Scheduled to begin on Saturday 8 May 2027, the prestigious Italian Grand Tour will cover a total distance of 3,418 kilometres across 21 stages, accumulating an imposing 50,250 metres of vertical climbing throughout the three-week competition.

The race kicks off in Trieste in the far north-east of Italy, close to the Slovenian border, before taking a brief international excursion into Slovenia on the second day of racing ahead of returning to Italian roads.

Organisers RCS have designed a distinctly climber-friendly route featuring seven summit finishes in total, which outnumbers the summit finishes planned for the Tour de France by four, though the Giro contains slightly less overall vertical gain.

The opening week includes a mixed bag of terrain, starting with a lumpy opening stage in Trieste, a hilly test in Slovenia, and a day for the puncheurs before a likely mass sprint held on a motorsport circuit.

The first major general classification battle arrives on stage five with a summit finish at Sarnano-Sassotetto, featuring a 13.1-kilometre climb averaging 7.4% gradient that should provide an early shake-up for the pink jersey contenders.

Following a sprint opportunity on the Adriatic coast, stage seven introduces the first individual time trial over 19.6 kilometres, incorporating a climb that prevents pure specialists from dominating the time checks completely.

The opening week concludes with a debut senior Giro summit finish on Monte Livata, presenting a 13.9-kilometre climb at 6.9% gradient before the riders transition into the demanding tests of the second week.

Week two commences with a tricky descent-heavy tenth stage and a lumpy eleventh stage before the climbing resumes in earnest with a summit finish at Zum Zeri in the Apennines, measuring 8.4 kilometres at 8.7%.

The hardest day of the first two weeks arrives on stage 14 with nearly 5,000 metres of elevation gain concluding on the Piani di Bobbio, followed immediately by a long, flat 37.3-kilometre individual time trial between Monza and Milan.

The queen stage comes on day 16 at the start of the final week, sending riders over the Passo del Mortirolo twice and incorporating the Passo Gavia as the Cima Coppi for the first time since 2014.

The Gavia stands as the highest point of the entire race, while the Mortirolo challenges the peloton with its 12.8-kilometre length averaging 10.1%, ensuring a brutally difficult day in the high mountains.

The final mountain hurdle arrives on stage 20 with the legendary ascent of Monte Zoncolan, where the race for the maglia rosa will likely be decided across 10.1 kilometres averaging an punishing 11.9% gradient.

The men's race then concludes with a traditional sprint stage in Rome on Sunday 30 May, completing a demanding tour that opens the door for new contenders following the expected absence of recent winners.

Meanwhile, the 2027 Giro d'Italia Women route was also revealed in Rome by RCS head of cycling Luca Guercilena, showcasing a 38th edition comprising nine stages over 1,132 kilometres with 17,450 metres of climbing.

Set to run from 29 May to 6 June, the women's race features an Alpine double header including an 11-kilometre mountain time trial in the Aosta Valley on stage eight and a brutal final stage around Mont Blanc.