The 21 stages of the Giro d’Italia 2023
Where does the 106th Giro d’Italia guide the peloton and how difficult are the stages?We have all the answers for you! One thing in advance: The Giro 2023 has a total of three individual time trials, 8 flat, 7 mountainous and three hilly stages. These are 3,448.6 kilometers and 51,300 meters of altitude in total.
The 21 stages of the Giro d’Italia at a glance
Stage 1 | May 6 | Fossacesia Marina – Ortona Costa Dei Trabocchi (individual time trial) | 19.6 km
For the second time after 2001, the Giro d’Italia will start in Abruzzo. The first stage on Saturday, May 6, is an individual time trial and runs almost entirely on the Trabocchi bike path, which runs along the disused Adriatic railway line. The course section is completely flat with views of the Trabocchi and the sea as well as the port of Ortona. At the end, the course goes uphill for a good kilometer until the riders reach the finish straight in the center of Ortona.
Stage 2 | 7. May | Teramo – San Salvo | 202 km
The second stage leads from Teramo to San Salvo Marina and is more than 200 kilometers long. Despite its undulating profile in the first part of the route, the sprinters will most likely decide the victory among themselves. The final 60 kilometers run along the coast before the peloton reaches the beach promenade of San Salvo Marina.
Stage 3 | 8. May | Vasto – Melfi | 213 km
The stage of 213 kilometers between Vasto and Melfi is divided into two sections. The first is completely flat and leads to the entrance of the Basilicata region. Here the Vulture mountains begin. The riders cross the massif of Monte Vulture, past the lakes of Monticchio and over the Valico la Croce, before tackling the last short climb to Melfi via Rapello.
Stage 4 | May 9 | Venosa – Lago Laceno | 175 km
The fourth stage of the day between Venosa and Lago Lacena is not a “real” mountain finish. The finish line is 22 meters lower in altitude than Colle Molella a good four kilometers before. Nevertheless, it goes up and down during the entire stage. The riders have to overcome a total of 3500 meters in altitude during ride through the Apennines.
Stage 5 | May 10 | Atripalda – Salerno | 171 km
A semicircle describes the 5th stage, which leads over 171 kilometers from Atripalda to the sea to Salerno. The main difficulties: Passo Sera and the Guardia Dei Lombardia as well as other smaller climbs in the first two-thirds of the race. The last 50 kilometers of the stage leads slightly downhill to the finish town of Salerno.
Stage 6 | May 11 | Napoli – Napoli | 162 km
After the thrilling Napoli stage of 2022, won by Thomas De Gendt, the Giro returns to the southern Italian harbour city. Once again, the race heads out of Napoli through the hills, which offer enough opportunities to attack before the course is relatively flat for the nearly 40 final kilometers through the city.
Stage 7 | May 12 | Capua – Gran Sasso D’Italia (Campo Imperatore) | 218 km
Riders start in Capua just above sea level and have to tackle the climbs of Roccaraso and Piano delle Cinque Miglia before a very long descent to the foot of Gran Sasso. The climb to Campo Imperatore at 2135 meters is an endless climb with a length of almost 45 kilometers and the first real mountain finish of this Tour of Italy.
Stage 8 | May 13 | Terni – Fossombrone | 207 km
The hilly section runs from Terni to Fossombrone over 207 kilometers and 2500 elevation gain. Most of them have to be climbed in the final 60 km. The peloton passes through the Muri (“walls”) of the Marches and has to climb the Cappuccini (about 3 km, with gradients up to 19%) and the Monte delle Cesane (about 7 km, with gradients up to 18%). After the Montefelcino it returns to the Cappuccini climb, which can bring the decision already 5 kilometers before the finish line.
Stage 9 | May 14 | Savignano sul Rubicone – Cesena (individual time trial) | 35 km
The second battle against the clock runs over 35 kilometers almost completely flat from Savignano al Rubicone to Cesena (Technogym Village) and could provide minute gaps between the favorites for the overall victory.
Stage 10 | May 16 | Scandiano – Viareggio | 196 km
After the first rest day, the riders have to climb uphill on stage 10. The first 87.5 kilometers lead up to the Passo delle Radici on 1527 meters of altitude. Once this has been climbed, the route leads almost exclusively downhill to the finish in Viareggio, with the exception of two small hills – 75 and 18 kilometers before the finish.
Stage 11 | May 17 | Camaiore – Tortona | 219 km
The longest stage of this Giro runs 219 kilometers from Camaiore to Tortona. Despite three mountain classifications, the “long belt” will probably be something for the sprinters.
