Giro d'Italia 2012: Danish stages announced

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The opening stages of next year’s Giro d’Italia were presented today, with the 198 strong field set to compete in Denmark for the opening 3 days of racing. It marks the first time that the race has entered a Scandinavian country.

The start of the Giro on May 5, 2012, will take place in the city of Herning with a 8.7 kilometer individual time trial.

The first road stage starts from Herning and takes the peloton towards the west of the country, to the coast, and finishes in Herning after 206 kilometers. It could prove to a testing stage with windy conditions predicted along the coast and two small climbs.

The final stage on Danish soil starts and finishes in Horsen and comprises of 190 kilometers that run along Horsens Fjord and with a city-centre loop. Both road stages should however end in bunch sprints.

New Giro d’Italia race director Michele Acquarone praised the route and the team of organisers that helped bring the race to Denmark.

“From the very first day, we have experienced a great involvement and a high degree of professionalism on the Danish organisers’ part and, certainly, the route designed for the first three stages of the Giro d’Italia 2012 reflects this. I am very much looking forward to introducing the corsa rosa to the Danish population. Let me put it this way: the world’s toughest bike race in one of the world’s most beautiful countries meets the world’s happiest people”.

The Giro d’Italia will be the second major international cycling event on Danish shores in the space of twelve months after the country hosted the UCI Road World Championships last month. The event was seen as a success in terms of logistics and organisation and the CEO of Sport Event Denmark is hoping that the Giro d’Italia visit will be equally well received.

“Only a few days ago, Denmark staged a magnificent UCI Road World Championships event with thousands of enthusiastic spectators in Copenhagen and along the circuit in North Zealand. Thanks to the massive international media coverage by hosting events like that, and indeed also the coming Giro d’Italia 2012, we are able to come across with the message that we are a bike loving country and that we like to offer the Danish citizens great sports events on home ground,” said Lars Lundov.