Although the route runs mainly downhill, the riders tackle a climb to the Cathedral of Monreale in the first kilometre. The gradients hover around 6%.
The first time check is located near the cathedral before the riders plunge down a descent of 8 kilometres into Palermo. The second time check is located on the Via Roma.
The last part of the route is virtually flat and bike handling is not a talent that’s needed per se. A couple of 90-dregees turns and then a U-turn before the riders enter the 2.7 kilometres home straight on the Via della Libertà. On the other hand, the section in Palermo’s old centre features some very narrow roads indeed.
Last year’s Grande Partenza was in Bologna, also with an ITT, although the route was something else entirely. The finish was situated atop a 2.1 kilometres climb at 9.7% to the Santuario della Madonna di San Luca. Primoz Roglic powered to the first maglia rosa of that edtion.
Another interesting read: results 1st stage 2020 Giro d’Italia.
Giro d’Italia 2020 stage 1: routes, profiles, more
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Related articles - virtual: Route - Giro 2020 Riders - Giro 2020 - virtual: Riders - Giro 2020 Withdrawals - Giro 2020 Route and stages - Giro 2020 GC Favourites - Giro 2020 More articles Giro 2025: Pink Pedersen completes hat-trick
Giro 2025 Route stage 5: Ceglie Messapica - Matera
Giro 2025 Route stage 6: Potenza - Naples
Giro 2025 Favourites stage 6: Hilly race with flat finale
Giro 2025: Withdrawals
Giro 2025: The Route
Giro 2025: Riders
Giro 2025: GC Favourites
Giro 2025 Route stage 7: Castel di Sangro - Tagliacozzo
Giro 2025 Favourites stage 7: First mountain top finish
Giro 2025 Route stage 8: Giulianova – Castelraimondo
Giro 2025 Favourites stage 8: Attackers in the Apennines
Giro 2025 Route stage 9: Gubbio - Siena
Giro 2025 Favourites stage 9: Strade Bianche alla Giro
Giro 2025 Route stage 10: Lucca – Pisa
Giro 2025 Favourites stage 10: For pure time trialists
Giro 2025 Route stage 11: Viareggio – Castelnovo ne’ Mont
Giro 2025 Favourites stage 11: Attackers in promising finale
Giro 2025 Route stage 12: Modena – Viadana
Giro 2025 Favourites stage 12: For fast men #3
Giro 2025 Route stage 13: Rovigo - Monte Berico
Giro 2025 Favourites stage 13: Puncheurs at Monte Berico
Cycling Calendar 2025
Tour de France 2025: The Route
Tour de France 2025 Route stage 1: Lille - Lille
Tour de France 2025 Route stage 2: Lauwin-Planque - Boulogne-sur-Mer
Tour de France 2025 Route stage 3: Valenciennes - Dunkirk
Vuelta Femenina 2025 Route stage 6: Becerril de Campos - Baltanás
You’ll find starting times underneath our stage descriptions.