4-6 market leader against six rivals. This time his backers didn't draw as Italy went under by a length and a quarter to the Charlie Appleby-saddled Saba Desert. But there were excuses - Ryan Moore's partner raced without cover on the outside of the field and also received an off-putting bump from fourth-placed Venetian Lace as the race approached its business end before keeping on willingly up the hill. Italy is very likely a good bit better than that, and can prove so today. Appleby's Distant Storm impressed on debut at Newmarket and is feared most, ahead of Gewan and May Angel. NEWSBOY'S 1-2-3: 1 ITALY, 2 DISTANT STORM, 3 MAY ANGEL 3.00 Sky Bet Great Voltigeur Stakes LAMBOURN is expected to make light of a 5lb penalty for not one but two Derby triumphs. Australia 's son had his colours lowered by Aidan O'Brien stable-companion Delacroix in the Group 3 Ballysax Stakes at Leopardstown in April - but since then it's been gravy all the way. Lambourn was one of the trainer's squad sent for Chester's Epsom trials and duly booked his place in the Classic line-up with a length-and-a-half defeat of Lazy Griff. On the day, my selection went off a well-backed 13-2 third choice in an 18-runner Derby line-up - the Ryan Moore-partnered Delacroix was at the head of the betting at 2-1. But it was Wayne Lordan and Lambourn who came home in front, making most of the running, holding a three-length lead at the top of the straight and having an additional three-quarters of a length in hand of Lazy Griff when he got to the finishing post. Sent off at 8-13 to do the Epsom-Curragh double in the Irish Derby 22 days later, Lambourn and Moore had a proper workout but in the end had a three-quarter-length margin to spare from 28-1 stablemate Serious Contender. O'Brien's Irish Derby hero Los Angeles carried the extra 5lb in this race in 2025 and Lambourn should justify short odds and do likewise. Another Ballydoyle contender, Stay True, suffered a narrow defeat in the Listed Lingfield Derby Trial but has plenty more to offer, while Carmers and Arabian Force are taken to fight it out for the bronze medal. NEWSBOY'S 1-2-3: 1 LAMBOURN, 2 STAY TRUE, 3 CARMERS 3.35 Juddmonte International Stakes SEE THE FIRE has Juddmonte International glory in her blood - and is the value call to follow a family tradition. Both her parents won the 10-furlong highlight - Sea The Stars stopped off at York for the fourth of his six Group 1 victories in 2009, while Arabian Queen floored Derby hero Golden Horn with a 50-1 skinner six years later. And it doesn't take a huge leap of faith, especially in a race that has thrown up shocks ever since Roberto upset Brigadier Gerard in the first running 53 years ago, to see the Andrew Balding-saddled filly showing to the fore. York form is always a useful asset and the four-year-old is unbeaten in two visits to the Knavesmire, winning the Group 3 Strensall Stakes 12 months ago and landing the Group 2 Middleton Stakes by 12 lengths over this afternoon's distance in May. Oisín Murphy's mount does have to turn round a four-and-a-half-length deficit with Ombudsman from the top-level Prince Of Wales's Stakes at Royal Ascot on her next outing, but found trouble in the straight while the winner benefited from being held up off a strong pace. My selection's third to Whirl in the Group 1 Nassau Stakes at the Qatar Goodwood Festival last time was a non-event - the ground was too soft and Ryan Moore bossed things from the outset on the winner. If See The Fire is to get her hands on a Group 1 prize, then it's likely to be today. Delacroix and Ombudsman were separated by just a neck in the Coral-Eclipse Stakes at Sandown Park and are again hard to split, but Japanese challenger Danon Decile and Frenchman Daryz also add spice to an intriguing Wednesday feature. Free £2 Shop Bet with William Hill inside your Mirror every day of the York Ebor Festival THE big guns are being readied and loaded to fire at York's Ebor Festival which starts on Wednesday August 20, 2025- and your Mirror is bringing you everything you need to celebrate the final flourish of the racing season including FREE shop bets from William Hill. Don't miss your paper every day of the festival, from Wednesday August 20 until Saturday August 23, 2025, to get your hands on packed pullouts, free £2 shop bets, and insight from the racing team you trust. Find out more here. 4.10 Sky Bet Stayers Handicap ALPHONSE LE GRANDE is no stranger to success in signature races on these shores - and he hasn't finished yet. A one-time winner as a two-year-old in Britain for Ed Dunlop, the son of Sea The Stars landed his only start for Co Kilkenny-based Ray Cody following a switch to Ireland and then joined Tony Martin. Alphonse Le Grande struggled to get his head in front over hurdles for