2015 Giro d'Italia Race Preview
The details of this year's 2015 Giro d'Italia are falling into place. Find the latest route profiles and maps below, followed by our strategic preview of the race.
The 2015 Giro d'Italia promises to be one of the most compelling editions of the great Italian race in recent memory, with a route that has been designed to test the very best climbers in the world and a start list that features several genuine contenders for the maglia rosa.
The race begins in San Lorenzo al Mare with a short opening time trial, giving the pure climbers a chance to limit their losses before the real action gets underway. The route then heads through some of the more rolling terrain of the Italian peninsula before the mountains take centre stage in what is expected to be a brutal final week.
Alberto Contador arrives as the overwhelming favourite after his dominant performance at last year's race, and the Spaniard appears to be in excellent form heading into the corsa rosa. His Tinkoff-Saxo team has assembled a strong supporting cast, and Contador will be expected to defend his title with the same aggressive racing style that made him so compelling to watch last year.
Richie Porte represents one of the most credible threats to Contador's ambitions. The Australian has shown flashes of brilliance in stage races and arrives at this Giro looking to establish himself as a genuine grand tour winner in his own right. His Sky teammates will work tirelessly to keep him in contention through the first two weeks.
Fabio Aru is the great Italian hope and the crowd favourite at every finish line. The young Sardinian has the climbing legs to trouble anyone on the steep mountain stages and will feed off the passionate support of the tifosi throughout the three weeks.
Rigoberto Uran, Mikel Landa, and Domenico Pozzovivo all represent further dangers, and any one of them could emerge as a serious contender should the favourites begin to crack in the demanding final stages.
The mountain stages through the Dolomites and the Alps will almost certainly decide the overall classification, and the time trials bookending the race could prove decisive for any rider who struggles against the clock. Three weeks of racing lie ahead, and the maglia rosa will be earned through suffering, courage, and tactical intelligence in equal measure.
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