Giro d’Italia 2023: the Grande Arrivo in Rome has been presented

The route of the final stage starting in the EUR district and finishing at Imperial Fora has been unveiled

The long love story between Rome and the Giro d’Italia began in the first edition, in 1909, when the Eternal City hosted the finish of stage four, on 20 May. In 2023, the Corsa Rosa will conclude in the capital for the fifth time in its history after 1911, 1950, 2009 and 2018. For the 49th time Rome will also be hosting a stage finish.

The presentation at the Campidoglio – the City Hall – was attended by the Mayor of Rome, Roberto Gualtieri; the President of RCS Mediagroup, Urbano Cairo; the Councillor for Major Events, Sport and Tourism of Rome, Alessandro Onorato; the Managing Director of RCS Sport, Paolo Bellino; the President of the National Olympic Committee of Italy (CONI), Giovanni Malagò; the Director of the Giro d’Italia, Mauro Vegni; the President of the Italian Cycling Federation, Cordiano Dagnoni; the Italian Director of the Enel Group, Nicola Lanzetta; the Director of the Gazzetta dello Sport, Stefano Barigelli; the vicedirector of the Gazzetta dello Sport, Pier Bergonzi, and Giuseppe Saronni, double Giro d’Italia winner (in 1979 and 1983), as well as many other institutions, media representatives and partners of the Corsa Rosa.

The route of the final stage

The start is set in the EUR district in front of the Palazzo della Civiltà Italiana (also known as the Square Colosseum). The entire first part of the route runs back and forth along the Via Cristoforo Colombo, all the way to the Fountain of the Zodiac (Lido di Ostia) and back to the centre. Past the Ardeatine Walls, the peloton will enter the 17.6 km circuit to be repeated 5 times.

The circuit touches many of Rome’s landmarks. The race will pass by the Colosseum, the Imperial Fora, the Lungo Tevere, Ara Pacis, Villa Borghese, Castel Sant’Angelo, the Circus Maximus and the Baths of Caracalla. Other places will be Piazza Navona, Piazza del Popolo and the Tiber Island. It is especially worth mentioning that, past the Castel Sant’Angelo,the route will be running down the Via della Conciliazione, and the peloton will be met with the sight of the majestic St Peter’s Basilica.

From a cycling perspective, the circuit presents only a few technical impediments. The sections paved with the iconic “sanpietrini” cobblestones are reduced to a minimum and are in good condition. The passage by the Villa Borghese features a short and possibly tricky climb. Most of the roads are wide and well paved. There are no particularly challenging sections.

Final kilometres

The last kilometres are essentially flat on wide and straight roads with sweeping bends in the last three kilometres. The home straight is 700 m long, 8 m wide, climbing only slightly on “sanpietrini” paving stones.

Quotes

Roberto Gualtieri, Mayor of Rome: “The Grande Arrivo in Rome will be memorable. For us it is a great joy, a commitment and an honour. We have believed in this from the very beginning and we are working on an event that is not only sporting, but is part of the history of the country. Having the final stage in Rome is something we also want for the coming years, we believe it will give a lot to the Giro, to Rome, and to Italy. Hosting this stage is part of a bigger picture, that is bringing the great sporting events back to Rome, we believe in it a lot. We hope it will help us as a showcase for Expo 2030”.

Urbano Cairo, President of RCS MediaGroup: “Returning to Rome as the finale of the Giro d’Italia has always a very special appeal. The Eternal City is inextricably linked with the Corsa Rosa. In the first edition in 1909 Rome hosted the finish of the fourth stage and, for the 49th time, it will be the site of a stage finish. For the fifth time Rome will be the home of the Grande Arrivo. Iam certain that 28 May will be a day of great celebration for both Rome and the Giro in a scenario that is unique in the world”.

Alessandro Onorato, Councillor for Major Events, Sport and Tourism of the Municipality of Rome: “With the arrival of the Giro d’Italia, Rome confirms itself as the capital of international sport. Bringing it back to our city was not easy after what happened back in 2018. It will guarantee great economic and tourist benefits, a modern image to the over 800 million television viewers from all over the world. This is why the route will not only enhance our extraordinary historical and monumental heritage, but also Ostia, the Castel Fusano pine forest, the EUR district and the congress area in which we are investing heavily. We will involve the Roman citizens, fans and supporters in a great popular festival, generating initiatives and a large village in Piazza del Popolo. It will finally be an opportunity to promote cycling in our city”.

Paolo Bellino, Managing Director of RCS Sport: “We have met in the friends of Roma Capitale an exceptional partner who has shared with enthusiasm and ideas the whole strategy of the Grande Arrivo here in the capital. We are planning a revolutionary weekend with many side events that will involve Rome already starting from the day before the stage. It will be a huge organisational effort for us because, after the 27 May stage in Friuli Venezia Giulia, we will move the entire Carovana Rosa between Saturday evening and Sunday morning. We are confident that this collaboration, which has started in a great way, will end on 28 May with a party for both for the Giro d’Italia and for Rome”.

Giovanni Malagò, President of the National Olympic Committee of Italy, CONI: “Everyone knows this scenery that the world envies us. It is a gigantic spot for the city, perhaps the best of all, and it is wonderful that the Giro adds value to all this. Italian sport needs investment and these big events encourage it”.

Mauro Vegni, Director of the Giro d’Italia: “The Grande Arrivo in Rome represents a wonderful showcase for the Giro d’Italia. It will be broadcasted in more than 200 countries in the world, a number that highlights more and more the international profile of the Corsa Rosa that will end in the city symbol of our country. We thought of a route that, in addition to touching all the historical and iconic landmarks of the city, will also show other areas less known to the international public such as the EUR district, where there will be the start, and the Lido di Ostia. From there we will enter the circuit that will enhance the beauty of Rome before the finish at the Fori Imperiali, with the Colosseum in the background”.

Cordiano Dagnoni, President of the Italian Cycling Federation, Federciclismo: “The Giro d’Italia showcase is very important for the activities and for the promotion of youth cycling. Rome has immense potential that it struggles to express for a number of reasons. The synergy between the municipality and RCS Sport is fundamental because this event will bring great benefits. The Federation is grateful to RCS Sport and the local administrations for the promotional activity they do. The children of today must grow and become passionate about becoming the champions of tomorrow, we will work together with a view to making everything grow”.

Giuseppe Saronni, winner of the 1979 and 1983 Giro d’Italia: “Those who arrive with the Maglia Rosa on the final stage, as well as having achieved a major goal, will remember it for many years through photos and videos. One of the regrets of my career, in which I achieved so many victories in different regions of Italy, is that I don’t have any photos with Rome in the background. Surely this year I will take one at the finish on 28 May. Winning the Giro d’Italia is important, but so are the context and the setting in which you do it”.

Nicola Lanzetta, Director of Italy at Enel Group: “The final stage in Rome, where the Enel Group is headquartered, strengthens the link that unites us to the Giro d’Italia and the Maglia Rosa, and allows us to share the essential values of sustainability, closeness to local communities and enhancement of the territories also in the Eternal City. On the occasion of the 100th day before the start of the Giro, together with the municipal administration, we took part in an initiative that excited tourists and residents alike: the Trevi Fountain, one of Rome’s symbolic monuments, was lit up in pink and will be so again from 26 to 28 May on the occasion of the Grande Arrivo, a unique opportunity to showcase the beauty of every corner of Rome. As Enel we are proud to be part of this moment of enhancement of the city and sustainable sport”.