Schedule and how to watch the Giro d'Italia 2024

Forget about the classics and get ready to dive into the tours with the arrival of the first grand tour of the season, the Giro d'Italia 2024, which in this edition raises its level by having the undoubtedly best and most complete cyclist nowadays. A Tadej Pogacar who has set himself a challenge that no top cyclist has dared to face since 1998, to win the Giro and the Tour. It doesn't seem like there's anyone who can overshadow him, but just ask Remco Evenepoel. In any case, it's something we can start watching from May 4th to May 26th.

Key data of the Giro d'Italia 2024

• Dates: May 4th to May 26th, 2024
• Start: Venaria Reale (Turin)
• Finish: Rome
• Total distance: 3,400.8 km
• Total elevation gain: 44,650 m
• Winner 2023: Primoz Roglic
• Cyclists with most victories: Alfredo Binda, Fausto Coppi, Eddy Merckx (5 victories)
• Cyclists with most stage wins: Mario Cipollini (42 victories)
• Organization: RCS Sports & Events

Stages of the Giro d'Italia 2024

A more accessible route than the inhuman layouts that the Giro d'Italia organization has been defining in recent years is the most notable characteristic of this Giro d'Italia 2024 compared to previous editions where the proposal to give the race maximum hardness has not ended in highly contested races but on the contrary, we have experienced some recent editions quite blocked and with cyclists measuring every effort very carefully.

Being softer does not imply that the Giro d'Italia 2024 does not have real challenges in which the race must be decided, in addition to two individual time trials of 40 and 31 kilometers respectively that will be key in the outcome of the race.

On the other hand, the orographic toughness of this Giro d'Italia 2024 is spread more throughout the three weeks, starting from the beginning with two very attractive stages, unlike what happened in previous editions where the mountain stages were concentrated in a terrifying third week.

The Giro d'Italia 2024 will start in the surroundings of Turin with a first stage that brings back memories of the classic Milan-Turin until a few years ago, with a nervous and challenging route that will require the attention of all cyclists and will be marked by the ascents to Superga and Colle Madalena, the latter just over 20 kilometers from the finish.

An intense start that will continue in the second stage where the Giro d'Italia 2024 faces its first mountain finish with the arrival at Santuario de Oropa, one of the mythical goals of this race and preceded by two small category 3 climbs strategically located in the last 40 kilometers of the stage.

A more typical development of the first week will follow, where the Giro d'Italia 2024 will link 4 stages designed for the sprinters to shine, except perhaps the 6th stage, with a more broken terrain that could be favorable for the punchers, before facing on Friday, May 10th, in the 7th stage where the first individual time trial is held.

40 kilometers with a completely flat route except for the last 6, with a clear ascent and starting with a terrifying kilometer and a half at 11% gradient that will make the management of pace and stage planning very delicate for each cyclist. What is certain is that this stage will create significant differences, both due to the length, atypical in current time trials, and the peculiar design of the route, hopefully not so large that they become definitive when we are still in the first week.

Following the time trial, there will be a new mountain stage with the Apennines as the setting, concluding at Prati di Tivo, a sustained 14-kilometer climb that is the highlight of one of those stages without a single flat meter. Considering the fatigue from the time trial, it could be a perfect place for those who lost time in the individual race to start recovering ground or, on the contrary, consolidate the differences gained the previous day.

The first week of this Giro d'Italia 2024 will end with a new stage likely to end in a sprint towards Naples. This will lead to the first rest day, which will be well received but without much relaxation as the next day, the second week starts intensively with a challenging stage that will see a new mountain finish, this time in Cusano Mutri, a long but gentle climb that should not produce changes among the favorites.

Three more stages without difficulty will follow, again suitable for the teams of fast men to impose their law and will allow the favorites to arrive with the freshest legs possible for the second time trial, in the 14th stage: 31.2 km along the shores of Lake Garda with a completely flat route, perfect for pure specialists in this discipline. Once again, a more than sufficient distance to see significant differences in the general classification as a prelude to the third week.

But before the final fireworks, just like after the first time trial, the peloton of the Giro d'Italia 2024 will have to face the first major mountain stage towards Livigno. A stage that adds the challenge of its 220 kilometers, which will further toughen an orography that stands out for the passage through the fearsome Mortirolo, although this time, by its easier side but not necessarily gentle, and will serve as a prelude to the final link with the Passo di Foscano and the arrival in Livigno.

After the second rest day, the last week starts strong with a controversial stage towards Santa Cristina Valgardena. Controversial because it starts terribly with the ascent to the mythical Stelvio and then heads for nearly 100 kilometers with a favorable route and no orographic difficulties until the Dolomites massif, leaving us with 40 final kilometers that could lead to a battle.

In any case, this is the prelude to a tremendous Dolomite stage in a relatively short 17th stage, 159 kilometers, which will start intensely with the Passo Sella followed by the endless Passo Rolle, Passo Gobbbera and a very interesting final stage with a double ascent to Passo Brocon for a total of 4,200 m of accumulated elevation gain.

The race will take a break in the 18th stage, towards Padova, before facing two new mountain stages. The 19th with a medium mountain route ending in Sappada and, above all, the 20th, the last opportunity for those competing for the general classification to change things in a stage marked by the double ascent to Monte Grappa.

