2024 Giro d'Italia presentation: Over 60km of time-trials, a mini Milano-Sanremo plus monster climbs of the Stelvio and Brocon

The presentation of the 2024 Giro d'Italia has been and gone with plenty of interesting details to note and blockbuster stages to look forward to.

In the opening week, starting on the 4th of May, the riders are immediately thrown into difficulty with a short and explosive stage into Torino, followed by a summit finish on stage 2 at the Santuario di Oropa, last used in 2017 with Tom Dumoulin's epic win. Stage four sees the race enter Andorra for a day described as "Milano-Sanremo from Aldi" by Benji Naesen of the Lanterne Rouge Cycling Podcast.

Arguably the two stand-out stages however, come towards the end of the week with a 4* stage 7, 37.2km individual time-trial and a 5* summit finish on stage 8 at Prati Di Tivo.

After the first rest day, the riders will return with a potentially tricky, 141km stage from Pompeii to Cusano Mutri. The subsequent 11th, 12th and 13th stages will probably offer further opportunities for both the breakaway and sprinters. Whilst on stage 14, a second individual time-trial is on the agenda, near Lake Garda with more than thirty kilometres having to be ridden against the clock.

Stage 15, 220km from Manerba Del Garda to Livigno however could well be a race-defining stage including the massive challenge of the Forcola di Livigno, no less than 33 kilometres at more than 5 percent, which must be conquered towards the end.

In the final week the challenges continue. Starting with a stage that could not be considered a second day of rest, the mountains return with a vengeance on stage 16. The infamous Stelvio features and will be the Cima Coppi of this Giro d'Italia after which the day will finish on Monte Pana before a 5* stage 17 where the riders take on the Brocon.

After a likely sprinters day on stage 18, the GC men will have two further chances to make a difference in the Maglia Rosa battle before the race comes to its conclusion in Rome on the 21st of May.