PARIS, April 1, 2011 – Denmark has been awarded the hosting of the
first three stages of the Giro d’Italia in 2012, organizers of the race RCS
announced Friday.

The three-week Giro is regarded as the second biggest stage race in the
world after the Tour de France and has enjoyed something of a boost in recent
years thanks to a daring choice of terrain on the part of organizers.

RCS boasted Friday the Giro would visit Scandinavia for the first time
ever, taking the race peloton to its northern most point.

The race for the leader’s pink jersey will begin with an individual
time-trial starting and finishing in Herning, in the middle of Jutland on May
5.

Herning will also host the second stage, a mass-start race of nearly 200 km
the next day while a third stage of nearly 200 km will start and finish in the
city of Horsens in south-east Jutland.

The Giro has begun a total of 10 times in foreign countries. Last year
Amsterdam hosted the start of the race, which was won in the end by Ivan Basso
of Liquigas.

RCS Sport CEO Giacomo Catano praised the Danish authorities’ positive input
to the project.

“At RCS Sport we are impressed by the commitment and professional approach
that the Danish authorities have displayed while creating and presenting the
project to host the Giro d’Italia in their country,” he said.

“In turn, RCS Sport will put maximum effort in providing value and
visibility to the grand opening in Denmark to more than 300 million fans of
the Giro all over the world.”

The coup for Denmark will come a year after the country hosts the world BMX
championships and the world road race cycling championships, in Copenhagen.

File Photo: Corvos
Article:AFP