The 102nd edition of the Corsa Rosa, better known as Giro d’Italia, will take off tomorrow, May 11th, from Bologna, and it arrives in Verona on June 2nd. The prestigious annual multiple-stage bicycle race, in which riders from all over the world compete through some of the most breathtaking scenery Italy has to offer, will once more feature a challenging route that is well balanced between time trials and mountain stages.
Even if climbing stages seem to prevail, with some new and some historic ones, like the Gavia and the Mortirolo, there three will be three individual time trials spread across the three weeks. For this reason, the race has attracted some of the best time triallists in the world. The first stage of the race, a spectacular and selective 8.2km individual time trial, is likely to set the scene for the general classification battle bringing the athletes from the city center up to San Luca. The second time trial stage is scheduled for Sunday, May 19th and it will cover the 34.8km between Riccione and San Marino.
However, as always the Giro will also face riders with plenty of unpredictable hilly stages, like the 4th one from Orbetello to Frascati, which culminates in a very short but steep uphill rise to the line. The first real mountainous test will be the 196km of the 12th stage that will see riders climb from Pinerolo to Lago Serrù. The Giro d’Italia is set to finish with an out-and-back individual time trial of 17km in Verona, where the city’s world-famous Roman amphitheater will host the finish line of the Italian Grand Tour.
Cover ph: Lorenzo Clerico
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Source: Flickr – Ferruccio Zanone
