Yesterday the Giro d’Italia 2015 was presented. The 98th edition will start on Saturday 9th of May in San Lorenzo al Mare with a team time trial of 17.6 kilometres to Sanremo. Three weeks later, on Sunday 31st of May, it’s the last stage between Turin and Milan.

In the first week there are already two out of seven summit finishes, in Abetone on day five and in Campitello Matese on day eight. Before the first rest day there will possibly be the first three sprint opportunities out of a total of seven. It’s pretty sure the sprinters will be able to battle for the victory in the flat thirteenth stage to Jesolo and in the final stage.

The seventh stage is 263 kilometres long. Apart from that there are two more stages of over 200 kilometres: stage 9 (212 km) and stage 19 (236 km). Also the individual time trial, on Saturday 23rd of May, has a remarkable distance. Then the riders have to cover 59.2 kilometres. In that second week there are two summit finishes, in Vicenza and Madonna di Campiglio. Then the riders can enjoy the second rest day.

The final week promises to be hard with three summit finishes: Aprica, Cervini and Sestriere. After almost 3500 kilometres the riders will reach Milan on Sunday 31st of May. The last prizes will be handed out there. Sports director of Lotto-Belisol Bart Leysen gives his opinion about the route.

“The Giro starts with a team time trial that looks pretty spectacular with among other a passage in a long, old railway tunnel. It will be a very fast stage. The first stages that follow are relatively short. Depending on which team will take the lead on day one, the race will be determined for the next days; if there will be bunch sprints or not. In theory there are seven sprint stages, but in some of those escapees definitely have a chance to survive, DS Bart Leysen says.

“The seventh stage is 263 kilometres long. Luckily there’s only one of that kind, that’s less compared to other years. Stages of over 220 kilometres aren’t necessary to give spectacle. For the rest the first week is not too hard.”

“On day five there already is a summit finish, but the GC riders really have to start moving at the end of the first week. In that fifth stage a rider suited for the climb classics can have a go. The individual time trial is really long, but not as tough as the one of the previous edition to Barolo. There is a long and flat start. Considering the time trial is that long there is more risk for the GC contenders that something goes wrong. I expect the GC will be determined in the fifteenth, sixteenth, nineteenth and twentieth stage. The final week will be the hardest as usual,”