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2023 Giro d’Italia to Start with 18 KM Bike Path Time-Trial

The Corsa Rosa will start from the Abruzzo region for the second time in its history, after its first in 2001. The first two stages will take place entirely within the region. The third, departing from Vasto, will head south, while the seventh will return to Abruzzo ending at 2135 meters of the Gran Sasso d’Italia (Campo Imperatore).

The Grande Partenza of the Giro d’Italia 2023, which will start on May 6, 2023 from Abruzzo, was presented today at the Renzo Piano Auditorium in L’Aquila. The opening stage will be an individual time trial of 18.4km on the Costa dei Trabocchi, starting from Fossacesia Marina to Ortona, almost entirely along the cycle path. The second stage, from Teramo to San Salvo, will suit the sprinters in the peloton. The next day the riders depart Vasto, leave the Abruzzo region and travel south, before returning to the territory on Friday 12 May. The seventh stage will end on the Gran Sasso d’Italia (Campo Imperatore). For the fourth year in a row Abruzzo will host an uphill finish. In the two previous final stages, the stage winners, Egan Bernal in 2021 at Campo Felice and Jai Hindley in 2022 at Blockhaus, both won the Giro d’Italia.

The teams presentation, taking place a few days before the start, will be held in the city center of Pescara, in Piazza Salotto.

THE ROUTE OF THE ABRUZZO STAGES

STAGE 1: FOSSACESIA-ORTONA, 18.4 KM

Stage 1 is an individual time trial almost entirely along the Costa dei Trabocchi cycle path, with a short final climb that leads to the finish in the center of Ortona.

STAGE 2: TERAMO-SAN SALVO, 204 KM

The first section through the Teramo area is fairly hilly. The riders will travel along the coast until the finish with some detours on small climbs, such as Silvi Paese and Chieti. A group sprint looks guaranteed.

STAGE 7: GRAN SASSO D’ITALIA (CAMPO IMPERATORE)

This high mountain stage is the first finish above 2000m of the Giro 2023. The riders will have to climb Roccaraso and Calascio before tackling the final climb in Campo Imperatore from the same side as in 2018.

STATISTICS

  • This is the second time the Giro d’Italia has started from Abruzzo. In 2001 Rik Verbrugghe won the Montesilvano Marina-Pescara time trial with the average speed of 58,874 KM/H, which is still unbeaten.
  • The final winner of the Giro d’Italia has won a stage in Abruzzo 15 times. This tradition has been confirmed in the last two years by Egan Bernal (Campo Felice) and Jai Hindley (Blockhaus).
  • Eleven riders from Abruzzo have won at the Giro d’Italia. Vito Taccone is the most victorious rider with 8 wins between 1961 and 1966.
  • Giulio Ciccone and Dario Cataldo, two current riders from Abruzzo, have won stages at the Giro d’Italia.