Giro d'Italia Donne 2021

Pulse Media Group (PMG Sport) are officially the new organisers of the Giro d’Italia Internazionale Femminile - now called Giro d'Italia Donne - a 10-day race scheduled to take place from July 2-11 across northern Italy. 

The event was downgraded to the 2.Pro Series for not providing required live television last year but aim to be back on the Women’s WorldTour in 2022.

PMG Sport have listed 24 invited teams, including all nine WorldTeams, the host regions and start-finish cities across northern Italy, and a promotional video announcing an intent to provide live television broadcast in 2021.

Organisers have not announced the full route details or major mountain passes, however, this year’s race will travel through the northern regions of Piemonte, Lombardia, Liguria, Veneto, and Friuli Venezia Giulia. 

They have indicated the host start and finish cities, and the race will begin with a team time trial in Fossano to Cuneo on July 2, include a finish at Monte Matajur on the penultimate stage, and end in Cormons on July 11.

History

The Giro d’Italia Donne is a long-running women's race set to embark on its 32nd anniversary in July. From a historical context, it has been the biggest and most prestigious women's race in the world. 

The Giro d'Italia Donne is currently the only women's event that covers 10 days of racing and includes iconic mountain passes such as the Mortirolo, Stelvio, and Zoncolan. 

Some of the past winners include inaugural champion Maria Canins (Italy) in 1988, Catherine Marsal (France) in 1990, five-time winner Fabiana Luperini (Italy) from 1995-98 and 2008, two-time winner Joane Somarriba (Spain) in 1999 and 2000, three-time winner Nicole Brändli (Switzerland) in 2001, 2003 and 2005, Nicole Cooke (Great Britain) in 2004, and two-time winner Edita Pučinskaitė (Lithuania) in 2006 and 2007.

Americans Mara Abbott won in 2010 and 2013, and Megan Guariner won in 2016, then there was three-time winner Marianne Vos (Netherlands) in 2011, 2012 and 2014, two-time winner Annemiek van Vleuten (Netherlands) 2018 and 2019, and three-time winner and defending champion Anna van der Breggen (Netherlands) who was champion in 2015, 2017 and 2020.

The Route

• Stage 1: TTT Fossano - Cuneo, 26.7km
• Stage 2: Boves - Prato Nevoso, 100km
• Stage 3: Casale Monferrato - Ovada, 135km
• Stage 4: Formazza - Cascate del Toce ITT, 14 Km
• Stage 5: Milano - Carugate, 120km
• Stage 6: Colico - Colico, 155km
• Stage 7: Soprazzocco di Gavardo - Puegnago del Garda, 109.6km
• Stage 8: San Vendemiano - Mortegliano, 129.4km
• Stage 9: Tavagnacco - Matajur, 122.6km
• Stage 10: Capriva del Friuli - Cormons, 113km

24 Teams

The new ProSeries events are permitted to invite 15-24 teams to participate, and they are open to a minimum of four and a maximum of 10 Women’s WorldTeams, which is entirely at the organisers’ own discretion. 

• Ale BTC Ljubljana
• Canyon-Sram Racing
• FDJ Nouvelle-Aquitaine Futuroscope
• Liv Racing
• Movistar Team Women
• Team DSM
• Trek-Segafredo
• Team Bikeexchange
• Team SD Worx
• A.R. Monex Women’s Pro Cycling Team
• Arkea pro Cycling Team
• Bepink
• Aromitalia Basso Bike Vaiano
• Bizkaia-Durango
• Born to Win G20 Ambedo
• Ceratizit-WNT pro Cycling Team
• Isolmant-Premac-Vittoria
• Lotto Soudal Ladies
• Top Girls Fassa Bortolo
• Servetto-Makhymo-Beltrami TSA
• Team Tibco-Silicon Valley Bank
• Valcar Travel & Service
• Jumbo Visma Women Team
• Rally Cycling