In 2027, the Giro d’Italia will be the first grand tour on the women’s cycling calendar. In recent seasons, that honour has belonged to La Vuelta Femenina, which is moving to October. At the end of May, the women’s peloton will line up for the 38th edition of the Giro, which will start in Viareggio.  

“This route is tailor-made for the pure climbers,” Tijssen says. “During the opening stages, many riders will have a chance to dream of winning a stage and wearing the pink jersey. Initially, there will be relatively few opportunities for the general classification contenders. The race will not head into the mountains until stage four. The uphill finish at Passo della Presolana will immediately reveal how the teams and riders measure up against one another. That will be the first real test.”  

Following a transitional stage on day five, another tough challenge awaits in stage six. With the ascent of Passo San Marco, the peloton will reach the highest point of the Giro that day. Eighty kilometres later, the finish line awaits in Valle Spluga, following a long climb.  

The penultimate day features an individual uphill time trial over eleven kilometres. The decisive moment will come close to the Italian-French border. After the demanding final stage between Saint-Pierre and Courmayeur, we will know who will be crowned the overall winner of the Giro.  

“The main challenges are clearly concentrated in the second half of the Giro. Just like in the previous edition, the race features an individual uphill time trial. Femke de Vries made a strong impression in that event last year. For us, the key will be to start the final weekend from a strong position. This year, Femke finished sixth in the general classification. Next season, we would like to build on that performance,” Tijssen concludes.