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The 2024 Giro d'Italia is the 107th iteration of the Giro d'Italia, a three-week-long cycling stage race part of the prestigious Grand Tour.
The race is scheduled to start on 4 May in Venaria Reale and conclude on 26 May in Rome. There are two individual time trial stages and four stages longer than 200 kilometres.
The Giro, which spans three weeks and includes 21 separate stage races and two days of rest, showcases the top riders in the world competing for the highly coveted pink winner's shirt, and today, we are taking an early look at the prestigious event and the competition's favourites.
Giro d'Italia 2024 Event Information
- Start Location: Turin, Italy
- End Location: Rome, Italy
- Distance: 3,321 kilometres
- Date: May 4 – 26, 2024
- 2023 Winner: Primoz Roglic
Giro d'Italia 2023 Re-Cap
Last year, the Giro stayed in Italy for the Grande Partenza, and the first individual time trial took place at Fossacesia. In the past, the Giro, like the other two Grand Tours, has begun in nations such as Belgium and Hungary. For the second year in a row, the 2024 race will begin in Turin, Italy's Venaria Reale, and end in the same city, 136 km later, in Torino.
After Geraint Thomas of Ineos Grenadiers lost the pink jersey on the last stage—an individual mountain time trial that concluded atop Monte Lussari—Primoz Roglic of Jumbo-Visma won the 2023 edition. His return to defend his championship in 2024 is still up in the air.
Giro d'Italia History
The Giro d'Italia will celebrate its 107th edition this year, after its inception in 1909. Originally established by a regional newspaper named La Gazzetta dello Sport, the organisation is now managed by RCS Sport, a subsidiary of RCS Mediagroup, which also owns the newspaper. Renowned for its formidable reputation, this race is considered one of the most challenging in the world. Its rugged, diverse, and breathtaking courses set it apart from other prestigious Grand Tours.
The Giro's recognition is such that both overall triumphs and stage wins frequently serve as pivotal events in a rider's career. Throughout its existence, the Giro has seen a mere 22 riders emerge as multiple winners of the race, and achieving consecutive victories in the Giro is a rare feat.
Giro d'Italia 2024 Betting Favourites
Primoz Roglic, representing Jumbo-Visma, triumphed as the overall champion of the 2023 Giro d'Italia. Nevertheless, he will unlikely retain his title since he will devote his attention to the Tour de France.
With a recently revamped and well-proportioned 2024 course, RCS Sport has enticed several prominent figures and top competitors, including Tadej Pogacar.
Pogacar has won the Tour de France twice and secured second place on two occasions. He has also had a podium finish in the Vuelta a Espana. Although he has not yet competed in the Giro d'Italia, he will debut in May 2024, with boosted odds from many popular online sports betting sites.
Pogacar expressed his primary objectives for 2024 as reclaiming the Tour de France championship, pursuing a gold medal at the Paris Olympic Games, and competing in the UCI World Championships. Since Marco Pantini's victory in both races 1998, no cyclist has accomplished the Giro-Tour de France double. Despite the demanding schedule necessary to do this, there is a widespread belief in his capability to do it.
Unsurprisingly, Pogacar is the Giro d'Italia frontrunner by a landslide.
Top 10 Giro d'Italia Betting Favourites:
Tadej Pogacar [4/11]
Geraint Thomas [5/1]
Ben O'Connor [18/1]
Thymen Arensman [20/1]
Cian Uijtdebroeks [25/1]
Damiano Caruso [25/1]
Daniel Martinez [28/1]
Nairo Quintana [40/1]
Romain Bardet [40/1]
Wilco Kelderman [50/1]
The Giro d'Italia 2024 Route
The 2024 edition of La Corsa Rosa will be the briefest since 1979, as the organisers seem to encourage aggressive racing by designing stages that average roughly 175km to 200km over three weeks. Several stages begin with uphill starts, creating favourable conditions for a breakaway to establish itself. Additionally, mountain stages are strategically placed throughout the race, promising an intriguing competition for the general classification.
In the 2024 Giro d'Italia, the peloton will face six summit finishes in demanding stages in the Dolomites, Alps, and Apennines. The race will reach its climax with the final double climb and descent of the Monte Grappa.
Stage 16 of the route has the Cima Coppi, which is the Stelvio Pass located at an elevation of 2,758 metres. The pass is situated in the middle of the stage.
