Kicking off with a 9.7km time trial in Jerusalem West, the technical course will determine the first rider of the 101^st Giro d’Italia to wear the maglia rosa, before two stages expected to favour the sprinters, finishing in Tel Aviv and Eilat.

The race then transfers to Sicily on the first race day, before a 191km 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 45km climb to conclude a 224km stage.

The final week will kick off with a 34.5km individual time trial, on a virtually-flat route designed to favour the powerhouses 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 4,500m of elevation across just three climbs.

Finally, the race will head to Rome to take in ten laps of the 11.8km finishing circuit around the city.

Giro d’Italia 2018: route

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