Tour of Italy, 2009: Unique route unveiled for centennial edition

December 13, 8:26 PMCycling ExaminerJames Raia

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Alberto Contador celebrates 2008 Giro win.

The 2009 Giro d’Italia will celebrate its centennial with a unique route that will visit four countries, feature a long, midrace individual time trial, six mountaintop finishes and concluded outside Milan for the first time in 20 years.

Race organizers unveiled the 2009 route Saturday.

Beginning May 9 in Venice, the 3395.5-kilometre (2,109.6 mile) journey will progress into Austria, Switzerland and France before finishing in Rome on May 31. The Rome finish will mark the race’s first overall finish outside Milan since Laurent Fignon of France claimed the overall title in 1989.

Teams’ official entries are pending, but it’s a safe bet seven-time Tour de France winner Lance Armstrong will be a key player for Team Astana. It will mark Armstrong’s grand tour debut in his 2009 season comeback following three seasons in retirement.

While current Tour of Italy titlist Alberto Contador (also of Astana) focuses on the 2009 Tour de France, Armstrong will be the spotlight entrant in a expected strong field.

Italians Ivan Basso, Damiano Cunego, Danilo Di Luca and Gilberto Simoni have also said they’ll compete in the 2009 Tour of Italy.  And reigning Tour de France titlist Carlos Sastre of Spain has also committed to the race that’s expected to include Denis Menchov and Marzio Bruseghin

The Tour of Italy  will begin with a 20.5km team time, finish with a 15.3km individual time trial and feature a mid-race 61.7-kilometre individual time trial, the longest in the race in 13 years.

Stages of the 2009 Tour of Italy

May 9: Venice Lido (team time trial, 20.5km)
May 10: Jesolo to Trieste (156km)
May 11: Grado to Valdobbiadene (200km)
May 12: Padova to San Martino di Castrozza (165km)
May 13: San Martino di Castrozza to Alpe di Siusi (125km)
May 14: Bressanone to Brixen Mayrhofen (Austria) (242km)
May 15: Innsbruck (Austria) to Chiavenna (244km)
May 16: Morbegno to Bergamo (208km)
May 17: Milan-Milan Milano Show (100km)
May 18 - Rest day
May 19: Cuneo to Pinerolo (250km)
May 20: Turin v Arenzano (206km)
May 21: Sestri Levante to Riomaggiore (individual time-trial, 61.7km)
May 22: Lido di Camaiore to Florence (150km)
May 23: Campi Bisenzio to Bologna-San Luca (174km)
May 24: Forli to Faenza (159km)
May 25: Pergola to Monte Petrano-Cagli (237km)
May 26 - Rest day
May 27: Chieti to Blockhaus (79km)
May 28: Sulmona to Benevento (181km)
May 29: Avellino to Vesuvius (164km)
May 30: Naples to Anagni (203km)
May 31: Rome to Rome (individual time trial, 15.3km)

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