This year, the 108th edition of the Giro d’Italia will start from Albania, which will host the Grande Partenza (grand depart) of the Corsa Rosa for the first time in its history.
The first cycling grand tour of 2025 will kick off on Friday, May 9th, with a ‘medium-mountain stage’ starting in Durrës and finishing in Tiranë, featuring a total of 1,800m of elevation gain over 164 km.
On Saturday, May 10, the streets of the Albanian capital will host a 13.7-km individual time trial, an important test for the ambitions of the GC riders. The trio of stages on Albanian soil will conclude with another medium-mountain stage starting and finishing in Vlorë, covering 160 km and over 2,700m of elevation gain.
The Corsa Rosa, whose final route will be unveiled in Rome on January 13, 2025, will then resume from Puglia in southern Italy on May 13th.
Giro d’Italia, international Grande Partenza over the years:
1965 San Marino (San Marino)
1966 Monte Carlo (Monaco)
1973 Verviers (Belgium)
1974 Vatican City
1996 Athens (Greece)
1998 Nice (France)
2002 Groningen (Netherlands)
2006 Seraing (Belgium)
2010 Amsterdam (Netherlands)
2012 Herning (Denmark)
2014 Belfast (Northern Ireland)
2016 Apeldoorn (Netherlands)
2018 Jerusalem (Israel)
2022 Budapest (Hungary)
Edi Rama, Prime Minister of Albania, said “This is a significant moment in the world of sports and we are privileged to share with all of you. This is an exceptional opportunity to showcase our beautiful country to 800 million viewers all around the world.
“I am truly delighted that for three days, in Tirana, Durrës, and Vlorë, we will host so many champions who will be our guests, and who will be talked about all over the world, along with Albania. We are going to host an event that is not just a sports event but a great popular celebration where everyone gets involved. For us, this is the first time, and I hope not the last.”
Paolo Bellino, Managing Director and General Manager of RCS Sports & Events, added “In the long history of the Giro d’Italia, this will be the fifteenth start from abroad – a source of pride as it celebrates the international scope of the Corsa Rosa and marks an important step in solidifying the Giro’s position as a global event capable of embracing different cultures and territories.
“This choice allows us to promote cycling in a nation with which we share strong historical, sporting, and cultural ties. Moreover, thanks to the global attention that an event like ours can attract, the Grande Partenza will be an opportunity to showcase a region that is growing and full of potential.
“We are thrilled to take the Giro across the Adriatic, further reinforcing its message of internationality, and we are confident that this start will remain etched in the memories of everyone—from the riders to the fans.”
