Stelvio Pass Removed from Stage 16 of Giro d’Italia Due to Avalanche Risk

The iconic Passo dello Stelvio, or Stelvio Pass, has officially been removed from this year’s Giro d’Italia due to the risk of avalanches. The Umbrail Pass will now be the highest point of this year’s race, taking the place of the Stelvio on Stage 16.

“The recent snowfalls on the Stelvio Pass, followed by the rise of the temperatures, are increasing the risk of avalanches,” organizers said on Tuesday. “The Giro d’Italia organization, in order to safeguard the safety of the Carovana Rosa, has therefore decided to change the route of the 16th stage of the Giro d’Italia.”

That redesign demotes the stage from a five-star difficulty rating to a four-star, per the Giro’s rating system. The change has also added 4 km to the route, which now runs from Livigno to Santa Cristina Valgardena for a 206-kilometer course.

At 16.7 km and a 7.1 percent average gradient, the Umbail Pass will still be a tough challenge to the peloton. While it isn’t quite as brutal as the Stelvio, the overall profile of the stage will likely still have an impact on the general classification.

Nestled in northern Italy, Passo dello Stelvio’s elevation sits at 2,757 meters (9,045 feet) above sea level and has made the pass a staple in the road cycling world, second only to France’s renowned Col de l’Iseran in the Alps. But the upper section of the pass is still banked with snow, and while work has been done to clear the road, it has been deemed unsafe.

Photos from the pass’ webcams showing the incredible amount of snow have been all over social media leading up to next week’s stage. Olaf Reinstadler, head of the local avalanche commission, told Italian news agency ANSA last Friday that the Giro would be unable to cross the Stelvio due to the risks posed by the banks of snow on the roadside.

“‘On the Stelvio, the danger of avalanches is too high for the Giro caravan to cross it,” Reinstadler said. ‘The problem isn’t the road, but the fact that the slopes above it are still full of snow. With the rising temperatures in these days, there could be sudden breaks in the banks of snow.’”

Passo dello Stelvio would have been the highest point for this year’s Giro and has often been included in the race. However, it has also previously been removed due to similar conditions. Stelvio was omitted from the race in 1984, 1988, and 2013.

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