Despite its first use only coming 20 years ago, the Colle delle Finestre has become one of the most iconic and feared climbs in the Giro d’Italia, not just for its physical demands, but for its dramatic role in reshaping the general classification. Though it has only appeared four times — in 2005, 2011, 2015, and 2018 — the climb’s impact has been profound. It rises relentlessly at an average 9% gradient over nearly 19 kilometres, and becomes even more gruelling after the tarmac ends and the gravel begins. The surface not only saps strength, but tests bike handling and mental resolve. What looks like a secure position before the Finestre can quickly unravel. It has earned a reputation as the climb where dreams can be realised or destroyed.
The last time the Finestre was used in the Giro in 2018 (Image: Getty Images)
The dreams of the young Mexican, Isaac del Toro (UAE Team Emirates-XRG) — his country’s best ever chance of a Grand Tour win — have been soaring higher and higher since he first pulled on the maglia rosa after stage nine, this year’s Giro d’Italia’s other gravel challenge. The 21-year-old, the best that day in Tuscany amongst the overall contenders, has been up for the battle and looks every bit ready to become the youngest Grand Tour winner this century — even younger than Tadej Pogačar was when he won the Tour de France in 2020.
But ghosts of lost GC battles haunt Finestre's hairpinned bends and gravel pinches. In its debut in 2005, the climb immediately set the tone. Paolo Savoldelli wore the maglia rosa, but on the unrelenting gravel slopes of the Finestre, he cracked under the pressure. Although he managed to limit his losses and hold onto the jersey by the finish in Sestriere, the damage was visible. Gilberto Simoni and José Rujano — in the blue KOM jersey — launched a fierce attack on the climb. The Finestre served notice: it was not just another climb — it was a reckoning.
The first time the Finestre was used was in 2005 (Image: Getty images)
Ten years ago, Fabio Aru, trailing Alberto Contador, launched an all-or-nothing offensive with his Astana team. Aru’s relentless pace on the gravel led to a major shake-up. Though Contador limited his losses and retained the jersey, the image of the race leader isolated and struggling on the Finestre showed how quickly things can turn. Riders who had been solidly placed in the top 10 crumbled under the pressure, while others surged forward, their fortunes reversed in a matter of kilometres.
Contador under pressure on the Finestre's slopes in 2015 (Image: Getty images)
The 2018 edition, however, may be the most dramatic of all. Chris Froome, fourth overall and over three minutes down, launched an audacious solo attack on the Colle delle Finestre, over 80 kilometres from the finish. As his rivals hesitated, Froome surged ahead, not only winning the stage but seizing the pink jersey in one of the most astonishing turnarounds in Grand Tour history. One of the main victims that day was Simon Yates, who, seven years later, now sits in third on GC at this year’s race. The now Visma-Lease a Bike rider had led the race since the sixth stage and was looking like the champion-elect, and so that year was a reminder that on the Finestre, boldness can be rewarded just as surely as weakness is punished. Could Yates banish his disappointment from the last time the climb was used at the race and inflict the same devastating blow which he suffered on Del Toro?
Froome causing havoc on the Finestre in 2018 (Image: Getty images)
The rider who currently looks the most likely to usurp Del Toro was also there that day in 2018. Richard Carapaz, although he wasn’t quite able to break onto the final GC podium, did produce the kind of performance that foreshadowed his overall win the following year, also winning a stage in the first week. So far in the third week this year’s Giro, Carapaz has attacked Del Toro on numerous occasions and will have been frustrated by the profiles of the last two mountain stages, 17 and 19, which had relatively soft finales, allowing Del Toro, who (thanks to his stronger team survived the overcame the harder challenges earlier in the day) was able to use his superior punch to gain a few bonus seconds on the Ecuadorian by the finish. Carapaz dropped the UAE rider on the summit finish on stage 16 and again distanced him on the Mortirolo mid-way through stage 17. He was unable to find the same kind of gap at the end of stage 19, which, despite its near 5,000m of elevation gain, didn’t have a hard enough finale to allow Carapaz to really test the race leader.
Stage 20 poses a very different threat to Del Toro. Across all four editions, the Colle delle Finestre has shown it is no ordinary climb. Its length, gradient, altitude, and gravel surface make it a uniquely challenging ascent that can flip the GC on its head. In a race often decided by seconds, the Finestre is a place where minutes can be won — or lost — in a matter of moments. This edition it will be summited with only 27.5km left to ride, so although it won’t be the final battle ground of this Giro, it could be the most impactful.
