2021 Giro d’Italia Preview

The connoisseur’s grand tour. Or maybe the cognoscente’s. It’s old, it’s beautiful, and it’s the second-most prestigious grand tour. This year has seen some changes to the traditional format, bringing shorter, punchier stages, more hills, and just 38km of time-trialing.

Last year was a spectacular edition played out by a lower-tier cast than usual. It also functioned as a rolling Covid hotspot, superspreading like a Gen-Z house party. If this year can match last year on the former, and improve upon the latter, it’ll be one of the all-time greats.

Where to Watch

Everywhere – GCN+
Europe – Eurosport and GCN+

Route

Our analysis from February

(From our February analysis) The 2021 Giro d’Italia has now been revealed… and the long wait disguised a surprising route choice. Here are our quick observations before we dive into the longer look:

• First up, there are just 38.4km of individual time-trials. But 29.4 of those are on the very final stage in Milan. Whew.
• There’s also gravel on the menu on Stage 11, when the race takes in 35km of loose-paved roads through Tuscany.
• Another surprise. Joining its frenemy grand tours, the Tour and Vuelta, the Giro has finally ceded to the idea that stages can be shorter and punchier.
• There are seven summit finishes. Count them. No wonder Egan Bernal has been exiled here by his team is targeting this race.
• The queen stage takes in 5,700 meters of climbing over 212km.
• The race also makes brief trips to Slovenia and Switzerland. Let’s hope those borders stay open.
• And it climbs the fucking Zoncolan. Fuck yes.

Startlist

2021 Giro d’Italia Startlist (external site)

Ones to Watch

Egan Bernal

Ineos won this race last year, and for 2021 they’re brought in the big guns: 2019 Tour de France winner Egan Bernal. The Colombian perhaps isn’t as strong as 2019–he continues to be plagued by back problems–but he has talent in abundance and a lot to prove. We’d call him our race favorite, albeit tentatively.

Simon Yates

Yates enters as many people’s favorite for the overall. He’s almost proven in this race, leading until the final three days in 2018. Since then, it’s become a white whale for him. Whether that’s a positive or a negative can be debated, but Yates has won the Vuelta and can climb with the best in the world. He’s the favorite for a reason.

Remco Evenepoel

Returning from a nine-month layoff due to injury, Evenepoel enters his first-ever grand tour as… third favorite? Well, at least according to the bookmakers. There’s a lot to be said about the talent of this 21 year old, who was winning stage races for fun before his unfortunate injury, and in terms of potential he’s easily the most compelling young rider in the peloton. One to watch, then.

Dylan Groenewegen

The first thing Groenewegen did after returning from his UCI-enforced ban for causing the horror crash that took out Fabio Jakobsen at the Tour of Poland was… getting into a public fight with the man he’d almost killed. We’re approaching parody villain territory here. The second thing he’ll do is race the Giro d’Italia. All eyes will be on him in the sprints.

Mikel Landa

In truth, it’s hard to narrow ourselves down to just five riders. Why not Landa for the #5 spot though? He’s a strong grand tour rider, and like the best in this sport, he only gets stronger as the race goes on. He’s undergoing something of a revival at Bahrain Victorious and the course suits him. We’ll imagine he’ll aspire to be among the race’s protagonists.