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High alpine pass road with snow-capped peaks
STAGE 02 // MONDAY, JULY 20
QUEEN STAGE

MERANO
— BRIXEN

140 KILOMETERS
4,000 METERS CLIMBING
2 MONSTER PASSES
2,474 MAX ELEVATION (M)

The queen stage. 140km and 4,000m of climbing with only two passes — but what passes. Timmelsjoch at 2,474m is a 29km monster crossing into Austria and back. Jaufenpass adds another 19km of relentless gradient. This is where the strong separate from the rest.

ROUTE_OVERVIEW

TWO PASSES.
NO MERCY.

This is the day that defines the tour. Only two climbs, but together they deliver 4,000m of vertical gain across 140km. Timmelsjoch crosses into Austria before returning to Italy — a 29km wall of asphalt with sections hitting 12.8%. Jaufenpass follows with 19.4km at 7.2% average. The short option (88km, 2,000m) skips Timmelsjoch but still includes the brutal Jaufenpass.

START Merano, Italy
FINISH Brixen, Italy
FULL ROUTE 140 km / 4,000 m
SHORT ROUTE 88 km / 2,000 m
COUNTRIES Italy → Austria → Italy
CLASSIFICATION QUEEN STAGE — MAX ELEVATION
CLIMB_DATA

THE
MONSTERS.

Timmelsjoch / Passo Rombo 2,474 M
29 km DISTANCE
6.2% AVG GRADIENT
12.8% MAX GRADIENT

29km monster — crosses into Austria and back. The longest and most brutal climb of the tour.

Jaufenpass / Passo Giovo 2,094 M
19.4 km DISTANCE
7.2% AVG GRADIENT
12.5% MAX GRADIENT

19.4km of relentless gradient after already climbing 29km on Timmelsjoch. Mental warfare.

STAGE_INTEL

KEY
INTEL.

⚠

QUEEN STAGE WARNING

This is the decisive day. 4,000m of climbing concentrated into just two passes means there is nowhere to hide. Every meter of gradient must be earned. The short option exists for a reason.

MAX_SUFFERING
★

THREE COUNTRIES

Start in Italy, cross into Austria at the Timmelsjoch summit, descend back into Italy. Three countries in a single stage through the highest border crossing in the Eastern Alps.

ITALY → AUSTRIA → ITALY
DESTINATION_DATA

BRIXEN.

ELEVATION 560 m
POPULATION 22,700
REGION South Tyrol, Italy
FOUNDED Oldest town in Tyrol

Brixen (Bressanone) is the oldest town in Tyrol, a Baroque jewel at the confluence of the Isarco and Rienza rivers. The cathedral and bishop's palace anchor the historic center. At 560m, it offers warm valley air after the frozen high-altitude warfare of Timmelsjoch and Jaufenpass. Recovery will be needed.