<figure ><img title="2010 Giro stage 2" src="http://cdn.velonews.competitor.com/files/2015/06/2010-Giro-stage-2-320x213.jpg"/><p>The 2010 Giro d'Italia began with three stages in The Netherlands. Photo: Tim De Waele | <a href="http://www.tdwsport.com" target="_blank">TDWsport.com</a></p></figure><p>The cycling hotbed of Europe? These days, it’s the Netherlands, at least if you consider its recent boom in hosting the starts of grand tours.</p>
<p>Giro d’Italia officials announced Friday next year’s edition of the “corsa rosa” will begin May 6 in the Gelderland region. Coupled with the start of the 2015 Tour de France <a href="http://velonews.competitor.com/2015/03/news/utrecht-marks-100-days-to-tour-de-france-start_364581"target="_blank">next weekend in Utrecht</a>, and the 2010 Giro in Amsterdam, not to mention the 2009 Vuelta a España, and a host of other starts of the Tour and world championships, there is no doubt that the Dutch love their bike racing.</p>
<p>“The province of Gelderland showed how intensely it wanted the ‘corsa rosa’ and beat the competition of other important candidates,” said Giro director Mauro Vegni in a release. “There couldn’t be a better way of proceeding in the internationalization process of the Giro, that in the last few years, has seen the ‘big start’ alternating between Italy and abroad, all without overlooking the south of Italy.”</p>
<p>In what’s the 12th time the Giro starts outside Italy, and the first time since <a href="http://velonews.competitor.com/2013/06/news/2014-giro-ditalia-to-feature-historic-start-in-belfast_290109"target="_blank">Belfast, Northern Ireland in 2014</a>, Giro officials confirmed Friday the 99th Giro will open with three days of racing across the region before flying into what they described as “southern Italy.”</p>
<p>Similar to 2014, the Giro will begin on Friday and will include an extra rest day during its three-week route across Italy. The remainder of the Giro route will be revealed during a presentation in October, just after the Giro di Lombardia.</p>
<p>On Friday, officials confirmed that the “grande partenza” will be in the city of Apeldoorn, with an 8.1-kilometer individual time trial on May 6. Stage 2 runs 180km from Arnhem to Nijmegen, and Stage 3 is 190km back from Nijmegen to Arnhem; both are well-suited for the fast men in the bunch.</p>
<p>The news is a boon for Giro owner RCS Sport, which is seeing increased international interest in the Italian grand tour. While the Italian economy has suffered with the economic crisis affecting much of southern Europe, the race has found newfound interest beyond the Dolomites. This marks the third time the Giro will start in The Netherlands, with Groningen hosting the 2002 Giro, and Amsterdam in 2010.</p>
<p>The Giro has found new markets beyond Italy, with “big starts” in nearby European countries. Starting in 2010, the Giro has alternated between starting abroad, followed by a return to Italy the next year.</p>
<p>That trend could be upturned in 2017, when the Giro will celebrate its centenary edition. There is <a href="http://velonews.competitor.com/2015/05/news/giro-director-confirms-u-s-start-back-on-radar_370636"target="_blank">already speculation that the Giro could cross the Atlantic</a> for a possible start in North America, but so far, Giro officials have not revealed concrete details about what they might be thinking for the 100th edition of the race.</p>
<p>The post <a rel="nofollow" href="http://velonews.competitor.com/2015/06/news/giro-heads-back-to-netherlands-for-2016-start_375196">Giroheads back to Netherlands for 2016 start</a> appeared first on <a rel="nofollow" href="http://velonews.competitor.com">VeloNews.com</a>.</p>
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<p>Giro d’Italia officials announced Friday next year’s edition of the “corsa rosa” will begin May 6 in the Gelderland region. Coupled with the start of the 2015 Tour de France <a href="http://velonews.competitor.com/2015/03/news/utrecht-marks-100-days-to-tour-de-france-start_364581"target="_blank">next weekend in Utrecht</a>, and the 2010 Giro in Amsterdam, not to mention the 2009 Vuelta a España, and a host of other starts of the Tour and world championships, there is no doubt that the Dutch love their bike racing.</p>
<p>“The province of Gelderland showed how intensely it wanted the ‘corsa rosa’ and beat the competition of other important candidates,” said Giro director Mauro Vegni in a release. “There couldn’t be a better way of proceeding in the internationalization process of the Giro, that in the last few years, has seen the ‘big start’ alternating between Italy and abroad, all without overlooking the south of Italy.”</p>
<p>In what’s the 12th time the Giro starts outside Italy, and the first time since <a href="http://velonews.competitor.com/2013/06/news/2014-giro-ditalia-to-feature-historic-start-in-belfast_290109"target="_blank">Belfast, Northern Ireland in 2014</a>, Giro officials confirmed Friday the 99th Giro will open with three days of racing across the region before flying into what they described as “southern Italy.”</p>
<p>Similar to 2014, the Giro will begin on Friday and will include an extra rest day during its three-week route across Italy. The remainder of the Giro route will be revealed during a presentation in October, just after the Giro di Lombardia.</p>
<p>On Friday, officials confirmed that the “grande partenza” will be in the city of Apeldoorn, with an 8.1-kilometer individual time trial on May 6. Stage 2 runs 180km from Arnhem to Nijmegen, and Stage 3 is 190km back from Nijmegen to Arnhem; both are well-suited for the fast men in the bunch.</p>
<p>The news is a boon for Giro owner RCS Sport, which is seeing increased international interest in the Italian grand tour. While the Italian economy has suffered with the economic crisis affecting much of southern Europe, the race has found newfound interest beyond the Dolomites. This marks the third time the Giro will start in The Netherlands, with Groningen hosting the 2002 Giro, and Amsterdam in 2010.</p>
<p>The Giro has found new markets beyond Italy, with “big starts” in nearby European countries. Starting in 2010, the Giro has alternated between starting abroad, followed by a return to Italy the next year.</p>
<p>That trend could be upturned in 2017, when the Giro will celebrate its centenary edition. There is <a href="http://velonews.competitor.com/2015/05/news/giro-director-confirms-u-s-start-back-on-radar_370636"target="_blank">already speculation that the Giro could cross the Atlantic</a> for a possible start in North America, but so far, Giro officials have not revealed concrete details about what they might be thinking for the 100th edition of the race.</p>
<p>The post <a rel="nofollow" href="http://velonews.competitor.com/2015/06/news/giro-heads-back-to-netherlands-for-2016-start_375196">Giroheads back to Netherlands for 2016 start</a> appeared first on <a rel="nofollow" href="http://velonews.competitor.com">VeloNews.com</a>.</p>
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