The full Giro d’Italia 2020 route has now been confirmed after the organisers were forced to make changes in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic.
Initially scheduled to start in Hungary in May, the 2020 edition has been pushed back to October and will now start in Sicily.
After announcing the new start for the race earlier this month, Giro organiser RCS Sport has now confirmed the rest of the route.
There have been two new stages on days five and six added to the race in the first week to replace the Sicilian stages which have been brought forward.
After the race was postponed from its usual slot in May, the organisers were then forced to cancel the opening stages of the race in Budapest, due to the spread of Covid-19 in the host nation.
Instead the Giro d’Italia peloton will depart from Sicily for the ninth time in the race’s history, with four stages on the island from stage one on Saturday, October 3.
The race will start with a 16km time trial in Monreale-Palermo on the northern coast, before the first road stage on day two takes the peloton over 150km from Alcamo to Agrigento.
Riders will then take on the first summit finish of the 2020 Giro d’Italia, with a 150km stage from Enna which finished atop the iconic and familiar Mount Etna.
Stage five will now be a 225km-long run from Mileto to Camigliatello Silano, which closes out with a “gentle” 22km final climb to the line.
The following day is a prime breakaway day over 188km from Castrovillari to Matera.
This year’s race will still include three time trials - stage one, stage 14 and on the final day in Milan to close out the race - with the total solo distance coming to 64.7km.
For the climber’s, the highest point on the stage will come on the Stelvio at 2,758m, the penultimate climb on stage 18.
The final two weeks of the race will remain unchanged apart from stage 10, which now starts from Lanciano instead of San Salvo and has been shortened from 212km to 177km.
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General classifications contenders are likely to keep their cards close to their chest until the final week – stages 17, 18 and 20 all contain over 5,000 metres of climbing, with ascents including the Stelvio (from the hardest side), and the Col d’Izoard.
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