The Giro d'Italia will again take a turn into the Slovenian territory, this time on its 19th stage. Get to know the "Slovenian" stage of the prestigious Giro d'Italia and the places that the world cycling elite will ride through.
The world famous cycling Grand Tour, the Giro d'Italia, which will be attracting the attention of cycling fans from 6 to 29 May, is returning to Slovenia. The 19th stage, which is scheduled for 27 May, of one of the greatest three-week cycling challenges will take the cyclists through part of the Soča Valley with a challenging climb up the Kolovrat mountain range. This is an excellent opportunity for Slovenia, where cycling is one of the most popular activities, to show the world its cycling soul, green countryside and excellent options for outdoor activities.
The Giro d'Italia (also known as the Giro or La Corsa Rosa) is an annual stage race for professional male cyclists that takes place mostly on Italian roads.This year's 105th edition of the Giro d'Italia will feature a total of 21 stages. The race will run through 14 of the 20 Italian regions, and take a turn out of the Italian territory twice – to Slovenia and to Hungary, where the race will actually start.
Take a look at a few interesting facts about the race.
The Giro d'Italia was held for the first time in 1909, making it one of the oldest cycling races in the world. The first winner was Luigi Ganna.
Since 1931, cyclists have been competing for the pink jersey awarded to the overall winner. Pink is the colour of the organiser of the race, the sports newspaper La Gazzetta dello Sport, which is still printed on pink paper.
The 2021 Giro d'Italia was broadcast in as many as 185 countries. Television stations generated a total of 95 hours of live coverage of the race.
The pink caravan of the Giro (pink because that’s the colour of the leader’s jersey) has visited Slovenian territory five times to date. The start and finish lines of the "Slovenian" stages have included Kranj, Bled, Portorož and Ljubljana, and the route of the Giro has also ventured into the Brda region twice.
It doesn’t matter what kind of cyclist you are or what kind of bicycle you ride - you will find something to your liking in Slovenia. The diverse and picturesque landscape will take your mind off all the effort, and time and kilometres will fly by just like that. In Slovenia, you can ride a bicycle practically every day in the year; the main cycling season is between April and November, and in places with a temperate Mediterranean climate it can last into the winter.
Cycling enthusiasts know that there are only three great challenges among all the world’s cycling races – France's Tour de France, Spain's Vuelta and Italy's Giro d'Italia. An overall win in one of these prestigious races shoots professional cyclists straight to the cycling Olympus. Slovenians have already learned how it feels to have their heroes among the winners of one of the three-week races, as Tadej Pogačar and Primož Roglič have won the Tour de France and the Vuelta a España, respectively.
And while the Giro d'Italia is still waiting for an overall Slovenian winner, Slovenian cyclists have already won an impressive eight individual stages of the race. First to enter his name in the annals of individual stage winners at the Giro was Luka Mezgec in 2014, to be followed by Jan Polanc, Primož Roglič, Matej Mohorič and Jan Tratnik.
While the Giro d'Italia is still waiting for an overall Slovenian winner, Slovenian cyclists have won as many as eight individual stages of the race. The Giro is especially close to the heart of Slovenians precisely because it does sometimes head over into Slovenian territory. And it’s heading our way again in 2022! The 19th stage will start in Italy's Marano Lagunare, and the cyclists will enter Slovenia through the Učja gorge. They will then descend towards the Soča river, go past Žaga, through Trnovo to Kobarid (famous as Caporetto in Italian), and from there to Idrsko. After that they will climb to Livek and Livške ravne up to Kolovrat and over the Solarji saddle and go back into Italy to Cividale del Friuli (Čedad in Slovenian), where they will begin the final ascent to the famous pilgrimage centre of Castelmonte above Cividale.
The 178 km long "Slovenian" stage will feature almost 3,230 metres of climbing, including a new 10 km climb with an average gradient of 10%, and a challenging finishing climb at the end.
The Soča Valley is a world of active outdoor experiences, a valley of memories of the turbulent events of the First World War and a place of top gastronomic experiences.
Have you ever wondered why such a small country like Slovenia has so many top-level athletes in so many sports? There are many ingredients of the successful sport story of Slovenia. Of course, as in all other things, perseverance, courage and heart count for a lot. And these ingredients are certainly not lacking in the greatest Slovenian sporting names.
When Slovenia is mentioned to anyone who is interested in cycling, Primož Roglič and Tadej Pogačar are probably the first names that come to their minds. Although they have shone in numerous international races, what has made history was the epic battle of the Slovenian champions in the 2020 Tour de France. Get better acquainted with the Slovenian cycling heroes who are also ambassadors for Slovenian tourism.
Discover the cycling routes of Slovenia, the homeland of Primož Roglič, a top cyclist who became the Olympic champion at the Tokyo Olympics.
Meet Tadej Pogačar, a young Slovenian cyclists, who has won Tour de France two times in a row.
In the Giro d'Italia cycling race, a lot of attention is also dedicated to sustainability. Under the slogan "ride green" the organisers ensure that the race is not only attractive to sport enthusiasts, but they also strive to make it a role model for sustainable activity and environmental protection. Sustainability guidelines are also of key importance in Slovenia, the first country in the world to be declared a green destination as a whole.
Watch the interactive video and get to know some of the most interesting facts and green stories that reveal the sustainable path of Slovenia.
Play interactive videoWatch the interactive video and get to know some of the most interesting facts and green stories that reveal the sustainable path of Slovenia.
MoreSlovenia is a pioneer in the field of strategic sustainable tourism development on a national level. Over 280 Slovenian destinations and tourism service providers have successfully obtained the Slovenia Green label, which reflects their sustainable approach and responsible behaviour towards the environment. Discover your favourite green corners and experiences and join us in creating a better future.
MoreSlovenia was the first country to be declared a Global Green Destination. Its green journey continues through numerous sustainability-oriented projects and practices with which it justifies its title of a green country.
MoreSlovenia will be the European Region of Gastronomy for 2021. The main attributes of Slovenian cuisine are local ingredients used in both traditional dishes and masterpieces from top chefs. Discover chefs with prestigious achievements in sustainability and see for yourselves the inspiring reasons for the positive development of Slovenia's profile as a country of sustainable culinary excellence.
MoreWe pride ourselves on our unspoilt nature and rich cultural heritage, which we actively protect for the generations to come. We encourage you to help us in achieving this. Follow the green guidelines for ensuring sustainable behaviour before, during, and after your visit to Slovenia, so as to have a positive impact on the natural environment and local communities.
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