CyclistGiro dItalia 2024: Stage-by-stage preview and how to watchAfter the Tourmalet dominated 2023, 2024 will be the year of Italy in cycling, with the Tour de France starting with three stages in Tuscany, Emilia-Romagna and Piedmont just a month after the Giro dItalia, which starts with a visit to Turin (where Stage 3 of the Tour will finish).The GC action begins immediately in the Giro, with splits expected from day one before things settle down to keep the drama to the odd mountain stage before the real killers come out in the final week or so. Prati di Tivo, Forcola di Livigno and the Monte Grappa are the final week headliners, with the latter coming at the end of a week that begins with two tough days in the saddle, including an interesting inclusion of the Passo dello Stelvio as a breakaway-former.That Monte Grappa day isnt a summit finish but it is a double ascent, so say your prayers for the sprinters, as the likes of Tadej Pogaar will do his best to make that final challenge as punishing as possible. He might even force enough riders outside the time limit that he could go for the final stage sprint himself. Related Posts Opinion: Tadej Pogaar is the Greatest Of All Time Tour de France Femmes 2024 route announced ft. Alpe dHuez and a mini Monument The fascinating history of the maglia rosa Classic climb: Monte Grappa, scene of battles on the bike and bloodshed during two World Wars Mens Tour de France 2024 route announced: What will riders face on the road from Florence to Nice? Giro dItalia 2024: Key informationChris AuldDates: Saturday 4th May to Sunday 26th MayStart: Venaria Reale, ItalyFinish: Rome, ItalyTotal distance: 3,321.2kmTotal elevation gain: 42,900mUK television coverage: Eurosport, Discovery+Most wins: Fausto Coppi, Alfredo Binda, Eddy Merckx (five)2023 winner: Primo Rogli (Jumbo-Visma)Giro dItalia 2024 routeStarting in the northwest in Turin, this years route makes its way down Italys west and centre to Pompei, from where it then heads up the east coast to the Dolomites, capping the main racing off at Bassano del Grappa before flying back down to Rome for the final day.Although the 2024 Tour de France starts with three stages in Italy, the Giro has done well to not stick around in the areas of Tuscany and Emilia-Romagna that will be featuring heavily just a month after this race concludes in Rome, but Turin does get the double whammy of the Grande Partenza and a Stage 3 sprint at the Tour.Only a few of Italys iconic climbs feature, including the Superga and Colle Maddalena climbs on the opening stage that are often featured in Milano-Torino, the Passos dello Stelvio and Sella and the headline act for 2024, the Monte Grappa. Its certainly not a whos who of big names, but that doesnt mean its easy. Lets just pray for good weather.Giro dItalia 2024 route: stage by stageStage 1: Saturday 4th May, Venaria Reale Torino, 136kmBack when Milano-Torino was a race for climbers, the Superga was the key climb of the race with the Basilica on top of the hill providing an iconic backdrop to the Classic. The 2022 Giro featured the Superga-Maddalena pairing as part of a loop ridden twice, so this Grande Partenza should be a bit easier as although there is a circuit theres only a single ascent of each. That said, its an immediate opportunity for splits to form and it wont be for the sprinters. The first maglia rosa will go to the best sprinter from the group of climbers and puncheurs. So this is where Pogaar takes the jersey then.Stage 2: Sunday 5th May, San Francesco al Campo Santuario di Oropa, 150kmAfter a couple of kickers on day one, Stage 2 has the 2024 Giros first summit finish up to the Santuario di Oropa in the Biellesi Alps, where Tom Dumoulin won ahead of his GC rivals in 2017. Stage 3: Monday 6th May, Novara Fossani, 165kmFinally, Stage 3 is the first day for the sprinters, although it finishes with 1.8km uphill into Fossano that may create drama.Stage 4: Tuesday 7th May, Acqui Terme Andora, 187kmIf the days only climb is 100km from the finish, is there any climb at all? No is the answer, hence the organisers ranking this at the same difficulty as the previous day, although there is the uncategorised climb of Capo Mele, most often seen as one of Milan-San Remos Tre Capi. Coming just 2km from the finish, it could provoke an attack to drop tired sprinters.Stage 5: Wednesday 8th May, Genova