The 1st stage of the Giro is an 8 kilometres individual time trial. Following the start in the old town of Bologna the riders tackle the Colle della Guardia at kilometre 6.2. The haul up to the Santuario della Madonna di San Luca at the top is 2 kilometres and the average slops sits at 11%, while the steepest ramps are 18%.
Stage 2 sets off in Bologna to the Tuscan town Fucecchio. The nearby village of Vinci, birth place of Leonardo da Vinci, hosts the start of stage 3 and the Giro d’Italia continues south to Orbetello. Both are likely sprint stages.
The 4th stage runs to a uphill finish in Frascati and stage 5 is a chance for fast men in Terracina. San Giovanni Rotondo is the goal of the 6th stage and it is the southernmost point on the 2019 route. The place lies just south of Rome’s latitude, but close to the opposite coast – the Adriatic Sea.
Stage 7 serves a promising finale in the capital city of the Abruzzo region, L’Aquila, before the 8th stage travels from Tortoreto Lido to a downhill finish in Pesaro. The Giro’s 9th stage is an individual time trial of 34.7 kilometres. The start ramp is situated in coastal town Riccione and the riders tackle two climbs in the final 12 kilometres. The finish is in micro-state San Marino.
Week 2
Stage 10 runs to a sprint finish in Modena, home to the Ferrari museum. The 11th stage sets off in Carpi and is likely to see another fast finishers showdown in Novi Ligure.
The riders get a first taste of the Alps in the 12th stage, although the intermediate climbs are far from trying – yet, the finale is promising. The high mountains come in thick and fast on the next day of action. Stage 13 finishes close to the towering peak of the Gran Paradiso (4,061 metres) and the long final climb on the Colle del Nivolet is marked by thirty hairpins and ramps up to 15%.
The 14th stage travels over four intermediate climbs to an uphill finish in ski resort Courmayeur, which lies almost 10 kilometres from the border with France. Stage 15 ends in the arrival town of the last Tour of Lombardy, Como, with the route covering virtually the same climbs as Il Lombardia.
Week 3
Following the second rest day in Bergamo the Giro d’Italia continues with a hard mountain race. Stage 16 includes 4,800 vertical metres and travels over the Mortirolo and the finish lies at the end of a prolonged false flat in Ponte di Legno. The 17th stage takes in four climbs before arriving in Anterselva; stage 18 is likely to see a fast finishers showdown in Santa Maria di Sala; and the 19th stage runs from Treviso to San Martino di Castrozza. The race through the middle mountains ends with a steady 13.6 kilometres climb at 5.6%.
The last chance for the climbers presents itself in stage 20. The final mountain stage travels from Feltre to the Passo Croce d’Aune and ultimately to Monte Avena. Following mega-long intermediate climbs up the Cima Campo, Passo Manghen and Passo Rolle, the grande finale is composed of two consecutive climbs. The haul up on the Croce d’Aune is 11.1 kilometres and following a short descent the riders tackle Monte Avena: 6.9 kilometres at 7.3%.
The 2019 Giro d’Italia ends in Verona. The city’s Roman amphitheatre sees the finish of stage 21 – an individual time trial of 17 kilometres – on the last day of action.
Giro d’Italia 2019: routes, profiles, more
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