2018 Giro d’Italia to make detour to Israel
NEXT year’s Giro d’Italia cycling classic features two individual time-trials, eight mountain finishes and eight stages for the sprinters in a balanced route that appears to suit four-time Tour de France champion Chris Froome, who will race in an attempt to win his third Grand Tour in a row.
Organisers unveiled the route of the 2018 Giro d’Italia in a televised ceremony in Milan this week.
The 101st edition of the race runs from May 4-17 and consists of 21 days of racing, totalling 3546.2km with 44,000 metres of vertical elevation.
In a controversial twist, it will also be the first Grand Tour to start outside Europe, with the opening three stages being held in Israel.
Organisers have been forced to navigate a tricky obstacle course, recognising political sensitivities.
The route will not go through any land considered occupied by the international community — meaning it will circumvent the West Bank and east Jerusalem, territories Israel captured in 1967 and claimed by the Palestinians as parts of a future independent state. The Giro will start with a 9.7km individual time trial in Jerusalem before two stages set to suit the sprinters — a 167km leg from Haifa to Tel Aviv and then 229km from Be’er Sheva to Eilat.
The race will then transfer to Italy, and the island of Sicily, on a rest day on May 7.