Lucca, 176kmThe climbs on the day likely wont make much difference unless a team or two put the hammer down, although sprinters that can climb certainly benefit, which is pretty much all the top sprinters these days.Stage 6: Thursday 9th May, Viareggio Rapolano Terme, 177kmIts a gravel stage! There is a whopping 11.6km of strade bianche here as the race takes on Strade Bianches Vidritta and Bagnaia sectors as well as a new Pievina sector before an uphill finish to Rapolano Terme, just 20km from Siena.Stage 7: Friday 10th May, Foligno Perugio, 37.2km, ITTThe first of two individual time-trials at the race and its a nice big one at just under 40km with a climb up to the finish in Perugia to spice things up. Stage 8: 11th May, Spoleto Prati di Tivo, 153kmThe first proper mountain stage comes on Stage 8 in the Appenine mountains, with the summit finish at Prati di Tivo capping off the first weeks climbing and GC battle.Stage 9: Sunday 12th May, Avezzona Napoli, 206kmA sprint stage with a few little softeners finishes off week one in Napoli.Stage 10: Tuesday 14th May, Pompei Cusano Mutri, 141kmWeek two erupts with a nice little mountain stage finishing on the Bocca della Selva, which featured mid-stage in 2021 when Victor Lafay won from the breakaway.Stage 11: Wednesday 15th May, Foiano di Val Fortore Francavilla al Mare, 203kmIt should be a sprint, as the breakaway will have around 100km to hold on after the route flattens.Stage 12: Thursday 16th May, Martinsicuro Fano, 183kmThe ten climbs on Stage 12 arent all categorised, but they might be enough to destroy the chances of a bunch sprint.Stage 13: Friday 17th May, Riccione Cento, 179kmIts a Friday, so make plans, live your life, watch the highlights.Stage 14: Saturday 18th May, Castiglione delle Stiviere Desenzano del Garda, 31kmFear not this ones the second time-trial. And its one for the purists.Stage 15: Sunday 19th May, Manerba del Garda Livigno, 220kmOriginally scheduled to cross over to Switzerland for an 18km ascent of Forcola di Livigno, RCS announced a route change in March after Switzerlands Department of Infrastructure, Energy and Mobility declined to authorise the border crossing due to the costs involved.The change comes after the days second climb. Instead of heading into Switzerland, the peloton will take on the monstrous Mortirolo. From there its a long climb up the Passo di Foscagno before the steep kicker up the Mottolino, which stretches up to 18%.Stage 16: Tuesday 21st May, Livigno Santa Cristina Valgardena, 202kmAfter barely a climb for most of the second week, the final week hits the mighty Passo dello Stelvio only 33km in. However once over the summit theres over 100km before the next climb, so the Stelvio is more of a softener that a decider and itll come down to the final pair of climbs to find the days winner. With all that valley, itd be a shock if the breakaway makes it the whole way.Stage 17: Wednesday 22nd May, Selva di Val Gardena Passo del Brocon, 154kmA proper Dolomites day begins with the Passo Sella to help get a strong breakaway going before doing the Rolle, Gobbera and two goes up the Brocon, with the final 2km averaging 12%.Stage 18: Thursday 23rd May, Fuera du Primiero Padova, 166kmA gentle rest of the legs while the sprinters to do the business comes on Stage 18.Stage 19: Friday 24th May, Mortegliano Sappada, 154kmThe penultimate mountain stage isnt too crazy but does pack a punch, with both Category 2 climbs hiding steep sections.Stage 20: Saturday 25th May, Alpago Bassano del Grappa, 175kmThere are ten ways up the Monte Grappa, so the final mountain stage of the 2024 Giro goes up the same one twice before a descent to the finish at Bassano del Grappa, a big cycling industry hub. Expect a big party on the mountain and a nice procession into town for Pogaar.Stage 21: Saturday 26th May, Roma Roma, 126kmA processional stage with a circuit before a bunch sprint finishes off proceedings. Say goodbye to Italy for 34 days until the Tour begins, which goes straight into the Olympics, which goes straight into the Tour de France Femmes, which goes straight into the Vuelta. Giro dItalia 2024: How to watchStuart Franklin/Getty ImagesThe 2024 Giro dItalia will be available to watch in the UK on Eurosport andDiscovery+for 6.99 per month with the basic package, which includes cycling and all other Eurosport programmes.It will