The Giro d’Italia was supposed to start in Budapest, but the Hungarian Grande Partenza will be saved for a later date. The race now kicks into gear with a fast ITT from Monreale to Palermo. Stage 2 leads onto a punchy finish climb into Agrigento and the 3rd stage serves an uphill finish on Mount Etna – 18.2 kilometres at 6.8% -, while the 4th stage travels over a huge climb halfway to a flat finale.
Following a short transfer to the mainland the 5th stage is another lumpy test with a demanding finale – a 25.6 kilometres climb before a flying descent into Camigliatello Silano. The 6th stage is a lumpy race into Matera, while the sprinters will have it their way in stage 7.
Then the Giro heads north along the Adriatic. The 8th stage serves a finale for strong sprinters before stage 10 is going to be a test for climbers and GC contenders in the Apennines.
Week 2
Stage 10 is tailor-made for Classics riders and stage 11 should see a sprint finish in Rimini.
The hills of Emilia Romagna feature heavily in the 12th stage. The out-and-back race in Cesenatico takes in 3,800 metres of climbing before stage 13 serves a flat race with two hills in the last 30 kilometres.
A demanding individual time trial in the Fruili wine country is on the cards in stage 14: 34.1 kilometres long and played out on rolling roads. The 15th stage sets off from the Rivolto Air Base to finish in ski resort Piancavallo. The final ascents kicks in hard with an average slope of 9.4% in the first 6 kilometres.
Week 3
The final week kicks off with a demanding race from Udine to San Daniele del Friuli. The tone is set and the Giro continues with the 17th stage over the legendary Monte Bondone, while the finish climb leads to the Madonna di Campiglio ski resort. A passage over the mighty Stelvio is included in stage 18 to Lago di Cancano in the mountains above Bormio before the 19th stage will be the last chance for the sprinters in Asti, southeast of Turin.
The 20th stage on the penultimate day of action takes in the Colle dell’Agnello (21 kilometres at 6.9%), Col d’Izoard (13.9 kilometres at 7.1%) and Colle del Monginevro (6.4 kilometres at 6.7%) before finishing uphill in Sestriere after a 11.3 kilometres ascent at 6%.
The 21st stage is a 15.7 kilometres individual time trial from Cernusco di Naviglio to Milano.
Giro d’Italia 2020: route, profiles, more
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