2019 Giro d'Italia Race Preview
The details of this year's 2019 Giro d'Italia are falling into place. Find the latest route profiles and maps below, followed by our strategic preview of the race.
The 2019 Giro d'Italia promises to be one of the most compelling editions of the Italian Grand Tour in recent memory, with a demanding route and a startlist packed with genuine contenders capable of fighting for the maglia rosa all the way to the finish in Verona.
The race gets underway in Bologna with an individual time trial, a fitting tribute to the great Fausto Coppi, and the opening stage will immediately sort the general classification contenders from those who cannot match pace against the clock. From there the race heads south before eventually making its way into the mountains, where the real battle for the overall victory will be decided.
The route features an unusually generous helping of high-altitude terrain, with summit finishes at Campitello Matese, the Blockhaus, and a brutal stage to the Madonna di Campiglio among the highlights in the first half of the race. The final week is where the route truly bares its teeth, with the Mortirolo and the Stelvio both featuring in what could prove to be a decisive stage, weather and road conditions permitting. The race concludes with an individual time trial in Verona, which means riders cannot simply survive the mountains and hope to hold on, as those with strong technical abilities against the clock will have a final opportunity to claw back time or defend a lead.
Tom Dumoulin, the 2017 champion, enters as a favourite after demonstrating he is capable of winning a grand tour of this difficulty, though his preparation has been disrupted. Vincenzo Nibali carries enormous support from Italian fans and knows this route intimately, making him a constant threat. Simon Yates, fresh from his heartbreaking collapse in last year's edition, will be eager to prove that experience was not wasted and arrives with serious form and a strong Mitchelton-Scott team around him. Primoz Roglic has shown he is moving rapidly toward being a genuine grand tour contender, and his time trial ability gives him a notable advantage at both the start and finish of this race. Mikel Landa is another rider many believe is capable of finally putting together three clean weeks, while Richard Carapaz represents a wildcard option who could cause problems if the race breaks open in the mountains.
The Giro has a long tradition of unpredictability and theatre, and this edition looks set to continue that tradition. The altitude, the accumulated fatigue, and the sheer variety of challenges packed into twenty-one stages mean that very little can be taken for granted. It should be a magnificent race.
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