Cycling, the GIRO 2015 in Tuscany

On May 9th the Giro d'Italia 2015 starts in the Italian city of San Remo. This year the arrival of this cycling race will be in Milan, where at that time the World Exhibition Expo 2015 takes place.

If you have planned a trip to Tuscany in May, you can see the world's best cyclists from day 5, from Wednesday 13 May to Friday 15 May, when the Giro will be passing through Tuscany.

Carrara, marble quarries

On Wednesday 13 May the 5th stage starts in La Spezia in the south of the region Liguria for a climb of 152 km. After only 20 km the peloton will enter Tuscany and cross the area of Lunigiana along the town of Aulla. The ride continues in the direction of the Apuan Alps, a mountainous region which is known for its marble production. On the Carpinelli pass (839m) the first points of the day can be earned for the King of the Mountains classification.

Barga

After that the race continues downhill towards the Garfagnana area. The ride passes, among other places, through the medieval town of Barga, a town which belongs to the club of the Most Beautiful Towns in Italy and Tuscany (I Borghi più Belli d'Italia). The ride continues in the direction of Bagni di Lucca, and eventually it ends uphill again into the Tuscan Apennines in the province of Pistoia. The arrival is in Abetone, one of Tuscany's few ski resorts at 1.386 m. 

Castiglione della Pescaia

On Thursday 14 May the cycling circus starts in Montecatini Terme for a relatively flat ride towards the southern Tuscan Coast. The ride crosses the province of Pisa and passes through the town of Pomarance, where there will be some points to earn for the King of the Mountains classification in the hilly part just after Pomarance.  

After that the peloton enters the Maremma area, along the hilltop town of Massa Marittima, to eventually arrive in the beautiful seaside town of Castiglione della Pescaia in the province of Grosseto after  a ride of 181 km. 

Grosseto, Cathedral, Piazza Dante

Friday 15 May the departure of the 7th stage is in the city of Grosseto, again for a relatively flat but long ride, in the direction of the lagoon of Orbetello, leaving Tuscany in the South and moving on into the region of Lazio in the direction of Rome. The arrival, after 263 km, is in Fiuggi, just south of Rome.

From Fiuggi the Giro goes on for 16 more days throughout Italy. On Sunday 31 May 2015, we will know who will succeed the Colombian Nairo Quintana as the winner of the Giro d'Italia.

Holiday homes with swimming pool in Tuscany Maremma Grosseto