Giro d’Italia 2022 route: 5 key stages – perfect for Egan Bernal to defend maglia rosa?
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Updated 12/11/2021 at 12:29 GMT
The first details of the Giro d'Italia 2022 have been unveiled by the race organisers and it looks like being a back-loaded edition, with most of the 51,000m of vertical gain coming in the second half of the race. There is also relatively little for the TT specialists next year, with only two brisk stages raced against the clock – making it an optimal course for the climbers.
Giro d’Italia 2022 route – From Hungary to Verona
The route and profiles of the 2022 Giro d’Italia have been revealed and it’s never too early to start guessing at what the crunch stages will be.
With the partenza in Hungary – home of 2021 pink jersey-wearer Atila Valter (Groupama FDJ) – and the arrivo in Verona – where Richard Carapaz clinched victory overall in 2019 – and the small matter of 51,000 metres of altitude gain in between, there are bound to be fireworks during the fight for pink.
The 105th edition of La Corsa Rosa is going to be particularly unique, as unlike recent editions it will only include a total of 26km worth of time-trialling.
Will this swing the pendulum in favour of mountain goats Mikel Landa (Bahrain – Victorious) and Simon Yates (Team BikeExchange) versus the likes of Joao Almeida (Deceuninck – Quick Step)? One has to imagine there will be plenty of climbers eyeing up this course, and Egan Bernal (Ineos Grenadiers) will certainly be interested in the parcours if he decides to defend his 2021 crown.
Giro d’Italia 2022 route
- May 6, Stage 1: Budapest – Visegrad (195km, flat with uphill finish)
- May 7, Stage 2: Budapest – Budapest (9.2km, ITT)
- May 8, Stage 3: Kaposvár – Balatonfüred (201km, flat)
- May 9, first rest day
- May 10, Stage 4: Avola – Etna (166km, mountain)
- May 11, Stage 5: Catania – Messina (172km, flat)
- May 12, Stage 6: Palmi – Scalea (192km, flat)
- May 13, Stage 7: Diamante – Potenza (198km, hilly)
- May 14, Stage 8: Naples – Naples (149km, hilly)
- May 15, Stage 9: Isernia – Blockhaus (187km, mountains)
- May 16, second rest day
- May 17, Stage 10: Pescara – Jesi (194km, hilly)
- May 18, Stage 11: Santarcangelo di Romagna – Reggio Emilia (201km, flat)
- May 19, Stage 12: Parma – Genova (186km, hilly)
- May 20, Stage 13: San Remo – Cuneo (157km, flat)
- May 21, Stage 14: Santena – Turin (153km, hilly)
- May 22, Stage 15: Rivarolo Canavese – Cogne (177km, mountains)
- May 23, third rest day
- May 24, Stage 16: Salo – Aprica (200km, mountains)
- May 25, Stage 17: Ponte di Legno – Lavarone (165km, mountains)
- May 26, Stage 18: Borgo Valsugana – Treviso (146km, flat)
- May 27, Stage 19: Marano Lagunare – Castelmonte (178km, hilly)
- May 28, Stage 20: Belluno – Passo Fedaia/Marmolada (165km, mountains)
- May 29, Stage 21: Verona – Verona(17.1, ITT)
Giro d’Italia 2022 key stages
While winning a Grand Tour is a three-week war of attrition, there are certainly days that leap off the page as potential battlegrounds.
May 10, Stage 4: Avola – Etna (166km, mountain)
As is now becoming a custom, the organisers have placed an Etna finish in the first week of the route. This time it is slightly different to previous editions as it takes the climb from Ragalgna – where Esteban Chaves won in 2018 – before switching to the traditional Nicolosi side for the finale. As the cliché goes, a rider won’t win the maglia rosa here, but they may well lose their shot at the top step.
EF Education First-Nippo's Jonathan Caicedo was the one to taste victory when the race was here last.
May 15, Stage 9: Isernia – Blockhaus (187km, mountains)
This Apennine stage that finishes on the gruelling Blockhaus brings a close to the first week on the Italian mainland and includes a double climb of the famous mount. The peloton will be tested for the first time on the route that starts from Pretoro before a sharp descent leads to the assault on the eye-watering gradients that mirrors the stage finish in 2017 won by Nairo Quintana. A crucial stage for the climbers to start opening a buffer on their opposition.
Team Sky and Ineos fans will remember that in 2017 Blockhaus spelled the end of Geraint Thomas' GC hopes when he crashed during a frenetic first-week stage.
May 22, Stage 15: Rivarolo Canavese – Cogne (177km, mountains)
Weeks one and two are packed with flat stages so by the time the race reaches the Western Alps, the GC favourites will be raring to go. Steady climbs are the order of the day with not too intimidating gradients… with one eye on the subsequent rest day, the final climb could see an opportunist strike out for pink. Think Odd Christian Eiking (Intermarche – Wanty – Gobert Materiaux) in this year’s Vuelta a Espana.
May 28, Stage 20: Belluno – Passo Fedaia/Marmolada (165km, mountains)
The Giro’s classic Dolomite stage starts in Belluno this year and takes in the Passo San Pellegrino (not where the fizzy drink is made, sadly) and the Cima Coppi at Passo Pordoi before climbing the Passo Fedaia to Marmolada. The rider in pink at its summit will sure hope they have enough in the legs for the time trial the following day.
May 29, Stage 21: Verona – Verona (17.1, ITT)
The last day of the Giro follows the same course as the 2019 finale starting and finishing in Verona’s Roman amphitheatre. That stage was won by Chad Haga (Team DSM) with the route being short and hilly enough for GC winner Richard Carapaz to hold off Vincenzo Nibali and Primoz Roglic. The stage is set for a similar outcome and for someone to write their name alongside the Ecuadorian, as well as two former gentlemen of Verona Ivan Basso and Francesco Moser, as having lifted the Endless Trophy in Piazza Bra.
- Oskar Scarsbrook
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