Women’s Giro Rosa confirmed for 2013

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The women’s Giro d’Italia has been confirmed for 2013, with organiser Giuseppe Rivolta announcing that the race will be known as the Giro Rosa and be held over eight days from June 30 to July 7.

Rivolta was the organiser of several previous editions of the race and race director for the last three years. He has created a new company to run the event and has been awarded the rights to run the race for the next four years by the Italian Cycling Federation.

The race has traditionally be ten days long but has been reduced to eight days for 2013 due to a clash with the Mediterranean Games, which will see national teams in action. Rivolta has said the Giro Rosa will start in Puglia, in the south of Italy, and end in Lombardy.

“I am excited to start this adventure. I would like to thank the Italian Cycling Federation for supporting our team a lot. This year we are working to develop the event, which remains the most important stage race in women's cycling all over the world,” Rivolta said in a press release.

“I'm finalising the last route details, but I can reveal that Giro Rosa will go from the south to the north of Italy and will cross eight regions in eight days. My staff and I will do our best so that the Giro Rosa 2013 will not disappoint people’s expectations.”

Marianne Vos won last year’s race, when it was known as the Giro Donne, ahead of Emma Pooley and Evelyn Stevens.

Final race details and the teams invited to race are expected to be announced in the next few days.