The Giro Rosa is set to return to tackle another of Italy's most celebrated but feared climbs as a summit atop the Passo di Gavia was announced for 2019.
Reported by Tuttobici, the only women's Grand Tour in the calendar will scale the Italian Alp as its major summit finish, with the race taking place between 5th and 14th July. This will continue the race's current trend of taking the peloton into the high mountains.
This year, the race tackled the steep Monte Zoncolan with Mitchelton-Scott's Annemiek van Vleuten dominating the stage, beating Ashleigh Moolman-Pasio to the summit by 40 seconds and teammate Amanda Spratt by 2 minutes 54 seconds.
Van Vlueten dominated the 2018 Giro Rosa with three stage victories, including the Zoncolan, en route to overall victory.
The Dutchwoman is likely to return to Italy in order to defend her title, already expressing her delight at the race heading back to the mountains by replying 'Love this' to the race's announcement.
While the Zoncolan is feared for its steepness, the Gavia represents a completely different challenge. With the pass topping out at an elevation of 2,621m, the Gavia is one of Italy's mountain giants often being the Cima Coppi - the highest climb of the Giro d'Italia - when used in the men's race.
Weather can also be questionable on the Gavia as American Andy Hampsten can attest, having conquered the climb in a snow blizzard in 1988 on the way to overall victory.
Tuttobici also reported that next year's Giro Rosa will tackle a team time trial as a tribute to the 100th anniversary of Fausto Coppi's birth.
The stage is rumoured to take place in Coppi's teenage hometown of Novi Ligure, where he worked as a butcher's assistant from the age of 13.