Giro d’Italia organisers RCS are reportedly locked in a debate with cycling’s professional teams over the costs and financial help available for the race’s Grande Partenza in Bulgaria in May, with the teams rejecting the first two sums offered.
The men’s Giro is set to start in Bulgaria on May 8, with three stages in the country whose capital is some 1,200km away from Rome, which will mark the second-consecutive foreign start for the race after Albania last year, and the third since 2022.
Teams need to transport riders, staff, bikes and vehicles to Bulgaria for the start – some by plane, and some by road – and then, at an even more urgent pace, transport everything back to Italy for stage 4 in Calabria.
According to Escape Collective, RCS have proposed a start fee of €115,000 per team, plus €5,000 in airline vouchers, but the teams – represented by the AIGCP (International Association of Professional Cycling Teams) has so far rejected that offer.
Cyclingnews understands that negotiations were ongoing when the Giro route was unveiled – with the virtues of the Bulgarian start a centrepiece – and on Sunday, Tuttobiciweb reported that the teams had rejected a latest offer from RCS.
Per Tuttobiciweb, RCS counter-offered a fee of €125,000, but the teams are seeking an amount of €160,000, according to Escape Collective.
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