It will be called Giro Next Gen, with the aim of putting English at the roots of Italian youth cycling. It is the Giro d'Italia for the U23s, awarded by the Federation to RCS Sports following the announcement at the end of March, thanks to which next year the same group will also organize the Giro d'Italia Donne, provided that it keeps its current name. A tender that went unfulfilled, except for the participation of RCS, much to Infront's disappointment.
It will be held from 11th to 18th June and was presented this morning in Rome, In presence of Mauro Vegni and Paolo Bellino for RCS Sport, Cordiano Dagnoni for the FCI and the Minister of Sport Andrea Abodi.
Eight stages in the North
The path is in line with what has been done in recent years by Extra Giro, with 8 stages, all concentrated in a few regions: this time from Piedmont to FriuliThe Giro d'Italia working group dedicated themselves to designing the route in their free time between the Sanremo, the Giro di Sicilia and the start from Pescara, and also managed to obtain the shift of one day, so as to occupy two Sundays instead of just oneSome contacts had been initiated with Marco Selleri to take over part of the organization, but then everything stopped.
"This year il Giro Next Gen will take place entirely in the North "—said Mauro Vegni—because with only eight stages, it's impossible to cover the entire country. In the coming years, we plan to develop the race in central and southern Italy, bringing this top-level event to all parts of Italy, as we already do with professional races. The path offers opportunities to everyone, time trialists, sprinters, finishers and climbers with the icing on the cake being the finish on the Stelvio Pass»
The stage on the Stelvio had already been revealed, albeit under the radar, on April 19, during a press conference in Sondrio, in which they told Summer tourism initiatives in Valtellina.
Piedmont first
We start with a time trial in Aglié, over a distance of 9,4 kilometers. A fast test suitable for specialists, with long straight sections connected by a few turns. The only small difficulty is the final ramp (average gradient of 4%) that leads to Agliè Castle.
The second stage goes from San Francesco al Campo to Cherasco, a distance of 151 kilometersThe route is flat in the first part and then undulating until the finish. It skirts Turin, touching Settimo Torinese and Chieri. It then continues south to the Alba hills and here La Morra and Novello are climbed, before reaching the final 18-kilometer circuit (a single lap) that touches Narzole and the Tanaro valley floor. In 2010, Philippe Gilbert won the Gran Piemonte on the same finish line.
With the third stage we go to Lombardy, from Priocca to Magenta, for 146 kilometersIt will be up to the sprinters to flex their muscles, given the almost completely flat route through the provinces of Alessandria and Pavia.
His Majesty the Stelvio
We mentioned the fourth stage: Morbegno-Stelvio Pass, 118 kilometersThere is a risk that the Giro will end up there: the final 22 kilometers at an average speed of 7 percent, with the famous 30 hairpin bends that made cycling history, could be a really high step for the U23s.
The next stop, number five from Cesano Maderno to Manerba del Garda is 154 kilometers longIt's rough and turbulent, especially in the finale on Lake Garda. The first few kilometers will pass through Milanese towns with all the usual hazards in terms of traffic, roundabouts, and traffic islands. At the gates of Brescia, The group will climb Passo Tre Termini, the Lumezzane climb and Passo Sant'Eusebio, before heading down to the lake. There might be some room for attack along the coast.
Sixth stage starting from Trentino: from Pergine Valsugana to Povegliano, in the province of Treviso, for 166 kilometers. The Valico della Fricca will make the fast men sweat immediately at the start, and they will then have another 150 kilometres between descents and flats to catch their breath and be ready for the two laps of the very fast final circuit.
Venetian cork
The seventh and penultimate stage is known as the big stage, even if the legs and the general classification will still have memories of the Stelvio. It starts from the Canova Temple in Possagno and arrives in Pian di Cansiglio in 175 kilometersThe route begins with a series of ups and downs, crossing the Prosecco wine regions of Valdobbiadene, Combai, and Refrontolo. After Vittorio Veneto, the climbs of San Lorenzo, Passo San Boldo, Valmorel, Nevegal, the challenging Malga Cate in Alpago begin, and then the access to Pian del Cansiglio from Farra, with the first four kilometers at 12-13 percent gradients.
It closes in Friuli, with the 131 kilometers that connect Enzo Cainero's Tavagnacco to TriesteWe pass through Pagnacco, Buja, Tarcento, then the wine region of Nimis, Attimis, Faedis until reaching the Cividale plain. From here onwards the route bears the marks of the Great War, with Monte San Michele and the Redipuglia shrine. The final sprint, whether in a group or small group, will be played in front of at Piazza Unità d'Italia and at Molo Audace.
Amadori's opinion
What to look forward to now is the list of invited teamsThe sports groups have been waiting until the route is announced, having already planned to stop the most suitable athletes and send them to higher altitudes to recharge and get into shape. It will once again be a challenge between foreign continental teams and Italian teams.
«It seems like a nice Giro to me – comments coach Amadori – which more than last year has the time trial, even if short. For the rest, there are courses for everyone. It will once again be a useful experience for the children's growth. Yesterday they also presented the Tour de l'Avenir and it's very tough, they didn't miss anything, with the arrival at the Col de la Loze and also a time trial. Rather, I noticed that during the Giro there will be a Nations Cup race in the Czech Republic, who knows if all the strongest riders will come from abroad or if someone will go thereBoth that race and the previous one in Poland are needed to qualify one more man for the world championship. We'll go to Poland and, if necessary, during the Giro I could bring the young riders who aren't competing in the Giro or some professionals to the Peace Race."
In short, Now that the cards are on the table, we can start working. On the logistics front there should be no doubt that RCS will be able to implement the facilities and staff who will be touring Italy for three weeks starting Saturday.
