The Giro d'Italia is one of the most brutal cycling races on the planet... but now organisers are offering the chance for a select few to experience the epic route on e-road bikes, thanks to the new Giro E taking place alongside the main event.
The Giro E is described as an amateur cycling experience for ten teams of six riders each who will race on e-road bikes on the same roads as the 2019 Giro d'Italia, excluding the three time trials and with a maximum stage length of 115km on each day. it began on the 12th May and will end on the 1st June, the same as the schedule for the main event. Riders taking part include ex pros Andrea Tafi, Edita Pučinskaitė and Max Lell, and athletes from other sports such as distance runner Andrea Lalli and speed skater Francesca Lollobrigida are also taking part. The ten teams each featuring six riders are:
Agenzia Nazionale del Turismo
Bike For Dream
Castelli-Segafredo
Pinarello
Mediolanum
De Rosa
Toyota
Milano Cortina 2026
Epowers Factory Team
Kilocal-Selle SMP
With week one done the riders are just getting started, as week two is set to head into the mountains with the fearsome Saluzzo-Pinerolo, Avigliana-Ceresole Reale and Aosta-Courmayeur climbs all still to face... hopefully made a little less fearsome thanks to the e-bikes! The Giro E organisers say although it isn't a race, there are still winners jerseys offered for the general classification, sprinting, young team and regularity. Find out more here, if you can understand Italian...
