Each spring, cycling converges on Italy. The Giro d'Italia — the Tour of Italy — is one of three grand tours on the calendar, alongside the Tour de France and the Vuelta a España. Celebrated for its stunning landscapes, passionate crowds, and brutal mountain stages, it kicks off the season of three-week epics.
What the Giro Is
- Three weeks of racing across Italy (often with a start abroad), held every May.
- The general classification leader wears the maglia rosa, the pink jersey — named after the newspaper that created the race.
- Legendary climbs: the Stelvio, the Mortirolo, the Zoncolan — among the hardest mountains in world cycling.
- A unique popular atmosphere, with roads lined by passionate tifosi all the way to the summit.
The Jerseys and Classifications
Like every grand tour, multiple classifications run in parallel:
- Maglia rosa: the general classification (cumulative time).
- Maglia ciclamino: the points classification (for sprinters).
- Maglia azzurra: the best climber.
- Maglia bianca: the best young rider.
How to Follow It (or Experience It Roadside)
- Roadside: find a climb where you can watch riders up close for a long time. Arrive early — the cols fill up fast.
- Mountain stages in the final weekend often decide the race — and they're the most spectacular.
- On TV, stages are won in the final two hours — but the scenery is worth watching from the start.
