Before a week in pink that touches the sky at the summit of the Stelvio
The north of Italy from west to east with an opening time trial, a finish at the top of the Passo dello Stelvio and a tappone with a finish on the Cansiglio plateau, where Veneto meets Friuli-Venezia-Giulia, make up the outline of a renewed Giro d’Italia U23 that changes organisers and name. RCS, the same company that organises the Giro d’Italia, received at the beginning of the year from the Italian Federation the responsibility of putting the event on the road for five years (2023-2027), as well as the women’s Giro (2024-2027), as it was the only bidder in the bidding process opened by the FCI.
Now the Giro U23, which with ExtraGiro in the organisational work since its rescue after several years without taking place has produced truly unforgettable and demanding editions, will be called Giro Next Gen. But in the end the spirit is the same: the best and toughest stage race on the international scene for the best U23 riders in the world. Up to 35 teams of five riders each, 17 Italian and 18 foreign teams, will take part in this edition. The EOLO-KOMETA Cycling Team U23 of the Contador Foundation will be the only Spanish team taking part with Ramón Fernández, Arnau Gilabert, Andrea Montoli, Fran Muñoz and Gabriele Raccagni.
“The Giro is a very demanding and complicated race. Our goal is to do a good job, the best possible, being aware of the complexity of each day. The day of the Stelvio would be an exercise in survival, we can’t anticipate anything that might happen, but it will certainly mark the race. We are going with a very motivated team, which has just done some really good specific work in a training camp in Segovia”, says director Rafa Díaz Justo.
The stages.
First stage (11 June): Aglié – Aglié (9.4 km, individual time trial).
Second stage (12 June): San Francesco al Campo – Cherasco (151 km).
Stage 3 (13 June): Priocca – Magenta (146 km).
Stage 4 (14 June): Morbegno – Stelvio Pass (118 km).
Stage 5 (15 June): Cesano Maderno – Manerba del Garda (154 km).
Stage 6 (16 June): Pergine Valsugana – Povegliano (166 km).
Stage 7 (17 June): Possagno – Pian del Cansiglio (175 km).
Stage 8 (18 June): Tavagnacco – Trieste (131 km).