For the 93rd Giro d’Italia in 2010 the organisers have penned a 3418km route packed with lengendary mountains, time trials, gravel roads and mountain top finishes.
The three-week race will begin in Amsterdam on 8 May with an 8.4km individual time trial. The next two days also start in the Netherlands capital, and then it’s an early rest day followed by a 32.5km team time trial. These aren’t the only stages against the clock, for there are two more individual time trials, with the race finishing with a TT, as the race did in 2009.
Excitingly stage 7 will use some of the roads made famous by the Monte Paschi Eroica, with some 15km of white gravel roads. The first of the climbing comes on stage 8, with the ascent of the 2,217m Monte Terminillo.
But those time trial specialists licking their lips at the prospect of four stages against the clock will have to get over some legendary mountains which feature prominently on the route card. The climbing starts properly on stage 14 with the Monte Grappa (featuring some gravel roads), followed the next day with a mountain top finish at the top of Monte Zoncolan. A rest day follows before a 12.9km mountain time trial on dirt roads to Plan de Corone.
Another of the famous climbs included by the organisers is the Mortirolo, then the Livigno and the Gavia – the climb made infamous in the 1988 edition of the race by America Andy Hampsten who battled through a blizzard to win the race.
The race will also feature a stage finish in L’Aquila, the region tragically devastated by an earthquake earlier this year, and will be the longest stage of the race at an eye-watering 256km. Homage will also be paid to Fausto Coppi and Gino Bartali on different stages.
A final 15.3km time trial will wrap up proceedings, finishing in Verona.
The stages
- Stage 1 – Saturday, May 8, Amsterdam TT, 8.4km
- Stage 2 – Sunday, May 9, Amsterdam – Utrecht, 209km
- Stage 3 – Monday, May 10, Amsterdam – Middelburg, 209km
- Rest day, Tuesday, May 11, Savigliano
- Stage 4 – Wednesday, May 12, Savigliano – Cuneo TTT, 32.5km
- Stage 5 – Thursday, May 13, Novara – Novi Ligure, 168km
- Stage 6 – Friday, May 14, Fidenza – Marina di Carrara, 166km
- Stage 7 – Saturday, May 15, Carrara – Montalcino, 215km
- Stage 8 – Sunday, May 16, Chianciano – Monte Terminillo, 189km
- Stage 9 – Monday, May 17, Frosinone – Cava de’ Tirreni, 188km
- Stage 10 – Tuesday, May 18, Avellino – Bitonto, 220km
- Stage 11 – Wednesday, May 19, Lucera – L’Aquila, 256km
- Stage 12 – Thursday, May 20, Città Sant’Angelo – Porto Recanati, 191km
- Stage 13 – Friday, May 21, Porto Recanati – Cesenatico, 222km
- Stage 14 – Saturday, May 22, Ferrara – Asolo (Monte Grappa), 201km
- Stage 15 – Sunday, May 23, Mestre – Zoncolan, 218km
- Rest day, Monday, May 24, Friuli
- Stage 16 – Tuesday, May 25, San Vigilio di Marebbe – Plan de Corones TT, 12.9km
- Stage 17 – Wednesdday, May 26, Brunico – Pejo Terme, 173km
- Stage 18 – Thursday, May 27, Levico Terme – Brescia, 151km
- Stage 19 – Friday, May 28, Brescia – Aprica, 195km
- Stage 20 – Saturday, May 29, Bormio – Passo del Tonale, 178km
- Stage 21 – Sunday, May 30, Verona – Verona TT, 15.3km
