We Reconned the New Giro Del Cielo So You Don't Have To
Update 7/6/2022: The 2022 Giro Del Cielo has been canceled!
See you all next year (hopefully)!
Stage racers rejoice! The Giro Del Cielo is back in 2022 with a road race on Saturday and a Time Trial and Circuit Race on Sunday. Forget what you know about the Giro because there’s all new TT, Road, and Circuit (no crit!) courses. Which means it’s time for my favorite activity: “reconning routes that I ultimately don’t race.”
First, the courses. The Road, TT, and Circuit all use the same roads and what looks to be the same start/finish. The out-and-back TT utilizes the first 3.5 miles of the road course, and the Circuit uses the same first and last mile of the Road Race. Make sense? Great. All three profiles give the illusion of a climber’s course, but fear not, fellow terrible climbers, this is not that.
I know you want me to get to the point. Is it harder than before? Is it climbier than before? Well, Dear Reader, I have never been in town to race the Giro before and I don’t have these answers, but here is what I learned during our recon.
Road & TT: The biggest climb comes early and is a feature of both the road and TT course. Averaging about 5.2% over less than half a mile, it doesn’t loom large in the distance and you don’t quite realize you’re climbing until you start to feel the effort. I know, you’re looking at this profile and thinking “it’s says 9%!” It’s a steady effort, not punchy, and there a nice descent with quite a bit of recovery after. It’s the same distance as Prospect Hill, which you have all done at least a thousand times. You can do it, I promise.
Once you dispense with that climb, the rest of the course is, as advertised, rolling, and there’s plenty of time to recover or make up some lost ground. There are a few sharp turns on the course that you should be prepared for, especially because the yellow line rule is in effect and the roads are not closed to traffic. Look out for a sharp LEFT onto North Dory Roe Road at mile 4.9 followed by a sharp RIGHT at mile 5.2 onto Wykertown Road – both turns are part of a long descent, so be mindful of your speed and positioning.
Most of Wykertown Road is flat or rolling, but there’s one short kicker just before a very sharp right hand turn back onto Wantage Avenue and into the finish. If the finish is truly where it’s marked on the map, positioning into that turn will unquestionably decide your race.
The TT is an out and back on the first 3.5 miles of the road race course. It’s Merckx style – no TT bikes or aero bars - just you, your road bike, and as much energy as you’re willing to expend before the circuit race. You’ll have done your own multiple recons the day before and you can use this handy Strava segment to stalk your competitors the night before.
The Circuit Race: This year’s Giro is replacing the traditional crit with a short 2.3 mile circuit course. The main feature of the circuit course is what we came to affectionately refer to as “the wall.” Averaging 7.4% over just .18mi, and hitting grades of 14 - 15%, it’s remarkable enough that there’s already a Strava segment for it, in what is otherwise a relative Strava segment desert.
It looks bad! It feels bad! It’s over in less than a minute. But then you have to do it a bunch more times and you won’t know how many until you see the first lap card. At least one more than you’d prefer, probably.
So what kind of rider does the new Giro circuit favor? Someone who can repeat short burst efforts, and uses the ample recovery time wisely. Repeat this biker affirmation with me as we navigate to Bikereg together: This is not a climber’s course.
Logistics: This year’s Giro Del Del Cielo Road Race is on July 9, and the TT and Circuit Race take place on July 10th and is co-sponsored by our very own Athletic Brewing Company. The race is close enough to drive to from NYC, but if you prefer to save sitting in Holland Tunnel traffic for cyclocross season, the race manual has a list of potential housing. It’s a really beautiful area of New Jersey - close to the Delaware Water Gap and has tons of great (car free!) riding through Stokes State Forest.
The Giro offers men’s 1/2/3 and 4/5 fields, Women’s 1/2/3 (separate scoring for Cat 3) and 4/5 fields, and Masters 50+, with equal prizes for men and women. There’s also a team classification!