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 previously branded as the Giro d'Italia Femminile prior to 2013, the Giro Rosa from 2013 to 2020, Giro d'Italia Donne in 2021, and Giro Donne from 2022 to 2023.
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
left|thumb|273x273px|[[Michela Fanini celebrating her victory at the 1994 race]]
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.
Global Cycling Network notes "how little we actually know" about early editions of the women's Giro, with no information about stage winners.
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. 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 prize money was also increased to €250,000, with €50,000 for the winner of the general classification.
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
thumb|The [[General classification in the Giro d'Italia|pink jersey () worn by the leader of the general classification – as worn by Annemiek van Vleuten in 2020 ]]
{| class="wikitable sortable"
! Year
! Distance<br>[km] !!
! First
! Second
! Third
|-
!
|
| 9
|
|
|
|-
! 1989
|
|
|
|
|
|-
! 1990
|
|
|
|
|
|-
! 1991
| colspan=5 rowspan=2
|-
! 1992
|-
! 1993
|
|
|
|
|
|-
! 1994
|
| 7
|
|
|
|-
! 1995
|
| 11
|
|
|
|-
! 1996
|
| 12
|
|
|
|-
! 1997
|
| 12
|
|
|
|-
! 1998
|
| 13
|
|
|
|-
! 1999
|
| 12
|
|
|
|-
! 2000
|
| 13
|
|
|
|-
!style="padding-left:1em"|
|
| 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
{| class="wikitable"
! Wins
! Rider
! Editions
|-
|align=center| 5 || || 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 2008
|-
|align=center rowspan=2| 4 || || 2015, 2017, 2020, 2021
|-
| || 2018, 2019, 2022, 2023
|-
|align=center rowspan=2| 3 || || 2001, 2003, 2005
|-
| || 2011, 2012, 2014
|-
| rowspan="4" align="center" | 2 || || 1999, 2000
|-
| || 2006, 2007
|-
| || 2010, 2013
|-
|
|2024, 2025
|}
Wins per country
{| class="wikitable"
! Wins
! Country
|-
| 11 ||
|-
| 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:
- 20px|link=|alt=Red jersey (20px|link=|alt=Mauve jersey from 1988 to 2023, 20px|link=|alt=Mauve jersey 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).
- 20px|link=|alt=Blue jersey (20px|link=|alt=Green 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).
- 20px|link=|alt=White 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
{|class="sortable wikitable"
!width="5%"|Year
!width="5%" class="unsortable"|Giro
!width="3%"|
!width="14%"|20px|link=|alt= Points
!width="3%"|
!width="14%"|20px|link=|alt= Mountains
!width="3%"|
!width="14%"|20px|link= Young
!width="3%"|
!width="14%"|20px|link=|alt= Italian
!width="3%"|
!width="14%"|20px|link=|alt= Team
!width="5%" class="unsortable"|Notes
|-
! 1988
|align=center|1
|
|Petra Rossner
|
|Maria Canins
|
|
|colspan=2
|
|
|align=center|
|-
! 1989
|align=center|2
|
|Petra Rossner (2)
|
|Roberta Bonanomi
|
|
|colspan=2
|
|
|align=center|
|-
! 1997
|align=center|8
|
|Diana Žiliūtė
|
|Fabiana Luperini (3)
|
|Edita Pučinskaitė
|colspan=2
|
|Sanson Mimosa
|align=center|
|-
! 1998
|align=center|9
|
|Anna Wilson
|
|Fabiana Luperini (4)
|
|Cindy Pieters
|colspan=2
|
|
|align=center|
|-
! 1999
|align=center|10
|
|Svetlana Bubnenkova
|
|
|
|Tetyana Styazhkina
|colspan=2
|
|
|align=center|
|-
! 2000
|align=center|11
|
|Svetlana Bubnenkova (2)
|
|Edita Pučinskaitė
|
|Nicole Brändli
|colspan=2
|
|
|align=center|
|-
! 2001
|align=center|12
|
|Nicole Brändli
|
|Mari Holden
|
|
|colspan=2
|
|
|align=center|
|-
! 2002
|align=center|13
|
|Zinaida Stahurskaya
|
|Jolanta Polikevičiūtė
|
|
|colspan=2
|
|
|align=center|
|-
! 2004
|align=center|15
|
|Oenone Wood
|
|Svetlana Bubnenkova
|
|Nicole Cooke
|colspan=2
|
|Safi–Pasta Zara Manhattan
|align=center|
|-
! 2005
|align=center|16
|
|Giorgia Bronzini
|
|Svetlana Bubnenkova (2)
|
|Volha Hayeva
|colspan=2
|colspan=2
|align=center|
|-
! 2006
|align=center|17
|
|Susanne Ljungskog
|
|Edita Pučinskaitė (2)
|colspan=2
