(jolly music)
- The Giro d'Italia is to many,
the most beautiful, brutal and romantic of all the
grand tours,
taking almost superhuman endurance, resilience, skill,
and courage, to win.
But how do you win the Giro?
And all the other classifications that lay within?
Well, let me explain.
(jolly music)
The Maglia Rosa, or Pink Jersey, is the most
prestigious jersey in the Giro d'Italia, and is worn by
the leader of the General Classification.
Now the color is derived from the pink pages of the
sponsoring daily sports newspaper, La Gazzetta dello Sport.
And the jersey is given following each stage,
to the rider with the lowest cumulative time.
The rider who completes all 21 stages in the lowest
total time, will win the Giro d'Italia.
Now there are also time bonuses,
of 10, six, and four seconds, awarded to the
first three riders at the end of every stage,
aside from the individual time trials.
In addition, there is one intermediate sprint,
as a designated point on every road stage,
offering time bonuses of three, two and one seconds,
to the first three finishers.
And these seconds are taken off their overall time.
As well as the main battle for the Maglia Rosa,
or the Fight for Pink, there are three other classifications
within the race.
Each for which, there's a leader's jersey, and
overall classification.
(jolly music)
First up is the Maglia Ciclamino, or the cyclamen jersey,
the color in Italian derived from the alpine flower,
the cyclamen, which is for the leader of the
points classification.
This is determined by points awarded for placings,
on every stage, regardless of any time gaps.
The leader of the classification after each stage
will wear the jersey the following day.
And the rider who accumulates the most points by the
end of the Giro, is the winner.
The points are distributed as follows,
and reward consistency, and are weighted towards
the sprinters.
So flat stages are awarded more points,
than mountainous ones.
As such, this jersey is generally worn
by the fast men, who are the mass points on the
flat or rolling stages, and will also sprint for
extra points, at designated sprints along the
stage route.
And these are known as intermediate sprints,
and are added to the points given at the stage finish.
Last year's winner was Columbian sprinter,
Fernando Gaviria, of Quick-Step Floors.
The stages are broken down into five categories,
by level of difficulty.
The flatter the stage, the more points on offer,
both at the finish and the intermediate sprints.
Category A, no particular difficulty.
The first 15 are classified, given 50, 35, 25,
18, 14, 12,
10, eight, seven, six five four,
three, two one.
Category A stages, are stages two, three, seven and 21.
Now Category B are low difficulties.
The first 15 are classified, given 50, 35, 25, 18,
14, 12, 10, eight,
seven, six, five, four, three, two, one.
And they are on stages 12, 13, 17 and 21.
Category C stages are classified as medium difficulties,
and the first 10 are classified.
Given 25, 18, 12,
eight, six, five, four, three, two, one.
And the stages are four, five, eight,
10 and 11.
Category D present a high difficulty,
and the first 10 are classified.
Given 15, 12,
nine, seven, six, five, four, three, two, one points.
And they're on stages six, nine,
14, 15, 18,
19, and 20.
And Category E are individual time trials,
and the first 10 are classified.
Given 15, 12,
nine, seven, six, four, three, two, one.
And they're on stages one, and 16.
As mentioned, each road stage will have two intermediate
sprints,
with points awarded as follows.
Now in A and B categories, the first eight are classified.
Given 20, 12,
eight, six, four, three, two, one.
C Category, the first five are classified.
Given 10, six, three, two and one.
Category D, the first three are classified.
Given eight, four and one.
So, as you can see, there's lots of sprinting to be done,
if you want a chance of winning the Maglia Ciclamino.
(jolly music)
Next we have the Maglia Azzura, or Blue Jersey,
awarded to the best climber.
Traditionally known as the King of the Mountains.
The climber's jersey is determined by points, which are
accumulated at the top of each classified climb,
along the routes.
The harder the climb, the more points that are awarded.
And there are five categories of climbs,
ranked on difficulty.
The Maglia Azzura, is awarded to the rider
who has accumulated the most points at the end of the stage.
(jolly music)
The Cima Coppi.
This is a special prize, and is awarded at the top of the
highest point in the Giro.
In this year's race, it's the iconic Colle delle Finestre,
on stage 19.
And the first nine riders get points as follows.
45, 30, 20, 14, 10,
six, four, two and one.
There are eight first category climbs,
with places awarded to the first eight riders.
35, 18, 12,
nine, six, four, two and one.
There are nine second category climbs, and the first six
places are awarded points as follows.
15, eight, six, four, two and one.
There are nine third category climbs, with the first
four places awarded points.
Seven, four, two and one.
And finally, fourth category climbs, of which there are 13.
And the first three get,
three, two and one points.
That gives a grand total of 39 categorized climbs,
over the course of this year's race.
And the honor of the King of the Mountains in 2017,
went to Team Sky's Mikel Landa.
(jolly music)
Finally the Maglia Bianca, or White Jersey.
Now that's awarded to the best young rider,
based on the lowest overall time.
The Maglia Bianca is given to the rider under the age of
25, who is the highest in the overall classification,
at the end of each stage.
Riders born after January the 1st 1993,
are able to compete for this jersey in this year's Giro.
Last year's winner was Bob Jungels, of Quick-Step Floors.
Well, I sincerely hope that's demystified the various
Giro classifications for you.
Now, you might have noticed,
I'm actually wearing a kind of, as a nod to the Giro,
a nice pink t-shirt.
Now, you can buy those in the GCN shop,
and there's a link in the description below this video.
And if you happen to have missed our Giro preview show,
how about clicking just down here, to check that out.