The 2024 Giro d’Italia Women will start with a 14.6km time trial around Brescia and end with two consecutive mountain stages in the southern Apennines, first at the summit of the Blockhaus and then to the town of L’Aquila via more climbs in the Abruzzo region.
The race will feature eight stages between July 7-14 with a mountaintop finish at Blockhaus on the penultimate day, a stage which also features the Passo Lanciano on its 123km route.
Stage 1: Brescia-Brescia (ITT), 14.6km
Stage 1 sees the riders tackle a 14.6km time trial in Brescia, Lombardy, opening up the overall classification on the first stage.
The route is relatively flat and will favour the pure time trialists, even more important with the event's first leader's jersey on the line.
There are several time triallists who standout stage 1 favourites, including Lotte Kopecky (SD Worx-Protime) and Elisa Longo Borghini (Lidl-Trek).
Stage 2: Sirmione-Volta Mantovana, 102km
The Giro d'Italia Women heads southeast to a circuit finish in Volta Mantovana for a likely sprint on the 102km stage 2.
The stage includes an intermediate sprint in Medole, and two category 4 climbs over Cavriana, before a run-in to Volta Mantovana.
This stage will suit riders like Ruby Roseman-Gannon Liv AlUla Jayco, Lotte Koepcky and Chiara Consonni.
Stage 3
The third day offers a steady uphill finish in Toano, ending a largely flat 111km run from Sabbioneta.
There is an intermediate sprint in Albinea before the peloton tackles the final ascent.
The final climb is classified as category 2 but is 10km long, and this will be the first decisive stage of the race.
This could be a day for a breakaway or watch a selection form on the final ascent to Toano.
Stage 4
Stage 4 brings riders to another uphill finish as the peloton races 133km towards the Adriatic coast and a testing final 50km.
Starting in Imola the race follows a relatively flat route until the final half of the race toward Urbino. The peloton will race through one intermediate sprint in Savignano sul Rubicone.
The stage then climbs into the hills in the final 50km over San Marino, Monte Osteriaccia and then a final climb to the finish in Urbino.
The stage will surely shake up the overall classification.
Stage 5
Stage 5 to Foligno is perhaps the final chance for the sprinters, a 111km day in the saddle.
The race starts in Frontone and follows an undulating route into Foligno. There is an opening ascent over Morello and then an intermediate sprint at Sigillo before the peloton heads toward Foligno.
This will be the last day for the sprinters, as the race then heads into the high mountains.
Stage 6
It won't be the toughest route of this eight-day race, but it is another hilly test and another chance for a GC shakeup with 10 climbs packing the 155km route from San Benedetto del Tronto and Chieti.
The peloton will race through an intermediate sprint at Teramo and then begin the categorised ascents at Cermignano and another in Penne before the final climb to Chieti.
This stage would suit those riders who are strong climbers but who may not be able to stay with the front group on Blockhaus later in the stage race, as it could be their last opportunity to take time in the overall classification ahead of the bigger mountains.
Stage 7
Stage 7 is, of course, the queen stage to the 1,680m-high Blockhaus, with the day likely to be the big GC decider at the new-look Grand Tour.
The peloton will tackle a hilly route through the first intermediate sprint at Manoppello before the first major ascent over Passo Lanciano - a climb that just cuts off the final few kilometres of the Blockhaus.
They will then race up the full ascent of Blockhaus. At 17.7km in length with an average gradient of 7.8%, this is a tough mountain, and the double effort will make it even harder and more spectacular.
Stage 8
The race concludes with a final stage from Pescara on the coast to L'Aquila in Abruzzo over 109km, with more climbing in the Apennines along the way.
The route offers an intermediate sprint at Catignano and then two ascents over Forca di Penne and Castel del Monte before a descent into L'Aquila where the overall champion of the 2024 Giro d'Italia Women will be crowned.