|colspan=2
|
|
|align=center|
|-
! 2007
|align=center|18
|
|Marianne Vos
|
|Svetlana Bubnenkova (3)
|
|Tatiana Guderzo
|colspan=2
|
|
|align=center|
|-
! 2008
|align=center|19
|
|Ina-Yoko Teutenberg
|
|Fabiana Luperini (5)
|
|Claudia Häusler
|colspan=2
|
|
|align=center|
|-
! 2009
|align=center|20
|
|Claudia Häusler
|
|Mara Abbott
|
|Lizzie Armitstead
|colspan=2
|
|
|align=center|
|-
! 2010
|align=center|21
|
|Marianne Vos (2)
|
|Emma Pooley
|
|Marianne Vos
|
|Tatiana Guderzo
|
|
|align=center|
|-
! 2011
|align=center|22
|
|Marianne Vos (3)
|
|Marianne Vos
|
|Elena Berlato
|
|Tatiana Guderzo (2)
|
|
|align=center|
|-
! 2012
|align=center|23
|
|Marianne Vos (4)
|
|Emma Pooley (2)
|
|Elisa Longo Borghini
|
|Fabiana Luperini
|
|
|align=center|
|-
! 2013
|align=center|24
|
|Marianne Vos (5)
|
|Mara Abbott (2)
|
|Francesca Cauz
|
|Tatiana Guderzo (3)
|
|
|align=center|
|-
! 2014
|align=center|25
|
|Marianne Vos (6)
|
|Emma Pooley (3)
|
|Pauline Ferrand-Prévot
|
|Elisa Longo Borghini
|
|
|align=center|
|-
! 2015
|align=center|26
|
|Megan Guarnier
|
|Flávia Oliveira
|
|Katarzyna Niewiadoma
|
|Elisa Longo Borghini (2)
|
|
|align=center|
|-
! 2016
|align=center|27
|
|Megan Guarnier (2)
|
|Elisa Longo Borghini
|
|Katarzyna Niewiadoma (2)
|
|Tatiana Guderzo (4)
|
|
|align=center|
|-
! 2017
|align=center|28
|
|Annemiek van Vleuten
|
|Annemiek van Vleuten
|
|Cecilie Uttrup Ludwig
|
|Elisa Longo Borghini (3)
|
|
|align=center|
|-
! 2018
|align=center|29
|
|Annemiek van Vleuten (2)
|
|Amanda Spratt
|
|Sofia Bertizzolo
|
|Elisa Longo Borghini (4)
|
|
|align=center|
|-
! 2019
|align=center|30
|
|Annemiek van Vleuten (3)
|
|Annemiek van Vleuten (2)
|
|Juliette Labous
|
|Elisa Longo Borghini (5)
|
|
|align=center|
|-
! 2020
|align=center| 31
|
| Marianne Vos (7)
|
| Cecilie Uttrup Ludwig
|
| Mikayla Harvey
|
| Elisa Longo Borghini (6)
|
|
|align=center|
|-
!2021
|align=center| 32
|
| Anna van der Breggen
|
| Lucinda Brand
|
| Niamh Fisher-Black
|
| Marta Cavalli
|
|
|align="center"|
|-
!2022
|align=center| 33
|
| Annemiek van Vleuten (4)
|
| Kristen Faulkner
|
| Niamh Fisher-Black (2)
|
| Marta Cavalli (2)
|
|
|align="center"|
|-
!2023
|align=center| 34
|
| Annemiek van Vleuten (5)
|
| Annemiek van Vleuten (3)
|
| Gaia Realini
|
| Gaia Realini
|
|
|align="center"|
|-
!2024
|align=center| 35
|
| Lotte Kopecky
|
| Justine Ghekiere
|
| Neve Bradbury
|colspan=2
|
|
|align="center"|
|-
!2025
| align="center" |36
|
|Lorena Wiebes
|
|Sarah Gigante
|
|Antonia Niedermaier
|colspan=2
|
|
|align="center"|
|-
!width="5%"|Year
!width="5%" class="unsortable"|Giro
!width="3%"|
!width="14%"|20px|link=|alt= Points
!width="3%"|
!width="14%"|20px|link=|alt= Mountains
!width="3%"|
!width="14%"|20px|link= Young
!width="3%"|
!width="14%"|20px|link=|alt= Italian
!width="3%"|
!width="14%"|20px|link=|alt= Team
!width="5%" class="unsortable"|Notes
|}
Winners by country
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="width:50%; text-align:center"
!Rank !! Country !! 20px|link=|alt= Points !! 20px|link=|alt= Mountains !! 20px|link=|alt= Youth !! Total
|-
|rowspan=1| 1
|align=left|
| 14
| 5
| 1
| 20
|-
|rowspan=1| 2
|align=left|
| 3
| 9
| 6
| 18
|-
|rowspan=2| 3
|align=left|
| 6
| 0
| 2
| 8
|-
|align=left|
| 1
| 4
| 2
| 7
|-
|rowspan="2"| 5
|align=left|
| 2
| 3
| 1
| 6
|-
|align=left|
| 2
| 4
| 0
| 6
|-
| 7
|align=left|
| 0
| 3
| 2
| 5
|-
|rowspan="2"| 8
|align=left|
| 1
| 1
| 2
| 4
|-
|align=left|
| 2
| 2
| 1
| 5
|-
|rowspan=3| 10
|align=left|
| 2
| 0
| 1
| 3
|-
|align=left|
| 1
| 1
| 1
| 3
|-
|align=left|
| 0
| 0
| 3
| 3
|-
|rowspan="3"| 12
|align=left|
| 1
| 0
| 1
| 2
|-
|align=left|
| 0
| 1
| 1
| 2
|-
|align=left|
| 0
| 0
| 2
| 2
|-
|rowspan="4"| 15
|align=left|
| 0
| 1
| 0
| 1
|-
|align=left|
| 0
| 1
| 0
| 1
|-
|align=left|
| 0
| 1
| 0
| 1
|-
|align=left|
| 1
| 0
| 0
| 1
|}
Stage wins
{| class="wikitable"
! 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)