Giro d’Italia is the annual multiple-stage bicycle race organized by RCS Sport & Events, the marketing branch of the main Italian daily sports newspaper La Gazzetta dello Sport. The race, known as the Corsa Rosa (Pink Race) owing to the color of the newspaper, will be broadcast by Italian Radio Television (RAI). In its 92nd year, the 21-day race covers 2,168 miles, starting on the Costa dei Trabocchi in the Abruzzo region and ending in Rome, the Eternal City. From May 6th to 28th, the entire country will go pink as the cyclists head to the finish line at the Imperial Forums and millions of people will cheer at the cyclists!
It’s exciting to think of the generations of Italians who have shared so many sports dreams for so many years. The Giro, primarily held in the Italian territories while also starting in or passing through other European countries, is one of the world’s most beloved races. Each year the Italian provinces, with their seas, mountains, or charming remote villages, are thrilled with the happy carovana (caravan), as it is affectionately called, a spectacle full of colors.
The Route
(Photo credit: giroditalia.it)
By the numbers, the Giro runs for 21 days, has a route of 2,168 total miles, and reaches an altitude gain of 168 feet. According to the Giro d’Italia website:
Week 1: After leaving Abruzzo, the starting region, a series of stages will take the caravan to Basilicata, the southernmost region touched by the Pink Race route. The Neapolitan stage will be run entirely on urban roads and then will ascend to the Gran Sasso mountain, again in Abruzzo, a truly hostile stage of the 2023 Giro. The first block ends with the 21.74-mile time trial in Cesena in the Emilia-Romagna region on a flat plain, the sprinters’ friend.
Week 2: The race now takes the riders to the North, crossing into Switzerland to Crans Montana, a stage that promises to be one of the toughest of the 2023 edition. This week the Coppi Peak must be climbed, fixed on Monte Gran San Bernardo at 8,100 feet. The next day will be the city of Bergamo stage with a track that includes four really difficult climbs.
Week 3: After the second rest, the Giro will enter the final week that features the ascent to the legendary Three Peaks of Lavaredo in the Veneto region, with slopes that rise over 10%. The stage of Monte Bondone, West of Trento, in the Trentino-Alto Adige region. The survivors will face the time trial of Tarvisio in the Friuli Venezia-Giulia region where the climbs reach gradients of 22%. The final stage will crown the winner in Rome in a choreographic catwalk settled between the Imperial Forums and the Colosseum.
(Photo credit: Pinterest.com)
Enel X-Way Giro-E 2023
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Running at the same time as the Giro d’Italia, whose riders are professional cyclists only, will be the nearly 750-mile, 5th edition Enel X-Way Giro-E 2023. This E-Bike experience is divided into 20 stages as listed on the Italian Cycling Federation calendar. The 2023 edition boasts record numbers—registered are 17 permanent teams and 10 special teams that will only start on certain stages. The route is the same as the Giro and aims to let all bicycle lovers, amateur cyclists, and former professionals experience riding the roads of the Giro d’Italia on the same days as the Corsa Rosa (Pink Race).
From the sea to the peaks, the event will showcase Italy at its most authentic, off the major and busiest tourist routes. The closing on May 28th will see bikes and fans flooding into Rome. Paolo Bellino, managing director and general manager at RCS Sport promises, “it will be a highly spectacular edition. For the first time, a stage of the Giro-E will be held entirely on foreign soil, and I am sure that the conclusion in Rome will remain in the hearts of all participants. But, it will also be the greenest edition ever, because there are so many sustainability initiatives in the 2023 Enel X Way Giro-E.”
The Mural
(Photo credit: giroditalia.it)
Roma Capitale, the Municipality of Rome, has dedicated a giant, 247-square-foot mural to the Giro d’Italia 2023. The work at the Marconi subway station honors the race, which will finish in the capital on May 28th. The project was entrusted to artist Giulio Gebbia, aka Rosk.
Biciscuola - Bike School
(Photo credit: giroditalia.it)
This year marks the 22nd annual Biciscuola Bike School, the initiative dedicated to Italian primary school teachers and kids. More than 1.6 million children have been involved since the inception of this event promoted by the Italian State Police Department with RCS Sport & Events/La Gazzetta dello Sport. The aim is to not only bring children to a competitive event, but also to engage them in learning about the many faces of the bicycle world. Biciscuola's topics range from “green” mobility to healthy eating and road safety to fair play in sports.
Barbara Benzoni
Barbara Benzoni was born in Milan and lives between Rome and Tuscany. She is devoted to USA, the land of courage and innovation. She’s Peter's super-lucky mum and Ale's wife. Cinema, art, good food and only beautiful things are the themes of her existence. With a degree in Italian literature and a Masters in Sports Management she can both enjoys books and basketball matches. In 25 years she has been organizing sport events all over the world and she’s been lucky enough to meet the greatest champs ever. Curiosity in everyday life and people are her drivers. Her personal icon is Mohammed Ali : "It's not bragging if you can back it up".