The 2027 Giro d’Italia is shaping up around some of the most feared climbs in the race’s history. The Mortirolo, Gavia and Zoncolan are among the major mountain giants that could define an edition starting in Trieste on 8 May and finishing in Rome. The organizers will officially unveil the route on 3 November at the Ennio Morricone Auditorium in the capital’s Parco della Musica.

The next edition of the Corsa Rosa looks set to put the high mountains back at the heart of the general classification battle. Full route details are still to come, but reports from Italy, including Tuttosport, point to a race featuring several demanding stages and two individual time trials.

The Giro d’Italia will start on Italian soil again after several editions began abroad. The Grande Partenza took place in Hungary in 2022, Albania in 2025 and Bulgaria in 2026. For 2027, the organizers have chosen Trieste as the starting point, with the first stage scheduled for 8 May.

This will also allow the route presentation to take place on 3 November, relatively early compared with recent editions. The ceremony will reveal the final stage sequence, summit finishes and key features of a race set to conclude in Rome.

Early time trial could set up GC battle 

According to the first reports, the peloton will head south during the opening half of the race. That section is expected to offer one of the first chances for the general classification contenders to gain time: an individual time trial near Gran Sasso, finishing on an uphill section.

Before the opening block ends, the Giro is expected to pass through Naples, a regular fixture on recent routes. The stage is designed to favour the sprinters, but with one notable change from 2026: the finish would move from Piazza del Plebiscito to the seafront, on Via Caracciolo. The change follows problems caused by rain in the previous edition, when plenty riders crashed on the final corner in a cobbled finale - which was, at the time, very heavily criticized.

Vingegaard completed the Grand Tour treble by winning the Giro d’Italia

Mugello and Monza set to feature in the second half

The second half of the Giro is also expected to feature two venues familiar to motorsport fans. The Mugello circuit would host a finish that, on paper, offers another opportunity for the sprinters. Monza, meanwhile, is set to feature on the route of the edition’s second individual time trial.

The two circuits would add variety to a race that, according to the available reports, will combine stages suited to bunch finishes with days designed to create gaps between the favourites. The time trials would give specialists a chance to gain time, although the mountains are again expected to play a decisive role in settling the general classification.

Mortirolo, Gavia and Zoncolan: the major mountain giants

The main draw of the decisive stages would be the high mountain passes. The Passo del Mortirolo, Passo di Gavia and Monte Zoncolan are among the climbs that could shape a particularly demanding finale. These iconic ascents hold a special place in Giro history and have the power to turn a stage into a turning point in the general classification.

Their potential inclusion would place a huge test before the contenders for the maglia rosa, who would need to reach the final week with enough strength to tackle several exceptionally hard climbs. In a three-week race, the combination of major mountains and time trials can prove decisive for both those targeting overall victory and those trying to claw back time lost earlier.

The route presentation on 3 November will confirm which climbs are included, the order in which they are tackled and how the mountain stages are distributed.