On Monday RCS Sport released the route for the 2023 Giro d’Italia in Milan. In what is perhaps a nod at chrono-savvy GC men like Vuelta a España champion Remco Evenepoel, Geraint Thomas or even Primož Roglič, the organizers included three time trials for a total of 70.6 km, the first time there has been 70 km of the Race of Truth since 2013 when Vincenzo Nibali won the pink jersey for the first of two times.
The race begins with the first time trial on the Adriatic Coast on the other side of the “leg” from Rome. This 18-km test, its last kilometre to Ortona gently uphill, is along the rail-to-trail Ciclovia dei Trabocchi coastal bike path. The sprinters will weigh in the next day and possibly Stage 3 as well. The first summit finish is atop Stage 4’s Lago Laceno. The nastiest summit finish of Week 1 comes on Stage 7 at the end of a three-step climb. The flattest and longest (34 km) of the three chronos rounds out Week 1.
The sprinters have three consecutive days at their disposal at the beginning of Week 2. One of two possible queen stages is Stage 14, with a summit finish in Switzerland and two giant ascents on the way to it.
The King & Queen stage of the 2023 #Giro d’Italia. 🤩
*if they get don’t get canceled because of snow. 😭 pic.twitter.com/ZbWbYjwx9P
— Benji Naesen (@BenjiNaesen) October 17, 2022
RCS went hard in the last week, only two of the six stages not finishing atop a climb. Stage 16’s final ascent is Monte Bondone is 22 km long. The other possible queen stage is Stage 19, with a clamber to Tre Cime Di Lavaredo after four climbs including the taxing Passo Giau and the Passo Tre Croci. The final time trial is a doozy, a mountain chrono that ends on a 7.5 km climb of 12 percent average. It starts with 4.5 km of 15 percent. C’mon! After this test of mettle, RCS has the whole operation packup up the kit bags and fly 700 km to Rome for the final procession on May 28.
The 2023 Giro d’Italia
Stage 1: May 6 Fossacesia Marina–Ortona–(ITT) 18 km
Stage 2: May 7 Teramo–San Salvo 204 km
Stage 3: May 8 Vasto–Melfi 210 km
Stage 4: May 9 Venosa–Lago Laceno (Summit finish) 184 km
Stage 5: May 10 Atripalda–Salerno 172 km
Stage 6: May 11 Napoli–Napoli 156 km
Stage 7: May 12 Capua–Gran Sasso D’Italia (Summit finish) 218 km
Stage 8: May 13 Terni–Fossombrone 207 km
Stage 9: May 14 Savignano Sul Rubicone–Cesena (ITT) 34 km
May 15: Rest…
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