Giro 2017 Route stage 11: Firenze (Ponte a Ema)

Giro 2017 Route stage 11: Firenze (Ponte a Ema) - Bagno di Romagna

Wednesday, 17 May 2017 - At 161 kilometres, the 11th stage in the 2017 Giro d'Italia travels from Firenze to Bagno di Romagna. The route is a feast for climbers and descenders, featuring four peaks and a long descent to the finish line.

The route of stage 11 in the 100th edition of the Giro leaves from Ponte a Ema. Gino Bartali – three times winner of the Giro, two times winner of the Tour de France – was born Ponte a Ema and he died here as well.

After leaving Firenze the real start of the race is in Ponte a Ema. With 15 kilometres done, in Pontassieve, the riders hit the base of Passo Della Consuma. This is a 15 kilometres climb at 5% with a steepest section of almost 10%. The Consuma was in the 2013 Giro d’Italia also, when Stefano Pirazzi was the first to crest, albeit from the other side.

The route travels down to Stia only to go up again in the valley. The Passo Della Calla is 16 kilometres at 5.3% with maximum grades of up to 8.5%. Long yet doable. A 27 kilometres drop takes the riders down to Santa Sofia.

No rest for the weary. In Santa Sofia the next challenge kicks in. The Carnaio climb is 11.45 kilometres at 4.5%, although the average gradient is blurred by a false flat halfway – for instance, the last 2 kilometres are averaging 8.2%. Following a short and steep drop the riders reach arrival place Bagno Di Romagna. Yet, it’s merely a passage…

Monta Fumaiolo looms, a tedious giant of 23.1 kilometres. The climb is averaging 3.6% and even takes in two short downhill section halfway. The real action awaits 3 kilometres before the top when the gradients start to go up to 6%, continuing onto 9.8% before the last kilometre is averaging 11.3%.

Monte Fumaiolo, at an altitude of 1,347 metres, peaks with 25 kilometres remaining. The finish line lies at an elevation of 490 metres, so that’s perfect terrain for someone like Vincenzo Nibali to go on the attack. Halfway down the descent, at the Passo dell’Incisa, the route starts to climb again for a few kilometres and then the drop continues. The last 3.5 kilometres are a gently sloping false flat.

The first three riders on the line take time bonuses of 10, 6 and 4 seconds, while the last intermediate sprint (at kilometre 107.9) comes with 3, 2 and 1 seconds.

Results/race report 11th stage 2017 Giro d’Italia.