Watch Stage 1 Now of Giro d’Italia Live Cycling: For the first time in Grand Tour history, the Giro d’Italia takes place in this most curious and unsettled of years after the Tour de France and in the month of October.
One of the oldest and grandest stage-race rivals of the Tour de France, the Giro d’Italia returns in October with new dates following the 2020 race shuffle and revised UCI calendar.
This 103rd edition will take place between Saturday 3 October and Sunday 25 October, starting in Monreale in Sicily. Having been due to roll out from Budapest, Hungary, this year’s Giro will now be a strictly all-Italian affair.
How to watch the 2020 Giro d’Italia Live in the UK:
Eurosport
Eurosport will be broadcasting the race live from 12:15 on Saturday 3 October. A monthly pass to the app will cost you £6.99 or you can get a full annual pass for £39 / £4.99 a month.
GCN RacePass
You’ll also be able to access the race with the GCN Race Pass, available on the GCN app. UK-based fans have the option of a flexible monthly pass for £6.99 or annual edition for a one-off £39.99.
S4C
In Wales, S4C TV Channel, S4C Clic on-demand service and the S4C Chwaraeon Facebook Live Page will also be showing live coverage every day.
How to watch the 2020 Giro d’Italia Live in the US:
FloBikes
If you’re based in the US, FloBikes will be airing the Giro d’Italia live with plans starting from $12.50 per month for the FloBikes Cycling Pass.
With the coronavirus outbreak drawing the curtain on the initial plan of a Hungarian grande partenze, the rescheduled race shifts to Sicily for four stages before hitting mainland Italy as it builds up to the usual mountain crescendo ahead of last-day time trial in Milan – the final of three races against the clock.
With some 65 individual time trial kilometres, six summit finishes (including two peaks over 2,700m), six potential sprint stages, a couple of punchy uphill finales, and at least four days crying out for a breakaway, it’s a varied route that will provide opportunities for all manner of riders – but not defending champion Richard Carapaz of Ecuador, who does not line up for Ineos Grenadiers.
The Giro d’Italia gets underway this weekend for the rescheduled 2020 edition in an unusual October time slot, after the coronavirus pandemic forced pro cycling to come to an abrupt stop in the spring.
All of the rose-coloured glory of the Grande Partenza has been shifted from Budapest to Sicily amid the uncertainty, making for an almost entirely Italian percorso that stretches from the Mediterranean to the Alps as the autumn leaves begin to fall.
Updates:
Almeida’s average speed was an eye-watering 57.4km/h. Some have speculated whether that descent will lead to a new record speed, currently held by Rik Verbrugghe with 58.874km/h, from 2001.
Joao Almeida (Deceuninck-QuickStep) sets the new fastest time, with 15:46. The youngster has had a great season so far and is certainly one to watch at this Giro.
It’s not just the descent, or the road surface… the wind is strong, and it’s swirling. Sagan is being blown about all over the road here! This is a really dangerous day for the GC riders, for whom the main objective may end up being staying safe.
“The roads are full of oil,” Campenaerts says. “It doesn’t rain much here. If you organise a race with 100kph you must clean the surface.”
Simon Yates (Mitchelton-Scott) is the first of the GC favourites to take on the time trial. He’s a climber who lit up the Giro two years ago – only to crack late on – but has improved immeasurably agains the clock, as he proved by winning the Vuelta later that season. After winning Tirreno-Adriatico, he’s a real contender for this Giro.