2018 Giro d'Italia Route Leaked

Climbs of Mount Etna, Colle delle Finestre, Monte Jafferau, the Zoncolan and Cervinia all feature before the race heads to the Vatican to be received by the Pope

After it was confirmed that the 101th edition of the Giro d'Italia would start in the Holy Land with 3 days across Israel, reports are leaking out of the rest of the route.

It looks like the last week, once again will be brutally difficult, leaving no doubt as to who the winner will be, with 3 hard stages in the Italian Alps.

Stage 18 looks likely to start in Milan and finish up the climb up Pratonevoso, a 13 km climb at an average of 7% where Pavel Tonkov and Stefano Garzelli took the stage victory in 1996 and 2000 respectively. Both Tonkov and Garzelli went on to win those editions of the Giro d'Italia.

Revealed last week was the penultimate climb of the Cervinia on Stage 20 in the north western Alps. Fabio Aru was the last to win there in 2015, and before that Andrey Amador in 2012 and Ivan Gotti in 1997. Before arriving at the final climb of the Cervinia, what's left of the surviving peloton must face the ascents of the Col Tzecore and the Col di Saint Pantaléon.

Rumours are, that the final Stage 21 will see riders board a plane for a start in Rome to finish in the Vatican in front of the Pope, which could be a ITT, which would favorites Chris Froome and Tom Dumoulin. The Pope has also been invited to attend the opening stages in Jerusalem in Israel too.

Once the Giro d'Italia leaves Israel, rumours are it will arrive on the Island of Sicily on May 8th, for three stages that will culminate with a new ascent of Mount Etna.

Onto the Italian mainland, rumours are the Giro will head towards the climb of Montevergine di Mercogliano, used six times previously, the last time in 2011 where Bart De Clercq won the stage.

Before the second rest day it is rumoured that the Giro d'Italia will visit the climb of Campo Imperatore, a summit used first in 1971 where Spaniard Vicente López Carril won and last used in 1999 when the late Marco Pantani took victory.

After the second rest day, a stage from Farindola to Gualdo Tadino would take place and two days later on May 17th, the Giro will pay homage to the sadly departed Michele Scarponi with a stage leaving from his hometown, Filottrano to arrive in Imola.

A day later, the Giro will commemorate one hundred years since the end of the end of World War I, with a stage between Ferrara and Nervesa della Battaglia.

That weekend should see the return of a high mountains with a stage on Saturday May 19th finishing up the legendary climb of the Zoncolan. First used in 2003, won by Simoni and used on five occasions, the last being in 2014 where Michael Rogers took victory.

The next day it is rumoured to be another spectacular stage finisging in Sappada before the third and final rest day, that wil see the Peloton transfer to Monza before the final 3 stages in the Northern Alps as already described above.

The full route of the 2018 Giro d'Italia is unveiled this Wednesday 29th November in Milan. The presentation of Giro d’Italia 2018 will be on 29th November starting from 17:00 CET, 11:00 EST, 08:00 PST.

The route of the 101st edition, starting on 4 May 2018 from Israel, will be unveiled in the presence of the last Giro d’Italia winner, Tom Dumoulin, the two times Giro winner Vincenzo Nibali, Fabio Aru (third in 2014 and second in 2015), and Alberto Contador (winner of the Corsa Rosa in 2008 and 2015), as well as representatives of the teams, sponsors, media and other institutions.

Rumoured Route of the 2018 Giro d'Italia