The Giro d’Italia reaches the heart of Veneto with the Rovigo – Vicenza stage, 180 km open to interpretation. The outcome will be decided on the Monte Berico circuit, the hill that overlooks the city of Vicenza. Since the finish isn’t flat, sprinters are unlikely to feature among the favorites, while more explosive riders – those who can power up when the road kicks up – will find terrain suited to their strengths. A long-range breakaway making it to the line can’t be ruled out either.
Stage 13 Preview: An Open Finale in Vicenza and Monte Berico
The ramp of Monte Berico is decisive
The first part of the stage is completely flat, apart from a brief excursion into the Euganean Hills with the climb to Passo Roverello (cat. 4, 3.4 km at 6.8%) just over 30 km into the race. Things start to get interesting in the final 50 km, with the arrival in the Berici Hills, first with the San Giovanni in Monte KOM (cat. 4, 5 km at 6.6%), followed by the final circuit in the heart of Vicenza.
At 20 km to go, the riders will pass under the finish line for the first time at the Sanctuary of the Madonna di Monte Berico. This punchy ramp is flanked by the hill’s iconic porticoes and measures exactly one kilometer, with an average gradient of 7.1%. The first 400 meters are fairly manageable, but the final 600 meters get noticeably tougher, with gradients consistently between 8% and 12%.
The final circuit also features the Arcugnano climb (1.8 km at 6.6%), which leads into the Red Bull KM, located 10 km from the finish – after that, all eyes will be on the second and decisive ascent of Monte Berico.
Pedersen going for poker
Mads Pedersen made it clear: yesterday he let his team rest to go all-in for today’s stage. The short, sharp climb to Monte Berico suits his characteristics well, but timing will be crucial—there’s a real risk of blowing up on those steep gradients. Keep an eye on the resurgent Wout Van Aert (Visma | Lease a Bike), as well as Corbin Strong (Israel–Premier Tech) and Dorian Godon (Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale), both of whom have won on this very climb at the Giro del Veneto.
The GC contenders could also get involved, especially explosive riders like Isaac Del Toro (UAE Team Emirates XRG), Primož Roglič (Red Bull–Bora–Hansgrohe), and Richard Carapaz (EF Education–EasyPost), all potential stage winners today.
Stage 13 Preview: timetables and Key Infos
Vicenza – Rovigo
Distance: 180 km
Elevation gain: 1,600 meters
Start time: 12:55 p.m.
KM 0 (official start): 1:05 p.m.
LIVE coverage begins: 11:20 a.m.
Estimated finish: Around 5:10 p.m.
