A painted child's bike sits outside a shop front(Image credit: Giro d'Italia)
The Alghero airport welcomes the Giro(Image credit: Jonathan Devich/epicimages.us)
You can pretend to be a Giro winner at the Alghero airport(Image credit: Jonathan Devich/epicimages.us)
The Trofeao Senza Fina is on display at the Alghero airport before the racing gets underway Friday(Image credit: Jonathan Devich/epicimages.us)
'Arrivo'(Image credit: Jonathan Devich/epicimages.us)
Sadly the water remains blue in Alghero but it still could be coloured pink for stage 1(Image credit: Jonathan Devich/epicimages.us)
Even the dogs of Alghero are excited for the Giro d'Italia(Image credit: Jonathan Devich/epicimages.us)
Sardinia will welcome the Giro d'Italia on May 5(Image credit: Giro d'Italia)
A sea of pink in Sardinia(Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
Plenty of locals are getting involved(Image credit: Giro d'Italia)
No pink bikes here, but a pink background(Image credit: Giro d'Italia)
You can admire the pink bike and plan your next holiday destination at the same time(Image credit: Giro d'Italia)
Stand still long enough and you might be painted pink yourself(Image credit: Giro d'Italia)
The first stage will start on the sea front(Image credit: Giro d'Italia)
The 2017 Giro d'Italia will be the 100th edition of the race(Image credit: Giro d'Italia)
Good weather is expected for the opening weekend(Image credit: Giro d'Italia)
Boats line the harbour side(Image credit: Giro d'Italia)
Local shops getting into the Giro spirit(Image credit: Giro d'Italia)
The countdown is almost over(Image credit: Giro d'Italia)
A big pink bike(Image credit: Giro d'Italia)
2017 will be the third time the Giro d'Italia has visited Sardinia(Image credit: Giro d'Italia)
The streets are lined with pink(Image credit: Giro d'Italia)
A digital board counting down the days hangs outside a building in Alghero(Image credit: Giro d'Italia)
The start of the Giro d'Italia 2017 is just two days away, with riders set to roll out of Alghero on Friday, May 5. You'd be hard-pressed not to notice the arrival of Italy's biggest race as the streets of Alghero have been turned pink with locals and shops all getting in on the act.
Riders and teams have already descended on Sardinia and are making their final preparations ahead of the race. Press conferences are also under way with Vincenzo Nibali the first to face the press on Wednesday afternoon. The defending champion unveiled his new-look bike for the Giro d'Italia and a jersey to go with it.
Fabio Aru, who is from Sardinia, was meant to be riding the Giro d'Italia as the leader of the Astana team but a knee injury prevented him from riding. With the race also set to honour his late teammate Michele Scarponi, the Italian will be making an appearance at the team presentation on Thursday evening. Aru will also be there on Friday to drop the flag and start the 100th edition of the Giro d'Italia.
