Mark this stage for the next one Tour of Italy: Marano Lagunare – Sanctuary of Castelmonte. It's the 19th stage of the Giro d'Italia, 178 kilometers. A snapshot of the Friuli Venezia Giulia: from the sea to the mountains, passing through the plains and the hills.
To tell us about this fraction is Matthew Fabbro, A true Friulian, who just a few days ago went on a scouting expedition with his sports director, a fellow Friulian and friend: Enrico Gasparotto, recently arrived at the Bora Hansgrohe.
Matteo, we're running to your house...
The stage is almost entirely in Friuli, with a stop in Slovenia. Up to the Tanamea Pass you travel along roads that I know and all in all it's affordable, but then how do you get to Slovenia...
Is it getting tough?
Oh my! Just yesterday I spoke about it on the phone with Enzo Cainero, the organizer of the Friulian stages. I told him it was tough and not to be underestimated. For me, it's a true mountain stage, not a medium-mountain one as it's been classified. Just like Potenza: there's a 4.500-meter elevation gain. And there's no shortage of similar stages at the start of the Giro.
Tell us about the journey…
The first part, as you can see, is flat. It's flat up to Buja. Then you enter the first valleys. You climb to Villanova Grotte and from there on it's a continuous up and down. And the descents are technical, not so much the one on the Tanamea Pass, as much as the others and that of the KolovratThe Villanova route is challenging but short: 5-6 kilometers. It alternates hairpin bends with smoother sections. But the road is narrow and if you make a mistake you'll hurt yourself. And if... the pace is high the group breaks up, Sure. So from the first climb onwards, you have to stay in front. There's no respite.
And the Kolovrat's glide?
Challenging and technical, although not all of it. What worries me most here are the "zampellotti" (real) that are on the descent. And then there are some sections where it is very narrow and it's a continuous right-left of blind curves to be able to interpret.
What are the climbs like?
They're challenging. Especially this Kolovrat. In fact, it's downright tough. I'll just tell you that the average gradient is 9%, but it flattens out in the middle and there's also a downhill section, so you decide... There are some straight sections to be done standing up that will make selection. And then we mustn't forget that we are in the last week and the next day there is the Marmolada.
What can you tell us about the final climb?
Castelmonte is easier to cycle than Kolovrat. As for the gradient, it's similar to Etna. It reaches 7-8%. We had also done it at the Giro two years ago, but downhill (opening a segment of that stage, the Udine-San Daniele del Friuli, ed.).
Does that short flat stretch before the final climb block any attacks from afar, or can one go straight to the finish from Kolovrat?
No, no… you can go. There is room to attack. The flat stretch is actually 5-6 kilometers long, followed by a rolling hilly area. And already in Cividale, the climb starts again.
Will you be taking a ride on those roads?
Oh, for sure! I don't know if it'll be in December, but I'll definitely be riding there in February. I want to go and get a feel for it, because the impression you get from a car is different than the one you get from a bike. And it's often worse from a car!
You said earlier that it's the final week and that you have to climb the Marmolada the next day: does a long stage like the Fedaia "clip the wings" of a stage like this or, on the contrary, give it a boost?
It depends on the standings. If it's short and someone has the skills to attack, they'll do well and can be a boost. His legs might hurt the next day, but his rivals will too, and he risks blowing the lid off the competition. And if it were to rain, everything would be amplified. If it were to rain, it would be a real mess: the road would remain slippery in some areas. In fact, it's often in the shade, like in the second part of the stage. Things would get complicated. It would certainly be a beautiful spectacle... on TV! That's also why I want to try it on my bike, to see how slippery the road is. It's also true that maybe they'll clean it for the Giro...
What ratios do you imagine could be used?
Now I would say a 36 in front and a 28 in the back, maybe even a 30.
You went on a reconnaissance trip with Gaspa, anecdotes from past races, memories…
We didn't race together on these roads. More than anything, we talked about race management. And above all, the further we went, The harder it got, the more perplexed we looked at each other.!
