The is an annual women's cycle stage race around Italy. First held in 1988, the race is currently part of the UCI Women's World Tour, and is currently organised by RCS Sport, the organisers of the men's Giro d'Italia. The race was initially branded as the Giro d'Italia Femminile from its inaugural edition to 2008, Giro Donne in 2009, Giro d'Italia Internazionale Femminile from 2010 to 2021, Giro d'Italia Donne in 2022 and 2023, and Giro d'Italia Women since 2024.

The race is "one of the longest and most demanding" races in women's road cycling, with editions featuring ascents of mountain passes as well as individual or team time trials. Some teams and media have referred to the race as a 'Grand Tour'. However, the race does not meet the UCI definition of such an event. It has generally held over eight to ten days in early July each year. The race is owned by the Italian Cycling Federation, with organisation of the race outsourced.

The rider with the lowest aggregate time is the leader of the general classification and wears the pink jersey. While the general classification gathers the most attention, there are other contests held within the Giro: the points classification for the sprinters, the mountains classification for the climbers and young rider classification for the riders under the age of 23. Achieving a stage win also provides prestige, often accomplished by a team's sprint specialist or a rider taking part in a breakaway.

History

The men's Giro d'Italia cycling race was first held in 1909, and is considered the second most important cycling race in the world. The women's Giro d'Italia was first held in 1988 as the Giro d'Italia Femminile. The first edition in 1988 was won by two-time Tour de France Feminin winner Maria Canins from Italy.

Global Cycling Network notes "how little we actually know" about early editions of the women's Giro, with no information about stage winners. The race was the second biggest women's race in Italy, behind the long running Trofeo Alfredo Binda-Comune di Cittiglio. In the 1990s, the race was dominated by Italian rider Fabiana Luperini, who won 4 editions of the race between 1995 and 1998, winning 13 stages in the process. Luperini later won the 2008 edition of the race, 10 years after her last victory.

In the 2000s, the race grew to 13 stages in length before falling back to 9 stages. Other big races like Grande Boucle Féminine Internationale and Tour de l'Aude Cycliste Féminin were cancelled due to financial difficulties in 2009 and 2010 respectively, leaving the Giro Donne was the only 'Grand Tour' left in women's cycling after 2010.

In December 2012 it was reported that the company Epinike had withdrawn as Giro Donne organiser, making the 2013 edition uncertain. In April 2013, however, organisers announced they had rebranded the race as the Giro Rosa, taking place over eight days. It returned to its traditional ten-day length the following year. In 2016, the race became part of the new UCI Women's World Tour, organised by the (UCI).

In the 2010s and early 2020s, the race was dominated by Dutch riders, with Marianne Vos winning the race three times, and Annemiek van Vleuten and Anna van der Breggen both winning the race four times. In 2021, the race lost its World Tour status due to the lack of live television coverage during the 2020 edition of the race. The decision to downgrade the race to the UCI ProSeries was met with criticism. The race used the Giro d'Italia Donne name in 2021, before returning to Giro Donne in 2022. The race returned to World Tour level in 2022, following promises of live television coverage on Eurosport and Rai Sport. The prize money was also increased to €250,000, with €50,000 for the winner of the general classification. The organisation of the 2023 edition of the race was criticised, with information about the route and riders not available until the last minute.

From 2024, the race will be organised by the men's Giro d'Italia organiser RCS Sport on a four-year contract. The 2024 edition of the race was rebranded to Giro d'Italia Women. In 2024, Elisa Longo Borghini became the first Italian rider to win the race for 16 years, before winning for the second time in succession in 2025.

From 2026, the race will move to June rather than its traditional July date – starting on the same weekend as the finish of the men's race. The race previously had to compete for attention with the more famous men's , and organisers stated that they wished to work with the UCI to move the calendar position of the race, so that the race is not overshadowed. The UCI will also award more ranking points to Giro d'Italia Women, Tour de France Femmes and the Vuelta Femenina compared to other races in the UCI Women's World Tour – elevating the three races in status.

Course Generally held over eight to ten stages, the route of the race changes year to year with ascents of mountain passes as well as individual or team time trials. One of the longest races in women's professional cycling, the course averaged in length between 2016 and 2026. Between 2014 and 2025, the first stage of the race was a team time trial or a short prologue time trial. From 2024, the rider who passes the highest climb of the race first is awarded the "Cima Alfonsina Strada" – a prize named after Italian cyclist Alfonsina Strada, who took part in the men's Giro d’Italia in 1924. Famous climbs visited by the race include Zoncolan, Mortirolo, Passo de Stelvio and Blockhaus.

In 2015, the first two days took place in Slovenia, with a prologue and a sprint stage. In 2022 and 2023, the race visited Sardinia.

