Why is the Giro d'Italia starting in Albania? Everything you need to know about overseas Grand Tour starts

It's not the first time the Giro has started abroad, and it likely won't be the last

Tadej Pogačar leading the peloton at the Giro d'Italia 2024
(Image credit: Getty Images)

It’s time to say buongiorno, or rather përshëndetje, to the first men’s Grand Tour of the year. If that second word doesn’t look familiar to you, it means ‘hello’ in Albanian, the language of the country hosting this May's Giro d’Italia Grande Partenza.

Now in its 108th edition, this year marks the first time the race has begun in the Balkan country. Albania will host the opening three stages, starting in the coastal city of Durrës, before the peloton hops across the Adriatic sea, and onto Italian soil.

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Tom Davidson
Senior News and Features Writer

Tom joined Cycling Weekly as a news and features writer in the summer of 2022, having previously contributed as a freelancer. He is fluent in French and Spanish, and holds a master's degree in International Journalism. Since 2020, he has been the host of The TT Podcast, offering race analysis and rider interviews.

An enthusiastic cyclist himself, Tom likes it most when the road goes uphill, and actively seeks out double-figure gradients on his rides. His best result is 28th in a hill-climb competition, albeit out of 40 entrants.

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