A long pink thread will stretch from Friuli-Venezia Giulia across countless corners of Italy before returning to the region just ahead of the Grand Finale in Rome. The Giro d’Italia 2027 will have a distinctly Friulian soul, with no fewer than four stages passing through the region, making it one of the driving forces behind this edition of the Corsa Rosa.
Hosting the opening stage alone will put Friuli-Venezia Giulia firmly in the international spotlight. And it will be the region’s magnificent showcase city, Trieste, that sets the 110th edition in motion, hosting both the start and finish of Stage 1. This is just the second time in Giro history that Friuli-Venezia Giulia has hosted the Grande Partenza. The first was in 1981, when Trieste staged a 6.6 km prologue time trial that saw Norway’s Knut Knudsen claim the first Maglia Rosa. The last time the Giro visited Trieste, however, the city played the opposite role, hosting the race’s final stage. That was in 2014, when Slovenia’s Luka Mezgec sprinted to victory. Watching from the roadside that day was a 15-year-old Tadej Pogačar, who admitted many years later that he had been there to cheer on his compatriot.
The Trieste–Trieste stage will be far from straightforward. After a brief excursion into Slovenia, the finale will feature particularly undulating terrain, and with the first Maglia Rosa awaiting the winner, tension in the peloton is bound to be high. The final 30 km include the Valico di Prebenico and the Cattinara climb, both ideal launchpads for attacks aimed at putting the sprinters under pressure.
The following day, the peloton will head to Slovenia for a stage held entirely across the border, before returning to Friuli-Venezia Giulia for the start of Stage 3. From Cervignano del Friuli, the race will head into Veneto, finishing in Possagno. For Cervignano, this will mark a historic first appearance as a Giro d’Italia stage host.
Two more FVG stages before the Gran Finale
But the story of Friuli-Venezia Giulia and the Giro 2027 does not end there. After 16 stages and countless battles, Stage 19 will start in Rovereto (Trentino) and finish in Sacile, the so-called “Gateway to Friuli”. The town on the banks of the River Livenza was already decked out in pink in 2021, when it hosted the start of the stage ending in Cortina, memorably won by Egan Bernal while wearing the Maglia Rosa. This time, however, spectators may well be treated to a bunch sprint.
And then comes the tappone, the Giro’s great mountain stage. Because Friuli-Venezia Giulia is not just about sea and beautiful cities: it is also a land of formidable mountains. Stage 20 will take the riders from Pordenone to Monte Zoncolan, providing the final showdown between the general classification contenders. The final climb needs little introduction. Universally regarded as one of the most brutal ascents in professional cycling, it stretches for 10.1 km at an average gradient of 11.9%, offering virtually no opportunity to catch one’s breath.
Despite its relatively recent introduction to professional cycling, having first featured in the Giro in 2003, the Zoncolan quickly achieved iconic status thanks to its savage gradients, spectacular scenery and the walls of spectators lining the roadside. This time, it will also provide the final competitive act before the ceremonial finale in Rome, making the prospect of an unforgettable spectacle even greater.
