Instead of crossing the pass at an altitude of 2,469 metres, in the immediate vicinity of the Italian-Swiss border, the riders will pass through the tunnel, located 600 metres below, during this 13th stage which will arrive in Crans-Montana.
Tre Cime di Lavaredo, where the 19th stage will arrive on May 26 at an altitude of 2,304 m, thus becomes the new "Cima Coppi" of the Giro 2023.
The "Cima Coppi" designates every year the highest peak of the race in tribute to the former Italian champion Fausto Coppi.
This change of route is a new twist for the organizers after the abandonment of the leader and great Belgian favorite Remco Evenepoel, tested positive for Covid-19, a thunderclap that led the Giro to strengthen its health measures.
Due to its position in the calendar, in May, the Giro, very wet since the start ten days ago, is regularly exposed to the vagaries of the weather.
While it has snowed a lot on the Alps in recent days, the third week, very mountainous, could also be acrobatic.
The penultimate stage, a hill time trial leading to Monte Lussari, a small postcard town, gives the organizers particularly cold sweats, because of the weather conditions but also the very narrow road that leads to the summit located at 1766 meters.
Covid continues to decimate the pack. Eight riders have now left the race following a positive test.
On Tuesday morning, Italian Domenico Pozzovivo (Israel PT) withdrew, while his Danish teammate Mads Wurtz tested negative but "does not feel well" and also withdrew.
Norwegian Sven Erik Bystrom will also not start stage 10. Positive for Covid but asymptomatic, he had received the green light on Monday from the medical teams of the International Cycling Union (UCI) and the organizers to continue the event. The Intermarché runner, however, developed symptoms during the night and his training recorded his abandonment Tuesday morning, "as a precautionary measure, and with the desire to preserve his health".
With the abandonment of the health protocol in force in recent years, nothing in the regulations obliges teams to stop their rider affected by the virus. But most prefer to use the precautionary principle by arguing uncertainties about the health consequences of extreme efforts produced during a Covid infection.
© 2023 AFP