Giro d'Italia reveals Netherlands start for 2016 edition

The Dutch region of Gelderland will host the opening two stages of the 2016 Giro d'Italia, it was announced on Friday - the second year running the Netherlands will see a Grand Tour start.

The Giro will start with a 8.1km individual time trial round Apeldoorn on May 6 before two sprint stages in the Gelderland region.

Firstly, on May 7, riders will race 180km between Arnhem and Nijmegen, via Renkum, Tiel and West Maas en Waal. The following day sees riders returning from Nijmegen to Arnhem on a 190km route via Lingewaard and Berkelland.

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“The Province of Gelderland showed how intensely it wanted the Corsa Rosa and beat the competition of other important candidates,” Giro organiser Mauro Vegni said.

“There couldn’t be a better way of proceeding in the internationalisation 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.”

It marks a return to the Netherlands for the Italian tour, with Tour de France 2015 host Utrecht welcoming the Big Start in 2010. Since then the three-week race has started outside Italy twice.

The Danish city of Herning hosted the start of the 2012 edition, while the 2014 race started in Belfast, taking in the Republic of Ireland as well.

Like those two editions of the race, a rest day will be scheduled after stage three to allow the riders and teams to transfer down to Italy for the rest of the race.

The full Giro d'Italia 2016 route will be announced later in the year.