2019 Giro d'Italia Week 1 - Tuscany to Apennines : Stage Routes & Profiles

Stage 1 : 11th May 2019

A short individual time trial running flat for the first 6 km, and then rising steeply for the following 2 km. The stage is played out on wide and mostly straight city streets, up to the foot of the San Luca climb. The 2.1-km ascent has an average 9.7% gradient, with long stretches exceeding 10/12%, and topping out at 16% at the last kilometre. The fight between GC contenders will be on since the first stage, which may already provide a rough ranking of the “top players".

Stage 2 : 12th May 2019

The stage is wavy since the start. The route cuts across the Apennines in Castiglione dei Pepoli, descends into Prato and follows the rolling hills of the Circondario Empolese Valdelsa through Montespertoli, climbs up Castra / Montalbano and San Baronto, and then heads for the finish in Fucecchio.

Stage 3: 13th May 2019

The stage is wavy in the first part, but the route levels out perfectly from there on, with just a few minor undulations over the last 50 km, so the first sprint finish will be up for grabs in Orbetello.

Stage 4: 14th May 2019

The stage is wavy in the first part, with constant undulations further on, until the finish. The route initially rolls past some iconic locations of the Maremma, such as Manciano and Pitigliano, and then cuts across the Tuscia and the Rome countryside, heading for a fast-running finish in Frascati, on a mild uphill gradient.

Stage 5: 15th May 2019

This will be the third bunch sprint finish of the 2019 Giro. After a bumpy start, as the route takes in significant climbs in Rocca Priora and Rocca di Papa, the stage course leaves the Castelli Romani area and cuts entirely through the flatland known as Pianura Pontina. After rolling past Latina and Sezze (on a slight uphill gradient), the route reaches Terracina, where the stage will take a final circuit of approx. 10 km.

Stage 6: 16th May 2019

This long wavy stage cuts across the Central-Southern Apennines, from Lazio to the Gargano. The stage is played out on fast-running roads, leading from Isernia, Bojano, Campobasso, Lucera and Foggia, through Rignano Garganico, all the way to the closing ascent in Coppa Casrinelle. The climb is not very harsh, and will lead a selected peloton to the finish line in San Giovanni Rotondo, after approx. a dozen kilometres on flat or mildly downhill roads.

Stage 7: 17th May 2019

The route is wavy but uncomplicated, and particularly suited to finisseurs in the stage finale. After starting along the Adriatic coast, the route travels across the Abruzzi Apennines through Ripa Teatina and Chieti, all the way to the finish in L'Aquila, with a first steep spurt followed by the final ramp that already hosted the finish in 2005 and in 2010.

Stage 8: 18th May 2019

This 235-km stage is clearly divided into two parts. The first one runs perfectly flat along the Adriatic coast up to Senigallia, while the second one features several consecutive climbs, including Mombaroccio (Monte della Mattera) and Monte di Gabicce, with a technical descent that terminates a few kilometres before the finish.

Stage 9: 19th May 2019

This individual time trial is divided in two parts: the route is wavy up to the border of the Republic of San Marino, and then runs uphill, all the way to the finish. For the first 22 km, the route follows a winding and undulating profile leading to Faetano. Here, the route starts to rise, reaching double-digit gradients, all the way to Fiorentino. From here on, and until the finish, the profile is marked by climbs alternating with short counter-sloping stretches. Overall, the climb is particularly suited to rouleurs-climbers.