Like several other stages to be held during the second half of the 2013 Giro d'Italia, the penultimate stage of the race had to be re-routed due to unfavourable weather conditions which resulted in potentially dangerous riding conditions. The original parcours of was slightly lengthened to , but it also meant that three of the five originally-scheduled climbs of the route being removed; the first-category Passo Giau was bypassed, along with the second-category ascents of the Karerpass and the Passo di San Pellegrino. With the previous day's cancellation of the Passo di Stelvio, the climb to Tre Cime di Lavaredo became the Cima Coppi. The was the first part of the climb, averaging 7.2% over , before a false flat to the short, steep Col Sant'Angelo. The final climb averaged over 11% for the final , but reached 18% in places.