| The 2006 Giro d'Italia (Tour of Italy) begins in | | | | deep into the Alps of Trento and Alto Adige to cross |
| Belgium, continues to Italy and swings into | | | | the border into Austria for stage 18 on May 25th. |
| Switzerland and Austria on two separate stages. | | | | Back into Friuli-Venezia-Giulia the same day, they then |
| Southern Italy and Sicily had their Giro, it appears, in | | | | head on to cross the Dolomites before going back to |
| 2005 as the 2006 Giro d'Italia begins in Belgium, | | | | Trento for a stage that includes the Passo del Tonale |
| continues to Italy's Po Valley and then south along | | | | (mt 1883), Passo Gavia (cima Coppi, mt 2618), and |
| the Adriatic Coast for three stages. An abrupt about | | | | Passo del Mortirolo. The Giro ends with a double |
| face then takes the Giro hop-scotching to the Arno | | | | whammy including an individual time trial up the |
| River valley in Central Tuscany. From here they head | | | | Madonna del Ghisallo (a 754 meter climb over 11 km.) |
| north along the Riviera with a stage from Livorno to | | | | and then a leisurely 116 km stage into Milan for the |
| Sestri Levante and then on to the Alps for nine total | | | | finish (all in the same day!) |
| stages either in the Alps or the pre-alpine Lake | | | | You can bet the race organizers are lighting candles |
| District. | | | | for an early end to winter next spring as they can't |
| Indeed, these are dramatic stages in Italy's Alps. | | | | possibly do this route if there are snow squalls in May |
| Beginning with a finish in full view of Mont Blanc on | | | | or a heavy snow pack come mid-May. |
| stage 13, Saturday, May 20th, the race turns north | | | | Tuscany is almost entirely shut out in 2006 with just |
| into Switzerland over the Gran San Bernard, and then | | | | a short time trial and half of another stage occurring |
| back into Italy the same day over the Simplon Pass | | | | in the heartland of Italy's Renaissance. Featured, |
| to Domodossola. The following day the race starts at | | | | instead, are the lesser known, but rich culinary |
| the beautiful Lago di Mergozzo and snakes around | | | | regions of Emilia-Romagna and the Marches (le |
| Lake Maggiore to end near Brescia. Then it heads | | | | Marche). |