2018 Giro d’Italia route unveiled

The 101st edition of the Giro d’Italia was presented by RCS Sport in Milan on Wednesday. Its highlights are an Israeli start, eight summit finishes, three uphill finishes, eight stages to please the sprinters and 44.2-km of time trials.
https://twitter.com/giroditalia/status/935915619484078087
Defending champion Tom Dumoulin was on hand for the presentation.

Tom Domoulin: «The #Giro101 is hard but i like it…» pic.twitter.com/oR4tKiI6hk

— Giro d'Italia (@giroditalia) November 29, 2017

As we have known since September, the first three stages will be set in Israel, with a 10.1-km time trial kick-off in Jerusalem on May 4 before two sprinters stages finishing in Tel Aviv and Eilat respectively. The time trial contains some mild rollers and a few tight corners. Canadian real estate billionaire Sylvan Adams has been key in bringing the Giro to Israel and his Pro Continental squad Israel Cycling Academy, a team with Canadians Ben Perry and Guillaume Boivin, hopes to get a wildcard selection. Not everyone has been happy with the Israel start.

After the first rest day, one of three in the 2018 Giro, the race transfers to Sicily for three stages, the final of which has a summit finish on Mount Etna after 25-km of climbing. The fourth and fifth stages are hilly, both with uphill conclusions.

Heading to the mainland, the race continues on top of the boot’s foot in Calabria for a sprinter’s stage. Heading up the leg, Stage 8 concludes with the second big ascent, Montevergine di Mercogliano near Naples. The next day the riders face a very long climb to the largest plateau in the Apennines, the Gran Sasso (Campo Imperatore) in the Abruzzo region, before Rest Day Two.

Week Three‘s highlight is Stage 14’s assault of Zoncolan, with 22 percent pitches at the end of a stage with 4,000 meters of climbing. Stages 10, 12 and 13 are sprinters’ delights, while Stage 11 has a ramp leading to the finishing town of Osimo that favours classics riders. Hilly Stage 15 leads to the last rest day.

Week Four begins with a flat 34.5-km time trial in the Vallagarina vineyards near Lake Garda.

The Prato Nevoso ski and holiday resort is the riders’ first Alps destination of Stage 18. The next day is brutal: gravel Colle delle Finestre roads leading to a 9-km finishing climb to Jafferau at the end of a stage that climbs 3,500 meters in total. The final day in the Alps packs three climbs into the last 80-km.

The final day is the processional into Rome.

Soon after the corsa rosa had been revealed, Chris Froome confirmed the speculation that he will try to win an unprecedented three consecutive Grand Tours by racing his third career Giro. Dumoulin, Fabio Aru, Mikel Landa and Vincenzo Nibali are expected to be the other favourites.

Yes, I am racing the 2018 @giroditalia ??? @TeamSky #Giro101 ?

— Chris Froome (@chrisfroome) November 29, 2017

2018 Giro d’Italia stages

Stage 1: May 4, Jerusalem West– Jerusalem West 9.7-km ITT
Stage 2: May 5, Haifa–Tel Aviv 167-km
Stage 3: May 6, Be’er Sheva–Eilat (ISR) 229-km
Rest day: May 7
Stage 4: May 8, Catania–Caltagirone 191-km
Stage 5: May 9, Agrigento–Santa Ninfa (Valle del Belice) 152-km
Stage 6: May 10, Caltanissetta–Etna 163-km
Stage 7: May 11, Pizzo–Praia A Mare 159-km
Stage 8: May 12, Praia A Mare–Montevergine Di Mercogliano 208-km
Stage 9: May 13, Pesco Sannita–Gran Sasso d’Italia 224-km
Second rest day: May 14
Stage 10: May 15, Penne–Gualdo Tadino 239-km
Stage 11: May 16, Assisi–Osimo 156-km
Stage 12: May 17, Osimo–Imola 213-km
Stage 13: May 18, Ferrara–Nervesa Della Battaglia 180-km
Stage 14: May 19, San Vito Al Tagliamento–Monte Zoncolan 181-km
Stage 15: May 20, Tolmezzo–Sappada 176-km
Third rest day: May 21
Stage 16: May 22, Trento–Rovereto 34.5-km ITT
Stage 17: May 23, Riva del Garda–Iseo 155-km
Stage 18: May 24, Abbiategrasso–Prato Nevoso 196-km
Stage 19: May 25, Venaria Reale–Bardonecchia 181-km
Stage 20: May 26, Susa–Cervinia 214-km
Stage 21: May 27, Rome–Rome, 118-km