site.btaSofia to Bid for Hosting Giro d'Italia's Start Stage

Sofia will apply to host the start of the Giro d'Italia, an annual multiple-stage bicycle race, the city’s administration announced on Thursday. The possibility for Bulgaria to host the start of the Giro d'Italia in the coming years was discussed during a meeting in Milan, attended by Sofia Municipality Deputy Mayor Nikola Barbutov. 

Over the years, starting the race outside Italy has become a regular practice. Previous editions of the Giro have started in Greece in 1996, the Netherlands in 2002 and 2010, Belgium in 1973 and 2006, Denmark in 2012, Israel in 2018, and Hungary in 2022. This year, the race will begin in Durres, Albania, with the country hosting the first three stages.

The Giro d'Italia, with a history spanning over 100 years, attracts hundreds of thousands of visitors annually and draws the attention of more than 700 million viewers worldwide. Hosting even a stage of one of the three major cycling tours — in France, Italy, or Spain — is considered a prestigious event for any host city and offers significant promotional opportunities as a tourist destination.

The meeting addressed the conditions and requirements for hosting the start of the Giro d'Italia in Sofia. In the coming months, an official meeting will be held in Sofia with national representatives to explore the potential for bringing this major sporting event to Bulgaria.

Attending the meeting were Municipal Councilor Dimitar Petrov and the leadership of RCS Sport, including CEO Paolo Bellino, CFO Matteo Mursia, and representatives Giusy Virelli and Anna Ceccardi.