Next Giro d'Italia to cross Slovenia
Nova Gorica, 20 November - The Giro d'Italia, one of the prestigious three-week-long cycling grand tours, will cross a part of Slovenia in 2021, the newspaper Primorski Dnevnik reports on-line. The finish line of one of the stages will be in Gorizia, while the cyclists will cross the Brda region and the town of Nova Gorica.
Verona, Italy
Giro d'Italia.
Photo: Anže Malovrh/STA
"One of the stages of the Italian circular race will definitely conclude in the centre of Gorizia," Rodolfo Ziberna, the mayor of the Italian town, was quoted as saying by Primorski Dnevnik.
He said talks on the route in the region had started three months ago. When exactly will cyclists cross the Friuli Venezia Giulia region could be revealed at the end of next week.
The Giro is usually held in May, sometimes continuing into early June; next year it is to be held from 8 to 30 May.
According to the newspaper, Ziberna asserted the race, which is held primarily in Italy but sometimes starts in or passes through other countries, will definitely cross Slovenia next year although talks on the exact route are still under way.
There are many options for the route, with the most realistic scenario being that cyclists will cross the Slovenian-Italian border near San Floriano del Collio (Števerjan in Slovenian) and pass through the village of Hum and cross Brda to reach Nova Gorica before returning to Italy through Europe Square.
According to the newspaper, the stage is meant to be "a homage to united Europe of sorts."