Yesterday afternoon Giro d’Italia organiser RCS Sport officially unveiled the 2013 route. After weeks of rumour and speculation – most of which turned out to be true – the 96th edition of the Corsa Rosa was presented in Milan and in stark contrast to this year’s race it will be an almost entirely Italian affair. In 2012 Denmark hosted the opening 3 stages of the race whereas in 2013 the race has been pitched as a Made in Italy Giro, one that can unite Italy as it continues to face economic and political problems. It all kicks off in Naples on Saturday 4 May with a 130 km road stage and ends 3,455 km later on Sunday 26 May in Brescia after a road stage and five laps of a city centre circuit.
In the first week we will see an opening stage in the centre of Naples covering 10 laps of a circuit, with a ferry trip to the island of Ischia the next day for a technically challenging 17.4 km team time trial, followed by a lumpy route that initially heads south via the spectacular Amalfi coast to the toe of the Italian peninsular, before heading back up to the centre.
The second week sees the race continue its journey north stopping briefly in the centre where a 54.8 km time trial from Gabicce Mare to Saltara could be a turning point in the race, and in the year in which the UCI Road World Championships are hosted by Florence there’s a stage finish in the famous Tuscan city – paying respectful homage to the memory of its most famous cycling son and wartime hero, Gino Bartali.
The final week will be spent in the mountains of the north which comes in three parts starting with a visit to the Friuli region in the north-east. The race then heads west for a brief foray into France and an historical summit finish on the Galibier. The final stages are in the Dolomites and include a 20.6 km mountain time trial, a return to the Tre Cime after a six-year absence, and for the second year in a row the Stelvio will be the Cime Coppi.
Traditionally the Giro has favoured steep mountainous routes but it looks like the 2013 route is perhaps more finely balanced with seven mountain top finishes but also 93 km of time trials – in some respects similar to the Tour de France in 2012. Mind you it looks pretty murderous to me with a final week packed full of mountains but don’t take my word for it, watch the YouTube video above and decide for yourself.
Giro Map |
Giro Profile |
Stage 1 Date: Saturday 4th May, 2013Start: Napoli Finish: Napoli Distance: 130 km Terrain: Flat Difficulty:  Profile: Click here |
Stage 2 Date: Sunday 5th May, 2013Start: Ischia Finish: Forio Distance: 17.4 km Terrain: Team Time Trial Difficulty:  Profile: Click here |
Stage 3 Date: Monday 6th May, 2013Start: Sorrento Finish: Marina di Ascea Distance: 222 km Terrain: Medium Mountains Difficulty: Profile: Click here |
Stage 4 Date: Tuesday 7th May, 2013Start: Policastro Bussentino Finish: Serra San Bruno Distance: 246 km Terrain: Medium Mountains Difficulty: Profile: Click here |
Stage 5 Date: Wednesday 8th May, 2013Start: Cosenza Finish: Matera Distance: 203 km Terrain: Flat Difficulty:  Profile: Click here |
Stage 6 Date: Thursday 9th May, 2013Start: Mola di Bari Finish: Margherita di Savoia Distance: 169 km Terrain: Flat Difficulty: Profile: Click here |
Stage 7 Date: Friday 10th May, 2013Start: San Salvo Finish: Pescara Distance: 177 km Terrain: Medium Mountains Difficulty: Profile: Click here |
Stage 8 Date: Saturday 11th May, 2013Start: Gabicce Mare Finish: Saltara Distance: 54.8 km Terrain: Individual Time Trial Difficulty:  Profile: Click here |
Stage 9 Date: Sunday 12th May, 2013Start: Sansepolcro Finish: Firenze Distance: 170 km Terrain: Medium Mountains Difficulty: Profile: Click here |
Rest Day → Stage 10 Date: Tuesday 14th May, 2013Start: Cordenons Finish: Altopiano del Montasio Distance: 167 km Terrain: High Mountains Difficulty: Profile: Click here |
Stage 11 Date: Wednesday 15th May, 2013Start: Tarvisio (C. del Predil) Finish: Vajont (Erto e Casso) Distance: 182 km Terrain: Medium Mountains Difficulty: Profile: Click here |
Stage 12 Date: Thursday 16th May, 2013Start: Longarone Finish: Treviso Distance: 134km Terrain: Flat Difficulty: Profile: Click here |
Stage 13 Date: Friday 17th May, 2013Start: Busseto Finish: Cherasco Distance: 254 km Terrain: Flat Difficulty: Profile: Click here |
Stage 14 Date: Saturday 18th May, 2013Start: Cervere Finish: Bardonecchia Distance: 168 km Terrain: High Mountains Difficulty: Profile: Click here |
Stage 15 Date: Sunday 19th May, 2013Start: Cesana Torinese Finish: Col du Galibier (Valloire) Distance: 149 km Terrain: High Mountains Difficulty:  Profile: Click here |
Rest Day → Stage 16 Date: Tuesday 21st May, 2013Start: Valloire Finish: Ivrea Distance: 238 km Terrain: Medium Mountains Difficulty: Profile: Click here |
Stage 17 Date: Wednesday 22nd May, 2013Start: Caravaggio Finish: Vicenza Distance: 214 km Terrain: Flat Difficulty: Profile: Click here |
Stage 18 Date: Thursday 23rd May, 2013Start: Mori Finish: Polsa Distance: 20.6 km Terrain: Individual Time Trial Difficulty: Profile: Click here |
Stage 19 Date: Friday 24th May, 2013Start: Ponte di Legno Finish: Val Martello/Martelltal Distance: 139 km Terrain: High Mountains Difficulty: Profile: Click here |
Stage 20 Date: Saturday 25th May, 2013Start: Silandro/Schlanders Finish: Tre Cime di Lavaredo Distance: 203 km Terrain: High Mountains Difficulty: Profile: Click here |
Stage 21 Date: Sunday 26th May, 2013Start: Riese Pio X Finish: Brescia Distance: 197 km Terrain: Flat Difficulty: Profile: Click here |
The 2013 Tour route was unveiled in Paris on 24th October 2012. The total race distance is 3,404 km and it will start in Porto-Vecchio on Sat 29th June and finish in Paris on Sun 21st July.
The 2013 Vuelta route was unveiled in Vigo on 12th January 2013. The total race distance is 3,359 km and it will start in Vilanova de Arousa on Sat 24th August and finish in Madrid on Sun 15th September.
