Tirreno-Adriatico

Where: Italy
When: March 7-13 2022
Rank: UCI WorldTour

Heading into it's 57th year in 2022, Tirreno-Adriatico continues to be the hipster favourite over the more traditional Paris-Nice which runs alongside.

Coming after the gravel roads of Strade Bianche, the race is often used as something a bit different for the Classics men as they build for Milan-San Remo a week later. But it also attracts some of the world's best GC riders with now-double Tour de France winner, Tadej Pogačar (UAE team Emirates) taking the golden trident trophy home with him at the end of the 2021 race.

Known as 'the race of the two seas' it starts at the coast of the Tyrrhenian sea and makes its way across Italy to the shores of the Adriatic sea with sharp climbs, long mountains and a couple of sprints and time trials along the way.

The route often follows the same style with a team time trial on the Tyrrhenian coastline before a sprint stage, a couple of hilly days, summit finish, and an individual time trial at San Benedetto del Tronto on the Adriatic coast.

This has changed in the last few years to change the now out of fashion TTT to a sprinters stage with a couple of mountain sprints in there too to make sure all the jerseys are handed out on day one.

After that the race will get progressively hilly with at least one big mountains stage before the hills start to flatten out later into the race finishing in San Benedetto del Tronto for the traditional individual time trial, usually 10km long.

This isn't really expected to change too dramatically in the 2022 route which is yet to be announced.

The race started in 1966 with Dino Zandegù taking the win ahead of Vito Taccone and Rolf Maurer. The record for the most overall victories his held by Belgian star Roger De Vlaeminck with a total of six wins from 1972 to 1977.

Tirreno-Adriatico 2022 route

The full details of the Tirreno-Adriatico 2022 has not yet been released.

Tirreno-Adriatico: Recent winners

2021: Tadej Pogačar (Slo), UAE Team Emriates
2020: Simon Yates (GBr), Mitchelton-Scott
2019: Primož Roglič (Slo), Team Jumbo-Visma
2018: Michał Kwiatkowski (Pol), Team Sky
2017: Nairo Quintana (Col), Movistar Team
2016: Greg Van Avermaet (Bel), BMC Racing Team
2015: Nairo Quintana (Col), Movistar Team
2014: Alberto Contador (Esp), Tinkoff-Saxo
2013: Vincenzo Nibali (Ita), Astana Pro Team
2012: Vincenzo Nibali (Ita), Liquigas-Cannondale
2011: Cadel Evans (Aus), BMC Racing Team
2010: Stefano Garzelli (Ita), Acqua & Sapone
2009: Michele Scarponi (Ita), Serramenti PVC Diquigiovanni-Androni Gicattoli
2008: Fabian Cancellara (Sui), CSC ProTeam.

Key info: TV guide | Start list | Route guide

Previous editions: 2016 | 2015 | 2014 | 2013 | 2012

Key riders: Vincenzo Nibali | Greg Van Avermaet | Nairo Quintana | Peter Sagan