Organizers for the Giro d’Italia unveiled the details of next year’s Italian Grand Tour in Milan today, which will include an opening 9.7 kilometer time trial in Jerusalem, followed by with two stages in Tel Aviv and Eilat that will favor the sprinters.
The race then transfers to Sicily on the first race day, before a 191 kilometer stage to Caltagirone, with a short uphill finish, while stage six will mark the first proper summit finish – atop Mount Etna, at the Astrophysical Observatory.
A flat transitional stage follows before a challenging weekend, with finishes on the Montevergine di Mercogliano and at Campo Imperatore – the latter marking a 45 kilometer climb to conclude a 224 kilometer stage.
Following the second rest day is another fiercely long, undulating stage – 239 kilometer in all – before a testing, undulating stage from Assisi to Osimo, dedicated to Michele Scarponi.
Two more sprint stages follow, including a finish on the Imola motorsport circuit and a trip through many of Italy’s significant WWI sites.
The Zoncolan is next on the cards, concluding the climb-heavy stage 14 on Saturday May 19 and to be climbed from the toughest Ovaro side.
Four more climbs in the Dolomites will take place on the following day, which will ensure that there’s no let up before the final rest day.
The final week will kick off with a 34.5 kilometer individual time trial, on a mostly flat route that will again favor the sprinters of the peloton.
Another relatively flat stage in Italy’s wine region follows, before the mountains return with a vengeance as the peloton hits the Alps.
The Cima Coppi – the highest climb of the race – is the Colle delle Finestre, complete with 9km gravel sector, on stage 19, while stage 20 covers 4,500 meters of elevation across just three climbs.
Finally, the race will head to Rome to take in ten laps of the 11.8 kilometer finishing circuit around the city.
Friday May 4 – stage one: West Jerusalem, 9.7km individual time trial Saturday May 5 – stage two: Haifa to Tel Aviv, 167km Sunday May 6 – stage three: Be’er Sheva to Eilat, 229km Monday May 7: rest day one Tuesday May 8 – stage four: Catania to Caltagirone, 191km Wednesday May 9 – stage five: Agrigento to Santa Ninfa, 152km Thursday May 10 – stage six: Caltanissetta to Mount Etna, 163km Friday May 11 – stage seven: Pizzo to Praia a Mare, 159km Saturday May 12 – stage eight: Praia a Mare to Montevergine di Mercogliano, 208km Sunday May 13 – stage nine: Pesco Sannita to Gran Sasso d’Italia, 224km Monday May 14: rest day two Tuesday May 15 – stage ten: Penne to Gualdo Tadino, 239km Wednesday May 16 – stage 11: Assisi to Osimo, 156km Thursday May 17 – stage 12: Osimo to Imola, 213km Friday May 18 – stage 13: Ferrara to Nervesa della Battaglia, 180km Saturday May 19 – stage 14: San Vito al Tagliamento to Monte Zoncolan, 181km Sunday May 20 – stage 15: Tolmezzo to Sappada, 176km Monday May 21: rest day three Tuesday May 22 – stage 16: Trento to Rovereto, 34.5km individual time trial Wednesday May 23 – stage 17: Riva del Garda to Iseo, 155km Thursday May 24 – stage 18: Abbiategrasso to Prato Nevoso, 196km Friday May 25 – stage 19: Venaria Reale to Bardonecchia, 181km Saturday May 26 – stage 20: Susa to Cervinia, 214km Sunday May 27 – stage 21: Rome to Rome, 118km
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