also be shown on the TV channel Eurosport 1 in the UK.It is being broadcast across 198 countries, but its not being shown in your country, you may be able to watch coverage using a VPN Virtual Private Network which allows users to mask their IP address and watch geo-blocked content, provided they dont need to pay for a subscription. This is also helpful for watching paid-for coverage while travelling abroad in countries without access. One such example isExpressVPN, which is verywell reviewed, helps users to find a way to watch cycling without having to pay for broadcasters services, and costs 5.36 per month, with three months free.Other options includeNordVPN,SurfsharkandKapersky.How to watch the Giro in EuropeIn Europe, Eurosport is the main broadcaster, including countries such as Belgium (plus VRT, RTBF, RTL and VTM), Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, Germany, Ireland, Luxembourg, Netherlands (plus NOS), Norway, Poland, Slovakia, Slovenia (plus Planet TV), Spain (plus EITB), Switzerland (plus SRG SSR) and the United Kingdom. In Wales, the Giro dItalia is being shown on S4C.How to watch the Giro in North and Central AmericaCanada: FloSportsDominican Republic: EurosportUSA: Max USA, BeIN SportHow to watch the Giro in South AmericaArgentina: + Claro, DirecTVBolivia: + Claro, DirecTVBrazil: + Claro, DirecTVChile: + Claro, DirecTVColombia: + Claro, DirecTV, Caracol TVEcuador: + Claro, DirecTVGuyana: DirecTV, EurosportParaguay: + Claro, DirecTVPeru: + Claro, DirecTVSuriname: + Claro, DirecTVThe Caribbean: DirecTVUraguay: + Claro, DirecTVVenezuela: + Claro, DirecTVHow to watch the Giro in AsiaIn Asia, the following countries can watch the Giro dItalia 2024 on Eurosport: Afghanistan, Armenia, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Cambodia, India, Indonesia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgystan, Malaysia, Maldives, Mongolia, Myanmar, Nepal, Pakistan, Philippines, Russia, Singapore, South Korea, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, Turkey. In China, the Giro dItalia 2024 is available on Zhibo.tv.How to watch the Giro in Oceania Australia: SBS, EurosportPapua New Guinea: EurosportHow to watch the Giro in AfricaIn Africa, the following countries can watch the Giro dItalia 2024 on Starzplay: Algeria, Djibouti, Egypt, Libya, Morocco (plus Eurosport) and Tunisia. Viewers in South Africa can watch on Supersport. Giro dItalia 2024: TV timesAll times subject to change by broadcasters.Stage 1: Saturday 4th MayDiscovery+: 12:35-16:45Eurosport: TBCStage 2: Sunday 5th MayDiscovery+: 11:30-16:45Eurosport: TBCStage 3: Monday 6th MayDiscovery+: 11:30-16:45Eurosport: TBCStage 4: Tuesday 7th MayDiscovery+: 11:00-16:45Eurosport: TBCStage 5: Wednesday 8th MayDiscovery+: 11:00-16:45Eurosport: TBCStage 6: Thursday 9th MayDiscovery+: 11:30-16:45Eurosport: TBCStage 7: Friday 10th MayDiscovery+: 11:30-16:45Eurosport: TBCStage 8: Saturday 11th MayDiscovery+: 11:00-16:45Eurosport: TBCStage 9: Sunday 12th MayDiscovery+: 10:30-16:45Eurosport: TBC Stage 10: Tuesday 14th MayDiscovery+: 11:55-16:45Eurosport: TBCStage 11: Wednesday 15th MayDiscovery+: 10:30 16:45Eurosport: TBCStage 12: Thursday 16th MayDiscovery+: 11:00-16:45Eurosport: TBCStage 13: Friday 17th MayDiscovery+: 11:30-16:45Eurosport: TBCStage 14: Saturday 18th MayDiscovery+: 11:45-16:45Eurosport: TBCStage 15: Sunday 19th MayDiscovery+: 08:45-16:45Eurosport: TBCStage 16: Tuesday 21st MayDiscovery+: TBCEurosport: TBCStage 17: Wednesday 22nd MayDiscovery+: TBCEurosport: TBCStage 18: Thursday 23rd MayDiscovery+: TBCEurosport: TBCStage 19: Friday 24th MayDiscovery+: TBCEurosport: TBCStage 20: Saturday 25th MayDiscovery+: TBCEurosport: TBCStage 21: Sunday 26th MayDiscovery+: TBCEurosport: TBCGiro dItalia 2024: Start listData powered by FirstCycling.comWant to ride in the tyre tracks of the pros? Check out our collection of Giro dItalia rides and climbs Related Posts Opinion: Tadej Pogaar is the Greatest Of All Time Tour de France Femmes 2024 route announced ft. Alpe dHuez and a mini Monument The fascinating history of the maglia rosa Classic climb: Monte Grappa, scene of battles on the bike and bloodshed during two World Wars Mens Tour de France 2024 route announced: What will riders face on the road from Florence to Nice? The post Giro dItalia 2024: Stage-by-stage preview and how to watch appeared first on Cyclist.