The 2023 edition of the Giro Donne will take place from 30th June to 9th July, with the first two days set in Tuscany
Everything is now ready for the much-anticipated start of Giro Donne scheduled for Friday, 30th June. This will be a unique event, made possible by the close collaboration between Starlight and the town of Chianciano Terme. It will begin with two intense days in Tuscany, where the 4.4 km prologue time-trial will be held, as well as the first road race stage.
Chianciano Terme will be hosting the pink caravan from 29th June. It is a town known worldwide for the beneficial properties of its thermal waters, which attract many tourists every year. The town is under the province of Siena and is steeped in many centuries of history: it was already appreciated in Roman and Etruscan times for its waters, thus becoming the building site of an important settlement. Remains of this have been found in several necropolis scattered throughout Valdichiana, such as the nearby San Casciano dei Bagni, a location of recent extraordinary findings dating back to that age.
The town of Chianciano Terme has always been a promoter of sport and of cycling in particular, hosting the arrival of the Men’s Giro d’Italia five times, the last of which was in 1988.
Chianciano Terme will stage the great start of Giro Donne 2023 and will witness the first award ceremony of the pink jersey. Starting from Thursday, 29 June, the Acquasanta Park in Piazza Martiri Perugini will become the hub for preliminary operations from 1pm, following the great presentation of the teams at 6.30pm.
Giro Donne’s opening individual time-trial runs throughout the territory of Chianciano Terme for a distance of 4.4 km without any particular challenges. It is a very suitable location for experts of the time trial, but also for the more explosive athletes. The following day, Giro Donne will leave for another hamlet in Tuscany, this time in the Florentine province. The riders will race from Bagno a Ripoli to Marradi for 101.4 km.
Giro Donne’s General Director Roberto Ruini said, “I am honoured by the collaboration with the Tuscany Region, who is hosting us for the first days of Giro Donne. It is my third year at the helm of the pink race, with this edition keeping the athletes engaged from 30th June to 9th July, crossing a total of 5 Italian regions. I thank the town of Chianciano Terme for the hospitality and for the effectiveness in our collaboration for this extraordinary opening moment of the Tour.”
Mayor Andrea Marchetti added, “We are particularly pleased to have hosted the caravan of athletes and teams in preparation for the first two stages in the Tuscany Region, and I must say that Chianciano Terme has been as always up to expectations. We expect a great media return thanks to the coverage of the event by the main international channels for a constantly growing event in terms of audience and appreciation. I thank the Councillor Fabio Nardi in particular for his commitment, as well as Mr. Roberto Poggiani for the coordination of volunteers, the organization of Giro Donne: I also want to thank the Chianciano Hot Springs for technical collaboration, together with all the municipal and inter-city offices for providing assistance in the programming of such an important event,”
