Giro d’Italia

Dates: Saturday May 8-30
Stages: 21
Length: 
Start:
Finish:
TV Coverage (UK): Eurosport, GCN Race Pass

Giro d’Italia 2021

Tao Geoghegan-Hart lifts the never ending trophy in Milan (Photo by LUCA BETTINI/AFP via Getty Images)

Tao Geoghegan-Hart (Ineos Grenadiers) took the overall title in a shock win over another young up-and-coming rider in Jai Hindley (Team Sunweb) by 39 seconds last year.

The two riders went into the final stage on exactly the same time with Hindley wearing pink and Geoghegan-Hart wearing white for the best young riders.

But the British rider, who went to the race to support Geraint Thomas before he crashed out, came out on top with a huge win.

Young Portuguese rider, João Almeida (Deceuninck – Quick-Step), put in a truly superb ride by holding onto pink from stage three all the way to stage 18 when he eventually cracked on the Passo dello Stelvio.

But it wasn’t all about the climbers and general classification, the sprints were dominated by French national champion, Arnaud Démare (Groupama-FDJ) took four of his 14 wins last year at the Italian Grand Tour.

Filippo Ganna (Ineos Grenadiers) also dominated with four victories also next to his name, taking all three time trials as well as his first ever road stage victory.

Jai Hindley and Tao Geoghegan Hart on stage 18 of the 2020 Giro d’Italia (Photo by Stuart Franklin/Getty Images,)

The Giro d’Italia is one of cycling’s three Grand Tours, along with the Tour de France and the Vuelta a España. It is the first of the three week races of the cycling season, usually taking place in May into early June.

As you might expect, the race predominantly takes place within its home country of Italy, but has frequently visited other nations in its 103 editions so far, 2021 is the 104th edition.

The Giro is well known for its long, high mountain stages in the Alps and Dolomites, making famous names of climbs like the Passo dello Stelvio, Passo Gavia, Monte Zoncolan, Passo di Mortirolo, and Passo Giau among others. But the Giro is often decided by it’s testing time trials, with the 2020 edition featuring three, including one on the final day.

Anyone hoping to win the Giro overall will also need to navigate numerous sprint stages and medium mountain stages, which offer up opportunities to riders looking for prestigious individual stage wins that can define careers.

Giro d’Italia 2021 route

San Boldo pass on stage 20 of the Giro d’Italia 2019 (Photo by Justin Setterfield/Getty Images)

The route for the 2021 Giro d’Italia is yet to be announced but we will fill in the relevant information when we have it.

Stage Date Start Finish Distance Terrain
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
Rest day
10
11
12
13
14
15
Rest day
16
17
18
19
20
21

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Past winners of the Giro d’Italia

2020 – Tao Geoghegan-Hart
2019 – Richard Carapaz
2018 – Chris Froome
2017 – Tom Dumoulin
2016 – Vincenzo Nibali
2015 – Alberto Contador
2014 – Nairo Quintana
2013 – Vincenzo Nibali
2012 – Ryder Hesjedal
2011 – Michele Scarponi
2010 – Ivan Basso
2009 – Denis Menchov
2008 – Alberto Contador
2007 – Danilo Di Luca
2006 – Ivan Basso
2005 – Paolo Savoldelli
2004 – Damiano Cunego
2003 – Gilberto Simoni
2002 – Paolo Savoldelli
2001 – Gilberto Simoni
2000 – Stefano Garzelli