Eight stages, two summit finishes and one time trial for the one women’s Grand Tour
The course of the 2013 edition of the Giro d’Italia Femminile - newly dubbed the Giro Rosa - was presented today on the eve of the men’s Giro, in Pontecagnano Faiano, just south of Naples where the men’s race will start tomorrow. There were fears at the end of last year that the race would not take place in 2013, as Sovico - the company that had organised it for the previous three years on behalf of the Italian Cycling Federation (FCI) decided not to apply for any further editions. Race director Giuseppe Rivolta decided to take up the reins of organiser once again, however, securing its future for at least another four years.
Running between Sunday, June 30th and Sunday, July 7th, the race will be made up of eight stages - sadly one less than last year - at a total of 803km, with two high summit finishes and one individual time trial.
Starting in Giovinazzo in the Bari province, close to the heel of Italy’s boot, the first stage will make its way north up the Adriatic coast to finish on a flat circuit in the port of Margherita di Savoia. The race will then move across the peninsular for the second stage, made up of a lumpy circuit race around Pontecagnano Faiano.
Stage three should see the peloton face its first real challenges as it heads inland for a 111.6km loop, starting and finishing in the hilltop town of Cerro al Volturno; last visited in 2009, where the stage was won by Noemi Cantele. Stage four will be the longest of the race at 137.2km [which is actually over the UCI limit of 130km - ed] but, while it features a 2nd category climb in the first half, has a mostly flat parcours.
The fifth stage should be where the general classification begins to take shape - following a transfer to the north west of the country - with the short, 73.3km course finishing at the top of the 1274 metre high Monte Beigua, above the Ligurian coastal start town of Varazze.
Stage six sees another summit finish as the race moves to northern Piemonte, almost to the border with France, and a 121km stage between Terme di Premia and San Domenico. The sprinters will have their day again though, as the eighth stage will consist of eight laps of a mostly flat 15km circuit in Corbetta, in the province of Milan, which is home to the Sanctuary of the “Madonna of Miracles”.
The final stage of the race will mirror that of the men’s Giro with a 13.3km time trial in the city of Cremona, where a close general classification could be decided.
In addition to the route details, the nineteen teams that have been invited to the race were also announced; each team will start with eight riders each. The last two editions of the race were won, in dominant fashion, by Marianne Vos, and the World champion will be the hot favourite to take a third straight victory.
Giro d’Italia Femminile 2013 (2.1) June 30th - July 7th
Stages
Stage 1 - Giovinazzo (BA) to Margherita di Savoia (BAT), 124.3km
Stage 2 - Pontecagnano Faiano (SA) to Pontecagnano Faiano (SA), 99.6km
Stage 3 - Cerro al Volturno (IS) to Cerro al Volturno (IS), 111.6km
Stage 4 - Monte San Vito (AN) to Castel Fidardo (AN), 137.2km
Stage 5 - Varazze (SV) to Monte Beigua (SV), 73.3km
Stage 6 - Terme di Premia (VCO) to San Domenico (VCO), 121km
Stage 7 - Corbetta (MI) to Corbetta (MI), 120km
Stage 8 - Cremona (CR) ITT, 13.3km
Invited teams (eight riders each)
Rabobank-Liv/Giant (Ned)
Specialized-lululemon (USA)
Orica-AIS (Aus)
Hitec Products (Nor)
Pasta Zara-Cogeas (Ltu)
Boels Dolmans Cycling Team (Ned)
RusVelo (Rus)
Be Pink (Ita)
Mcipollini-Giordana (Ita)
Lotto Belisol Ladies (Bel)
Wiggle Honda Pro Cycling (GBr)
Faren-Let’s Go Finland (Ita)
SC Michela Fanini-Rox (Ita)
Vaiano Fondriest (Ita)
Bizkaia-Durango (Spa)
Top Girls Fassa Bortolo (Ita)
Chirio Forno d’Asolo (Ltu)
Netherlands National Team
United States National Team