Passo impossible

ByEurosport

Published 26/05/2006 at 09:11 GMT

With four categorised climbs, including a finish-line at the summit of the Passo di San Pelligrino, Stage 19 offers the most difficult route of this year's Giro D'Italia. With Ivan Basso firmly in control of the pink jersey, the fight for the podium takes

CYCLING Giro 2006 Pordoi

Image credit: From Official Website

The first challenge of the 224-kilometre trip from Porenone to the Passo di San Pellegrino (18.5-km long, average gradient 6.2%, max. gradient 15%) comes only 89-km into this race with the Forcella Staulanza (12.5-km long, average gradient 6.8%, max. gradient 11%).

But the race becomes really tricky midway through with two enormous summits within 30-km of each other, the Passo Fedaia (13.4-km long, average gradient 7.9%, max. gradient 18%) and the Passo Pordoi (11.8-km long, average gradient 6.6%, max. gradient 10%).

Although Basso should easily maintain his five minute and 34 second lead over his nearest rival Jose Enrique Gutierrez (Phonak), there is a fierce battle underway for a podium spot when the race finishes in Milan on Sunday.

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CYCLING 2006 Giro d'Italia Basso Stage 18 slideshow

Image credit: Reuters

"It is useless to have illusions, the superiority of Basso is clear," said Saunier Duval manager Pietro Algeri. "But now we will have two big mountain stages and we have two good climbers. Let"s see what"s gonna happen."

Algeri will rely on Leonardo Piepoli, who has two victories at this Giro on two mountain stages, and two-time winner Gilberto Simoni when the Tour of Italy finishes the trek through the Dolomites on Friday and Saturday.

Simoni is currently third in the general classification at 10:34 behind Basso, but his goal is to solidify a podium position on Friday.

Last year's winner Paolo Savoldelli is only 24 seconds behind Simoni in the overall standings.

"There is the tremendous Marmolada, the great Pordoi, the hard San Pellegrino. Time to have fun&hellip time to suffer," the old mountain-goat Simoni said after Stage 18. "I'll try to fight to stay on the podium. The most important is to not be dropped by Gutierrez."