Martin but produced the goods back on the Flat at Dundalk in March 2024, a score that presaged a Chester Plate triumph next time out. As Martin served a drugs ban, his sister Cathy O'Leary took over the training of Alphonse Le Grande and the six-year-old went on to capture Newcastle's Northumberland Vase and then the Cesarewitch Handicap at Newmarket later in the year. The latter victory was a controversial one - British racing's whip rules saw Alphonse Le Grande disqualified before he was reinstated on appeal and his nose defeat of Manxman was allowed to stand. Back in Martin's care, Alphonse Le Grande then caught many an eye at the Curragh in May on his comeback and didn't get the breaks when eighth, beaten three lengths, in the Ascot Stakes on the royal heath in June. Off the same mark, 6lb above his Cesarewitch rating, William Buick's mount remains of interest. Of his rivals, Terrorise, Align The Stars and Santorini Star all merit a second glance. NEWSBOY'S 1-2-3: 1 ALPHONSE LE GRANDE, 2 ALIGN THE STARS, 3 TERRORISE 4.45 IRE-Incentive, It Pays to Buy Irish Fillies' Handicap ECLAIRAGE is getting ever closer to a landmark first turf win - and gets the vote for a red-letter day. Danny Murphy's filly is mustard round five furlongs at Dundalk - all four of her runs on the all-weather have been in Co Louth, and she has yet to be beaten there. The first two successes came in nurseries there last autumn - Eclairage racked up the hat-trick there in a conditions event 12 days before Christmas - and she was back in business at the same track last month. Taking on 11 opponents, again over the minimum trip, my selection and Shane Foley - Colin Keane is at the controls this afternoon - again made all. Murphy then returned the daughter of Australian sprinter Kuroshio to grass - her sixth attempt on the surface - for a valuable handicap at Cork 13 days later. Once more in front from the gates, Eclairage began to paddle close home and was unable to resist the late thrust of Red Evolution. A 1lb nudge up the weights is neither here nor there and Eclairage will take some catching. Fluorescence and Lady Roxby are two names worth throwing into the melting pot, along with Star Of Mehmas and the prolific - if hard to spell - Luna An Inbhir Nis. 5.20 Sky Bet Nursery Handicap UTMOST RESPECT is the choice to improve Richard Fahey's already impressive record in the opening day's finale. Fahey has won three of the last 10 runnings of the six-furlong nursery, which makes his Musley Bank stable in Malton the logical place to begin the search for this year's winner. The son of Invincible Spirit made his debut in a five-furlong novice stakes on the Musidora Stakes undercard here back in May - and had little luck in running with a half-length second to Ballistic Missile. Despite the defeat, Utmost Respect lined up for the Listed Windsor Castle Stakes at Royal Ascot the following month and, as a 10-1 chance, ran with considerable credit to finish seventh, just over three lengths adrift of winner Havana Hurricane. Punters made my selection and Conor Orr the 1-4 hotpots to make it third time lucky in a five-furlong maiden at Hamilton Park last time, and the duo made no mistake with a fluent two-and-a-quarter-length victory. An opening handicap mark of 87 looks within range and today's sixth furlong is another plus. Shaman Champion, A'Ali G and Amorim, all youngsters with a bright future, have a role to play. NEWSBOY'S 1-2-3: 1 UTMOST RESPECT, 2 SHAMAN CHAMPION, 3 A'ALI G
Reuters
12 hours ago
- Reuters
Carapaz to miss Vuelta a Espana, focusing on world championships
Aug 19 (Reuters) - Former Olympic champion Richard Carapaz will miss this year's Vuelta a Espana as he is yet to fully recover from an illness, the Ecuadorian confirmed on Tuesday. Carapaz, second in the 2020 Vuelta, also missed the Tour de France with the same gastrointestinal illness and has not raced since finishing third overall at the Giro d'Italia in May. "After the illness I had, I had to stop several times as I couldn't train for more than two or three days at a time," Carapaz said in a EF Education-EasyPost team statement. "Now in Ecuador, I'm trying to get back to normal with training and continue moving forward with what we had planned. I'm almost fully recovered now." Carapaz, who won the road race gold medal in Tokyo, said his season focus was now the world championships in Rwanda. "Now, the next goals we've set are the Italian classics, especially Il Lombardia, and also the world championships in Rwanda," Carapaz said. "It's a very special world championship for me, where I have a big opportunity, and I want to prepare for it the best way possible." The world championships are being held in Kigali from September 21, the first time the event has been staged in Africa.