Winners

Year Distance[km] First Second Third 9 1989 9 1990 9 1991 colspan=5 rowspan=2 1992 1993 8 1994 7 1995 11 1996 12 1997 12 1998 13 1999 12 2000 13 13 9 9 9 9 9 9 2008 8 2009 9 2010 10 2011 10 2012 9 2013 8 2014 10 2015 10 2016 10 2017 10 2018 10 2019 10 2020 9 2021 10 2022 10 2023 9 2024 8 2025 8 2026 9

Multiple winners Wins Rider Editions 5 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 2008 4 2015, 2017, 2020, 2021 2018, 2019, 2022, 2023 3 2001, 2003, 2005 2011, 2012, 2014 2 1999, 2000 2006, 2007 2010, 20132024, 2025

Wins per country Wins Country 12 10 3 , 2 , 1 , , , ,

Secondary classifications The awards a number of jerseys for winners of certain classifications – the current competitions that award a jersey are: ( from 1988 to 2023, in 2012) Points classification, for the rider with the most points as awarded by finishing positions on stages and the first riders to go through intermediate sprints. Recently, the winner wears the (red jersey). ( from 1988 to 2023) Mountains classification, for the rider awarded the most points for crossing designated climbs, generally at the peaks of hills and mountains. The winner wears the (blue jersey). Young rider classification, for the fastest rider under the age of 25 to complete the race. The winner wears the (white jersey). Between 2010 and 2023, the (blue jersey) was awarded to the fastest Italian rider to complete the race. In 2006, the young riders classification was not run, instead a sprints competition was won by Olga Slyusareva (RUS) and awarded the blue jersey.

Winners by year

YearGiro Points Mountains Young Italian TeamNotes 19881Petra RossnerMaria CaninsAngela Kindlingcolspan=2 West Germany 19892Petra Rossner (2)Roberta Bonanomicolspan=2 19903Catherine MarsalCatherine Marsalcolspan=2 1991colspan=12 rowspan=2 1992 19934Luzia ZbergLenka Ilavskácolspan=2 19945Imelda ChiappaSigrid Corneocolspan=2 19956Petra Rossner (3)Fabiana Luperinicolspan=2 19967Fabiana LuperiniFabiana Luperini (2)colspan=2 19978Diana ŽiliūtėFabiana Luperini (3)Edita Pučinskaitėcolspan=2 Sanson Mimosa 19989Anna WilsonFabiana Luperini (4)Cindy Pieterscolspan=2 199910Svetlana BubnenkovaTetyana Styazhkinacolspan=2 200011Svetlana Bubnenkova (2)Edita PučinskaitėNicole Brändlicolspan=2 200112Nicole BrändliMari Holdencolspan=2 200213Zinaida StahurskayaJolanta Polikevičiūtėcolspan=2 200314Regina SchleicherJolanta Polikevičiūtė (2)Modesta Vžesniauskaitėcolspan=2 colspan=2 200415Oenone WoodSvetlana BubnenkovaNicole Cookecolspan=2 Safi–Pasta Zara Manhattan 200516Giorgia BronziniSvetlana Bubnenkova (2)Volha Hayevacolspan=2 colspan=2 200617Susanne LjungskogEdita Pučinskaitė (2)colspan=2 colspan=2 200718Marianne VosSvetlana Bubnenkova (3)Tatiana Guderzocolspan=2 200819Ina-Yoko TeutenbergFabiana Luperini (5)Claudia Häuslercolspan=2 200920Claudia HäuslerMara AbbottLizzie Armitsteadcolspan=2 201021Marianne Vos (2)Emma PooleyMarianne VosTatiana Guderzo 201122Marianne Vos (3)Marianne VosElena BerlatoTatiana Guderzo (2) 201223Marianne Vos (4)Emma Pooley (2)Elisa Longo BorghiniFabiana Luperini 201324Marianne Vos (5)Mara Abbott (2)Francesca CauzTatiana Guderzo (3) 201425Marianne Vos (6)Emma Pooley (3)Pauline Ferrand-PrévotElisa Longo Borghini 201526Megan GuarnierFlávia OliveiraKatarzyna NiewiadomaElisa Longo Borghini (2) 201627Megan Guarnier (2)Elisa Longo BorghiniKatarzyna Niewiadoma (2)Tatiana Guderzo (4) 201728Annemiek van VleutenAnnemiek van VleutenCecilie Uttrup LudwigElisa Longo Borghini (3) 201829Annemiek van Vleuten (2)Amanda SprattSofia BertizzoloElisa Longo Borghini (4) 201930Annemiek van Vleuten (3)Annemiek van Vleuten (2)Juliette LabousElisa Longo Borghini (5) 2020 31 Marianne Vos (7) Cecilie Uttrup Ludwig Mikayla Harvey Elisa Longo Borghini (6) 2021 32 Anna van der Breggen Lucinda Brand Niamh Fisher-Black Marta Cavalli 2022 33 Annemiek van Vleuten (4) Kristen Faulkner Niamh Fisher-Black (2) Marta Cavalli (2) 2023 34 Annemiek van Vleuten (5) Annemiek van Vleuten (3) Gaia Realini Gaia Realini 2024 35 Lotte Kopecky Justine Ghekiere Neve Bradburycolspan=2 202536Lorena WiebesSarah GiganteAntonia Niedermaiercolspan=2 202637Elisa BalsamoDemi VolleringIsabella Holmgrencolspan=2 YearGiro Points Mountains Young Italian TeamNotes

Winners by country Rank Country Points Mountains Youth Total 1 14 5 1 20 2 3 9 6 18 3 6 0 2 8 1 4 2 7 5 2 3 1 6 2 4 0 6 7 0 3 2 5 8 1 1 2 4 2 2 1 5 10 2 0 1 3 1 1 1 3 0 0 3 3 12 1 0 1 2 0 1 1 2 0 0 2 2 15 0 1 0 1 0 1 0 1 0 1 0 1 1 0 0 1

Stage wins

Rank Rider Stage wins 1 32 2 18 3 16

See also Tour de France Femmes – a stage race in France La Vuelta Femenina – a stage race in Spain

Notes

References

External links (Italian and English)