Giro d'Italia 2022 - Stage 1 preview
May 6, 2022 - Budapest to Visegrád, 195km
Stage 1: Budapest to Visegrád
Date: May 6, 2022
Distance: 195km
Race times: 12:20-17:15 (CEST)
Stage type: Flat
The Grande Partenza of the 105th Giro d’Italia takes place in Hungary. Originally scheduled to host the stages in 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic stymied the first-ever Eastern European start to a Grand Tour, but two years later, the dream has finally become a reality for Hungarian cycling fans.
Beginning in the capital Budapest, the first stage is a mostly flat affair. It heads south from Budapest and then west towards the first intermediate sprint in Székesfehérvár, a former trade hub in central Hungary. The peloton will then swing north, and spend close to 100km traversing flat, mostly agricultural land, heading up to the northernmost point of the stage, Esztergom, on the border with Slovakia. Here sees the day’s second chance for the points jersey contenders to sprint for the maglia ciclamino.
A short ride west remains toward Visegrád, a stunning town on the picturesque Danube Bend. The run-in to the finish line will invite the first fireworks of 2022’s first Grand Tour. While listed as a flat stage, the short, steep fourth-category climb to the castle of Visegrád means the pure sprinters may be denied. Instead, the choice to delay the prologue-style time trial until stage 2 offers a priceless opportunity for the puncheurs to go to work in the battle to become the first wearer of the maglia rosa.
The likes of Mathieu van der Poel (Alpecin-Fenix), Tom Pidcock (Ineos Grenadiers) and Biniam Girmay (Intermarché-Wanty-Gobert Matériaux) look like strong candidates for this honour, though there’s no doubt that the stage was designed with hometown boy Attila Valter in mind. The Groupama-FDJ rider featured prominently in the early stages of last year’s Giro, making a name for himself by defending the pink jersey with honour and passion, and he will rightly be the centre of attention as his nation plays host for the first time in the Giro’s history.

Thank you for reading 5 articles in the past 30 days*
Join now for unlimited access
Enjoy your first month for just £1 / $1 / €1
*Read any 5 articles for free in each 30-day period, this automatically resets
After your trial you will be billed £4.99 $7.99 €5.99 per month, cancel anytime. Or sign up for one year for just £49 $79 €59

Join now for unlimited access
Try your first month for just £1 / $1 / €1
Get The Leadout Newsletter
The latest race content, interviews, features, reviews and expert buying guides, direct to your inbox!
Katy is a freelance writer and journalist. She has published interviews, features, and previews in Cycling News, Rouleur, Cyclist Magazine and the British Continental. She also writes opinion pieces on her own website writebikerepeat.com and is a frequent contributor to the Quicklink podcast.
She is obsessed with the narrative element of bike racing, from the bigger picture to the individual stories. She is a cyclocross nut who is 5% Belgian and wonders if this entitles her to citizenship. Her favourite races are Ronde van Vlaanderen and La Vuelta.
In her spare time Katy is a published short fiction and non-fiction author.
The latest race content, interviews, features, reviews and expert buying guides, direct to your inbox!
Thank you for signing up to The Pick. You will receive a verification email shortly.
There was a problem. Please refresh the page and try again.
Latest on Cyclingnews
-
Safety, minimum salaries top concerns from The Cyclists' Alliance 2023 survey
'The wage gap between the World Tour and Continental riders continues to widen,' TCA notes in final annual report -
Will rumoured Visma-Soudal merger facilitate Evenepoel transfer to Ineos?
Super team creation would have 'catastrophic consequences' says Philippe Gilbert -
Chris Froome goes viral with Bentley ASMR parody video
Four-time Tour de France winner shows his humorous side before end of season racing -
Naesen, Bouchard, Warbasse among 'glue of the team' renewed at AG2R Citroën
Giro stage winner Vendrame and U23 rider Lapeira extended for two years