Giro d'Italia 2023 route features lots of time trialling, brutal climbs

The Grande Partenza will depart from the Abruzzo region, and begin with an individual time trial along the Costa dei Trabocchi cycle path. The grand finale will be in Rome for the fifth time in its history.

Jai Hindley of Australia and Team Bora - Hansgrohe pink leader jersey sprints during the 105th Giro d'Italia 2022. Credit: Michael Steele/Getty Images

The route of the 106th edition of the Giro d’Italia, taking place from May 6 to 28, was presented today at the Teatro Lirico Giorgio Gaber, in the centre of Milan.

2022 winner of the Giro d’Italia, Australian Jai Hindley, appeared alongside fellow jersey winners, Arnaud Demare (winner of the Maglia Ciclamino) and Koen Bouwman (winner of the Maglia Azzurra) as well as past overall winners Vincenzo Nibali and Alberto Contador for the presentation of the route.

For the second time in its history, the Giro d’Italia will start from the Abruzzo region, after its first time in 2001. Stage one, on Saturday, May 6, is an individual time trial and runs almost entirely along the Trabocchi cycle path, retracing the disused Adriatic railway.

The first uphill finish of the 2023 Giro comes in the Apennines on Stage 4, with a series of climbs totalling 3500m in vertical elevation. It will begin in Venosa and run through to Lake Laceno.

Stage 1 profile Giro d'Italia 2023

A few intense climbing stages precede the second time trial of the Giro d’Italia, an entirely flat 33.6km effort against the clock, starting from Savignano al Rubicone and finishing in Cesena.

Stage 9 Profile Giro d'Italia 2023

The first rest day is on Monday, May 15, and the two following stages back in action will be relatively easy, both looking likely for a sprint finish.

The first alpine stage, from Borgofranco d’Ivrea to Crans Montana, in Switzerland, comes on Stage 15 and is the hardest stage that the riders will have faced from a climbing perspective to that point. The route contains the Cima Coppi, the highest point of this year’s Giro, atop the Colle del Gran San Bernardo at 2469m altitude.

The climb itself is a mammoth 34km long, without excessive slopes, and is followed by the Croix de Coeur (15 km and 1350m in elevation). After a second descent, totalling 22km, there is a short, flat final ascent to Crans Montana which the peloton will tackle for the first time from this side.

Stage 13 Profile Giro d'Italia 2023

After the final rest day, the second mountain stage of the Giro d’Italia awaits the riders. The Sabbio Chiese to Monte Bondone stage takes place all at relatively low altitudes, but accumulates over 5000m in vertical elevation.

The route is divided, with several very hard climbs and others with more gentle gradients. The first section, along the western coast of Garda, reaches Trentino in Riva del Garda, then the Passo di Santa Barbara (around 10% gradient), eventually reaching the Passo di Bordala.

The challenging descent to the Adige valley in Calliano leads to a climb to Monte Bondone from the Aldeno side (gradient up to 15%).

Stage 16 Profile Giro d'Italia 2023

Friday May 26 is the Dolomites stage of the Corsa Rosa, from Longarone to the Tre Cime di Lavaredo (182km and a whopping 5,400m of vertical elevation). After the approach through the Agordino, a series of climbs start in Arabba, including the Campolongo Pass and the Valparola Pass, before the “Scala Santa” of the Dolomite climbs, with the riders tackling the Selva di Cadore side of the Passo Giau and the Passo Tre Croci and Tre Cime di Lavaredo with its slopes up to 18%.

The mountain time trial for Stage 20 will ensure that the race comes down to the wire, a bad day on this climb will see the difference between the top contenders counted in minutes rather than seconds, particularly off the back of such tough stages.

A very demanding individual time trial from Tarvisio to Monte Lussari, it includes approximately 1050m in vertical elevation. The first 10km is on a flat, light descent along the Alpe Adria cycle path, before reaching the Saisera stream (Intermediate timekeeping). The route features around 8km of paved concrete leading to the Sanctuary. That spot will likely see a bike change from the majority of competitors as the uphill stretch of 7.5km has an approximate 12% average gradient.

The first 4.8km reach approximately 15%, then a wavy final section with a short climb (up to 22%) at the entrance to the town is followed by a short descent, and then a final climb to the finish line.

Stage 20 Profile Giro d'Italia 2023

The final stage of the 2023 Giro d’Italia will finish at the Imperial Forums in the country’s capital, Rome. See below for the video for the presentation of the route.