Stage 12 | May 18 | Bra – Rivoli | 179 km
On this section from Bra to Rivoli could arise very different scenarios, because the hardest comes at the beginning and at the end. After the first hilly 70 kilometers, the course leads through the Po Valley for 60 kilometers. At kilometer 137.5 in the race, the road climbs steeply again to Colle Braida before the course undulates for 20 kilometers after the descent to the finish in Rivoli.
Stage 13 | May 19 | Borgofranco D’ivrea – Crans Montana | 207 km
The Alpine stage from Borgofranco d’Ivrea makes a detour to Switzerland – to Crans Montana. The route first leads over 34 kilometers up to the Colle del Gran San Bernardo – with 2469 meters of altitude the Cima Coppi of this Giro. Then it follows the climb up to the Croix de Coeur over 15 kilometers and 1350 meters of altitude). After a descent over 22 kilometers follows the final climb to Crans Montana for the second mountain stop of this Giro.
Stage 14 | May 20 | Sierre – Cassano Magnago | 194 km
May 20 could be a day for the sprinters – from Sierre in Switzerland back to Italy to the stage finish at Cassano Magnago. The deciding factor for the fast men will be whether they can hold their own at the Simplon Pass (2044 meters), which is reached at race kilometer 56.
Stage 15 | May 21 | Seregno – Bergamo | 195 km
This stage leads around Bergamo, which closes the second Giro week. Although the three climbs look easy on paper and are also relatively apart from each other, they offer good opportunities to attack. Not only for classics riders, puncheurs and mountain riders, but also for the GC favorites.
Stage 16 | May 23 | Sabbio Chiese – Monte Bondone | 203 km
The Giro reaches Lake Garda. But it won’t be that sweet, because the peloton has to climb 5000 meters of altitude on this stage from Sabbio Chiese up to Monte Bondone. The first part of the 16th section runs along the west coast of the lake to Riva del Garda. Then the road goes uphill with a 10 percent gradient to Passo di Santa Barbara and, after a short descent, up to Passo di Bordala. A fast descent to Rovereto is followed by the climb to Matasone. The wild ride continues over Coriglio, from where the route leads up to Serrada. From there, the riders reach the Adige Valley in Calliano via a technically challenging descent before the final climb to Monte Bondone begins, with ramps up to 15 percent.
Stage 17 | May 24 | Pergine Valsugana – Caorle | 197 km
After the heavy mountain stage of the previous day, it will be much flatter, but certainly no less hectic on the section from Pergine Valsugana to Caorle. It is the last chance for the sprinters and the tempo-resistant escapees before the final stage in Rome.
Stage 18 | May 25 | Oderzo – Val Di Zoldo | 161 km
Short but crisp, stage 18 is the mountain stage from Oderzo up to Val di Zoldo. On the 161 kilometers of the route the peloton has to tackle 3,700 meters of altitude. On the final 30 kilometers it gets serious. Shortly after Venas de Cadore, the route leads up to Forcella Cibiana. Followed by a descent to Forno, the third last mountain stop awaits the riders. First to Coi (4 km over 10%, climax at 19%) and then after an intermediate descent up to the finish in Palafavera.
Stage 19 | May 26 | Longarone – Tre Cime di Lavaredo | 183 km
Clear the stage for the queen stage of the 2023 Giro d’Italia. Like last year, it has its setting in the white mountains – the Dolomites. It runs from Longarone to Tre Cime di Lavaredo over a total of 183 kilometers and 5,400 meters of altitude. At no point it is really flat. First the riders climb nearly 1200 meters of altitude withput a mountain classification before reaching Arabba – and this is where things really get going. The Starting point is the Passo Campolongo. Then the vertical difficulties increase with the Passo Valparola and Passo Giau. Over the Passo Tre Croci the mountain finish leads up to Tre Cime di Lavaredo at an altitude of 2304 meters.
Stage 20 | May 27 | Tarvis – Monte Lussari (mountain time trial) | 18.6 km
With heavy legs from the previous day, the riders start this 18.6-kilometer mountain time trial from Tarvisio up to Monte Lussari. The first approximately 10 kilometers are on a flat and easy stretch along the Alpe Adria bike path before the riders reach the Saisera stream and the intermediate timing. From here on, the road climbs tremendously and most of the 1050 meters of altitude must be covered. The climb runs on a concrete track for 7.5 kilometers and has an average gradient of a heavy 12 percent. Only in the final kilometers it is getting a little bit flatter out and the course drops slightly towards the finish.
Stage 21 | May 28 | Roma – Roma | 126 km
After a transfer from the Dolomites to the “Eternal City”, the final stage starts again after 2018 through Rome. The pink jersey gets to celebrate in style over 126 kilometers, while the sprinters still in the race will fight for that prestigious stage win.
Videopreview: the 2023 Giro d’Italia
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