Pässlich 02 - von Sautens (AUT) nach Sterzing (ITA)

Hopefully you've slept well, because the second day is the so-called queen stage.

Once your tired bones are back in the saddle, the route follows the Ötztal Bundesstraße, relatively flat, towards Oetz. Between the villages of Habichen and Tumpen, two hairpins with a 9% gradient await. Once you've passed Tumpen, things calm down a bit. If you're struggling here already, you might want to turn around, as the real climb doesn't begin until Zwieselstein after 38 km.

The next ramp comes shortly before Sölden, with a gradient just under 5%. Anyone hoping for a breather will be quickly disappointed: after riding through Sölden and before Zwieselstein, there's another tough ramp — 9% once again.

You pass through the small village of Zwieselstein, which is where the real climb up to the Timmelsjoch, at 2,509 m, begins.

Right after Zwieselstein, there's another ramp with an 8% gradient before it flattens out to a more 'relaxed' 4–5% until just before the Timmelseck (about 1,840 m above sea level).

Now the real suffering begins. Once you've taken the first big switchback, the gradient never drops below 7%. On the contrary, it consistently holds between 7% and 8%.

A brief moment of relief: after passing through Hochgurgl, which comes at kilometer 49, the road drops 3 kilometers down to Timmelsbach.

Hochgurgl is also the toll station — but free of charge for cyclists.

The relaxing 150 vertical meters you lose on this 8% descent are not really gained; you'll have to regain them in the final uninterrupted climb, 8–9% over 9 switchbacks.

Once you've conquered the Timmelsjoch, you cross the border into Italy.

The next 28 kilometers are all descent! Be extra cautious in the first tunnel, as it — and all following tunnels — is unlit! A rear light is highly recommended.

The descent ends in St. Leonhard in Passeier.

This beautifully located village is not just the end of the descent, but also the starting point for the second, much tougher ascent.

As mentioned above, the climb begins in St. Leonhard in Passeier. The next nearly 19 km are not just tough, they're brutal. Except for a few meters at 4% gradient, most of the climb is at 8%. And that's not all: on two sections, the gradient exceeds 11%.

The descent is just as impressive as the climb. Breathtaking views and fantastic switchbacks... It's truly one of the top 10 Alpine passes, as the magazine 'tour' has described. The descent ends in Gasteig, right at the gates of Sterzing.

In Sterzing, the stage for the day ends as well.