The FS Group is amongst the main sponsors of the Giro Donne 2023, the prestigious women’s cycling competition now in its 34th edition and organised by Starlight ASD with Federciclismo (FCI) and UCI. Kicking off on 30 June from Chianciano Terme (SI) with an individual time trial, the event continues with eight road races, until reaching the finish line in Olbia (SS) on 9 July, covering a total distance of some 928 kilometres.
Nine days of sport and spectacles (with only one rest day scheduled for Friday 7) will see 168 athletes compete to the sound of pedalling through some of the most beautiful landscapes in five regions of Italy – Tuscany, Emilia-Romagna, Piedmont, Liguria and Sardinia. In addition to the cities hosting the start and finish lines, the towns covered by the stages are Bagno a Ripoli and Marradi (FI), Formigine (MO), Modena, Fidenza and Borgo Val di Taro (PR), Salassa and Ceres (TO), Canelli (AT), Albenga and Alassio (SV), Nuoro (NU) and Sassari (SS).
Confirming its international dimension, the Giro Donne 2023 counts on the participation of 24 teams hailing from various countries around the world, 14 of which are classified in the World Tour category. The teams come from Australia, the United Arab Emirates, France, Germany, Norway, the Netherlands, Spain, the United States and Switzerland, in addition to Italy. Different languages and cultures for the cyclists who, united by the universal symbol of the bicycle, will compete for the coveted category jerseys.
In line with the values of inclusiveness and sustainability, the FS Group sponsors the Cyclamen Jersey, worn by the leader of the overall points classification. Looking back over the last three years, this accolade seems to be the prerogative of Dutch athletes given that Marianne Vos won in 2020, Anna Van der Breggen in 2021 and Annemiek van Vleuten in 2022.
All eyes are also on the other jerseys: the Green one awarded to the best climber, being the first female cyclist in the Gran Premi della Montagna classification, the White jersey earmarked for the best under-23 in the time classification and the Blue jersey for the best Italian athlete in the time classification, won in 2020 by Elisa Longo Borghini and in the following two years by Marta Cavalli. The spotlight, however, is on the Maglia Rosa – the Pink Jersey – as the most prestigious of the competition, awarded to the leader of the general classification. History is yet again on the side of the Netherlands – in the last three editions, this honour was won twice in a row by Anna van der Breggen and last year by Annemiek van Vleuten.