The Giro d'Italia – A look at the 2023 route

The countdown to the 6th of May has begun. That day will see the Giro 2023 get underway and Italy become the center of the international cycling world once again. Join us as we have a look at the 2023 Giro route.

The Abruzzo town of Fossacesia is the starting point of this year's Giro. Some of the best time triallers in the world are getting ready to try and take the Maglia Rosa on day 1, ready to tackle a flat course with a short climb in the finale. Remco Evenepoel and Filippo Ganna are among the favorites to take the win on day 1.

The second stage takes the riders from Teramo to San Salvo. The start and middle parts are hilly, but the rest of the stage is flat. We expect the sprinters to battle it out for the win here.

No bunch sprints in stage 3, which takes the Giro peloton to Melfi, a hill town in the shadow of the extinct volcano Vulture. The finale of the stage is marked by two climbs, the last one of which the summit lies at 26 kilometers from the finish.

Image: the town of Melfi, Basilicata

Stage 4 of the 2023 Giro is a mountain stage, with three climbs of the second category. We could possibly see fireworks between the GC riders, who might try and put time into each other on the 9.6 km long Colle Mollela (6.2% average).

Image: Laceno Lake

With an elevation gain of 2,400 meters, stage 5 of the 2023 Giro could well do some damage in the peloton. Most of the climbing is situated in the first part of the stage, before a downhill and flat last part of 50 km towards Salerno, which is in favour of the sprinters.

Just like in 2022, Naples is the setting for a Giro d'Italia finish in 2023. Thomas De Gendt took last year's win in the Campania region city, but the Belgian is setting his eyes on the Vuelta this year. In 2023, the peloton will climb to Valico di Chiunzi in the shadow of the Vesuvius, before heading towards the marvelous Amalfi Coast. What follows is a hilly part towards Castellammare di Stabia and a flat finish towards Naples.

Image: Thomas De Gendt taking the stage win in Naples in the 2022 Giro

Stage 7 is expected to do some damage in the GC with a brutal finish at the Campo Imperatore (Gran Sasso). The last 50 km of the race go uphill, leading the riders to a max altitude of 2,130 metres above sea level. Will the likes of Remco Evenepoel and Primož Roglič go head-to-head for the Maglia Rosa?

Starting in Terni and ending in Fossombrone, stage 8 of the 2023 Giro contains two climbs of fourth and one of the second category. The 2.8 km long Muro dei Cappuccini is set to decide the race, at some 6 km before the finish line.

Image: Fossombrone, Italy

Stage 9 marks the second time trial of the race. With 35 flat kilometres, Remco Evenepoel is looking to make a statement in the GC.

After a rest day, stage 10 takes the riders from Scandiano to Viareggio over a 196 km route. The hardest climbs are situated in the initial parts of the race, with the Passo dello Radici at more than 100 km from the finish line. The rest of the route is flat, possibly giving the sprinters the chance to shine.

Image: the Tuscan town of Viarregio

Stage 11 takes the Giro peloton from Camaiore to Tortona over 219 kilometres, with two third-category climbs and one ascent of the fourth category. It is the longest stage of the Giro, but the sprinters are expected to battle it out for the win in Tortona.

The next day, the Giro peloton can prepare for 179 hilly kilometres. The hardest climb of the day is the Cole Braida (9.8 km, 7.1% average), the summit of which is situated at some 28 kilometres from the finish line.

With more than 5,000 altitude metres, the 13th stage of the 2023 Giro guides the peloton to Switzerland. The GC riders are ready to battle it out on the Col du Grand Saint-Bernard and the Croix de Coeur, before climbing to Crans-Montana.

Image: Crans-Montana

The day after, the riders head towards Cassano Magnano after starting in Swiss Sierre. The only big climb of the day is the Simplonpass, the summit of which reaches just above 2,000 metres above sea level. After that, it is almost all flat to the finish, where the sprinters might well fight it out if they can get back in the front.

Image: Simplonpass

Stage 15 takes the peloton to the Italian city of Bergamo. After four bigger climbs and more than 190 kilometres, the short Colle Aperto might decide about the win in Lombardia.

Image: the city of Bergamo

After a well-deserved rest day, the peloton gets ready for a hard mountain stage on day 16. After a flat start, the riders take on five climbs, the last of which leads to the finish on Monte Bondone. Possibly a big day for the GC.

What goes up, must come down. After the mountains of Stage 16, the Giro peloton prepares for 195 nearly flat kilometres in Stage 17. Get ready for a bunch sprint.

Another big day for the GC. The likes of Evenepoel and Roglic prepare for 161 kilometres with a lot of climbing and an interesting finale towards Val di Zoldo.

Image: Val di Zoldo

The last chance for the GC riders to battle it out in the mountains. With the Passo Valparola, the Passo Giau, and the legendary Tre Cime di Lavaredo of the Dolomites, the Giro peloton is in for a real mountain treat.

Most probably a decisive stage for the GC. After a rather easy start, the route of stage 20 ascends brutally to the Monte Lussari, expected to leave absolutely nothing behind in the rider's tanks.

Image: Giro 2013, stage 11, starting in Tarvisio

The last stage of the Giro 2023 is set in the Italian capital. The peloton starts in Rome and then heads towards the coast, before doing some laps in the city centre, exploring some of Italy's most important landmarks.