The Giro d'Italia 2024 will conclude, just like last year, on the streets of Rome. In fact, the stage is exactly a copy of the one Mark Cavendish won in 2023 and will serve to crown the new winner of the Giro in pink.

Favorites to win the Giro d'Italia 2024

With several days to go before the start of the Corsa Rosa, the teams are still defining their line-ups, which in many cases, like Visma-Lease a Bike, have been conditioned by the falls that have been on everyone's lips throughout the spring.

However, one thing is clear, with a certain Tadej Pogacar in competition, the title of undisputed favorite can only fall on the Slovenian cyclist who has barely participated in 4 races: Strade Bianche, Milan-San Remo, Volta a Catalunya, and Liege-Bastogne-Liege, dominating mercilessly in three of them. It is striking that UAE Team Emirates is saving its best team for the Tour de France, and riders like Novak, Bjerg, Oliveira, or Majka will support Pogacar. In addition, the inclusion of Juan Sebastián Molano makes it clear that the team is not ruling out trying to add some extra victories in the multiple opportunities that sprinters will have in this Giro d'Italia 2024.

A roster of fast men in the race that will be important, as expected, in a race with so many opportunities for mass sprints like this edition of the Giro d'Italia. Sprints that will be contested by riders like Tim Merlier, Caleb Ewan, Fabio Jakobsen, Fernando Gaviria, or Jonathan Milan.

Regarding the contenders for the general classification, all of them one or several steps below the level shown by Tadej Pogacar, we find cyclists who have had a very good spring and will remain expectant waiting for the Slovenian's mistake. Perhaps the one with the most chances is the Australian Ben O'Connor, who will surely continue to give prominence to Decathlon-AG2R La Mondiale and will have the Paret-Peintre brothers as the mainstays of a solid team.

Another rider who should be in the top positions of the general classification of this Giro d'Italia is Wout Poels, who, despite arriving at the Giro without making much noise, already showed in the Tour of the Alps that his progression is optimal to reach his best form in the Corsa Rosa.

Something similar happens with Romain Bardet, eternal aspirant to win a grand tour and who, however, in the last Liège-Bastogne-Liège was the first of the mortals and declared at the end of it that he had found his legs like years ago.

Although his start of the season has been discreet, already in the Tour of the Alps it was seen how he began to show a good level so it is obligatory to include in this list the second classified last year, Geraint Thomas.

As for the unknowns, it remains to be seen what Visma-Lease a Bike 's role will be after Wout van Aaert did not recover in time for the Giro d'Italia 2024. Christophe Laporte and Cian Uijtdebroeks will be in charge of the team, neither of them with enough guarantees to face the overall but, being the Dutch team, we will have to see what they are capable of.

It will also be interesting to see what Nairo Quintana or the young Iván Romeo will be able to contribute for Movistar Team. And speaking of Spanish cyclists, we will have to see if Juanpe Lopez can maintain the excellent level that led him to brilliantly win the Tour of the Alps.

Schedule Giro d'Italia 2024

• Sat 04/05/2024: Venaria Reale – Turín: 13:50 to 17:15
• Sun 05/05/2024: San Francesco al Campo – Santuario de Oropa: 12:55 to 17:13
• Mon 06/05/2024: Novara – Fossano: 13:10 to 17:12
• Tues 07/05/2024: Acqui Terme – Andora: 12:30 to 17:14
• Wed 08/05/2024: Genova – Lucca: 12:45 to 17:15
• Thu 09/05/2024: Torre del Lago Puccini – Rapolano Terme: 12:45 to 17:13
• Fri 10/05/2024:  Foligno – Perugia (TT): 13:00 to 17:09
• Sat 11/05/2024: Spoleto – Prati di Tivo: 12:30 to 17:14
• Sun 12/05/2024: Avezzano – Napolés: 12:00 to 17:14
• Mon 13/05/2024: Rest day
• Tue 14/05/2024: Pompeya – Cusano Mutri: 13:05 to 17:12
• Wed 15/05/2024: Foiano di Val Fortone – Francavilla al Mare: 12:05 to 17:11
• Thu 16/05/2024: Martinsicuro – Fano: 12:25 to 17:13
• Fri 17/05/2024: Riccione – Cento: 13:00 to 17:15
• Sat 18/05/2024: Castiglione delle Stiviere – Desenzano del Garda (TT): 13:20 to 17:09
• Sun 19/05/2024: Manerba del Garda – Livigno: 10:25 to 16:11
• Mon 20/05/2024: Rest day
• Tue 21/05/2024: Livigno – Santa Cristina Valgardena: 11:25 to 17:12
• Wed 22/05/2024: Selva di Valgardena – Passo del Brocon: 12:25 to 17:11
• Thu 23/05/2024: Fiera di Primiero – Padova: 13:05 to 17:13
• Fri 24/05/2024: Mortegliano – Sappada: 13:05 to 17:12
• Sat 25/05/2024: Alpago – Bassano del Grappa: 11:40 to 17:16
• Sun 26/05/2024: Roma – Roma: 15:30 to 18:43

How to watch the Giro d'Italia 2024

Eurosport, as in previous years, will be the channel in charge of providing full coverage of the Giro d'Italia 2024 and, as in the last editions, we will be able to enjoy the complete broadcasting of the stages.