Giro Rosa

Dates: July 6-14
Stages: 10
Start: Verbania
Finish: Cividale del Friuli
Coverage (UK): RAI will be the official partner with commentry by Stefano Rizzato 

giro rosa

Podium fun for Anna van der Breggen at the Giro Rosa in 2017 (Photo by Sean Robinson/Velofocus.com)

The 2018 edition of the Giro Rosa kicks off with an individual time trial in Verbania on Friday July 6 – its highlights being a mountain time trial and an ascent of Mount Zoncolan on the penultimate stage.

>>> See the Giro Rosa 2018 route here

The ten stage tour, which forms part of the Women’s World Tour, incorporates two summit finishes, and a mountain time trial – so it’s expected to be a race that ultimately gifts the climbers in the GC contention.

A selection of flat and undulating stages will allow the sprinters and puncheurs to shine, too.

Giro Rosa 2018 stages

Stage 1: Verbania – Verbania 15.5km (TTT)
Stage 2: Ovada – Ovada 120.3km
Stage 3: Corbetta – Corbetta 132km
Stage 4: Piacenza – Piacenza 109km
Stage 5: Omegna – Omegna 117.7km
Stage 6: Sovico – Gerola Alta 114.1km
Stage 7: Lanzada – Diga di Campo Moro 15km (TT)
Stage 8: San Giorgio di Perlena (Fara Vicentino) – Breganze 121.6km
Stage 9: Tricesimo – Monte Zoncolan 104.7km
Stage 10: Cividale del Friuli – Cividale del Friuli 120.3km

Anna van der Breggen won the maglia rosa in 2017 (Image: Boels Dolmans)

The Giro Rosa is the most complete women’s stage race in the calendar, with editions ranging from eight to ten day affairs. Previously called the Giro d’Italia Femminilie, it took on the new name in 2013 and has also been called the Giro Donne in its time.

The Italian stage race was included in the UCI Women’s World Tour in its inaugural year of 2016, and is also on the calendar in 2017.

One of the hilliest races in the pro women’s race season, it’s also one of the hilliest.

Prolific former winners include Mara Abbott – with two wins, Marianne Vos with three and Italian Fabiana Luperini with five. Great Britain’s year came in 2004, when Nicole Cooke took the win.

Previous winners of the Giro Rosa

  • 2017: Anna van der Breggen
  • 2016: Megan Guarnier
  • 2015: Anna van der Breggen
  • 2014:  Marianne Vos
  • 2013: Mara Abbott
  • 2012: Marianne Vos
  • 2011: Marianne Vos
  • 2010: Mara Abbott
  • 2009: Claudia Häusler
  • 2008: Fabiana Luperini
  • 2007: Edita Pučinskaitė
  • 2006:  Edita Pučinskaitė
  • 2005:  Nicole Brändli
  • 2004: Nicole Cooke
  • 2003: Nicole Brändli
  • 2002: Svetlana Bubnenkova
  • 2001: Nicole Brändli
  • 2000: Joane Somarriba