Giro d'Italia organizer RCS has announced that the 2014 edition of the Italian grand tour will finish with a flat stage in Trieste in the Northeastern part of the race. One day earlier, the race with return to the feared Monte Zoncolan after a two-year absence.

It has long been rumoured that the Monte Zoncolan will be back in the Giro d'Italia for the 2014 edition and today organizer RCS Sport confirmed that the steep climb will actually be back for the first time since 2011. A final showdown on its slopes is set for the penultimate day of racing and will bring the GC side of things to a dramatic close.

The 10,1km climb is known as one of the hardest in Europe and has an average gradient of 10,9%  and steep sections of more than 20%. It was first used in 2003 when Gilberto Simoni won the stage, climbing from the Sutrio side. In 2007, it was back, this time from the harder Ovaro side, and Simone repeated his win. In 2010, Ivan Basso laid the foundations for his overall win by triumphing on the steep slopes while the climb was most recently used in 2011 when Igor Anton rode away from Alberto Contador to take the victory.

Originally, the race had planned to climb the mountain twice during the same stage from two different sides but the idea was dropped due to logistical reasons. Instead, it will come at the end of a 167km stage that also includes the Passo del Pura and the Sella Razzo.

One day later, the race will come to its conclusion in Trieste which has been selected as the city of the grande arrivo. It coincides with the 60th anniversary of the city returning under Italian control after the second world war. The stage 169km includes 8 laps on a flat circuit and is expected to finish in a bunch sprint.

The complete route will be announced on October 7, one day after Il Lombardia. It is already known that the race will start in Belfast and stay in Ireland and Northern Ireland for three days. The route of the race, is expected to head north from Bari via Tuscany and Emilia Romagna, with a key time trial between Barbaresco to Barolo. A finish at the Santuario di Oropa will remember Marco Pantani ten years after his death. Il Pirata won in Oropa in 1999 despite dropping his chain at the foot of the climb.