As little as 15,7 kilometers is all it takes to deliver the first Maglia Rosa of the Giro d’Italia Women. The first RCS Sport-branded edition will open with an individual time trial which could immediately generate some interesting gaps between the GC contenders.

The city of Brescia is set to kick off the race: starting from the Rigamonti Stadium the racecourse will cross the Mella River on mostly flat roads, with a few roundabouts. After the second passage over the Mella, the riders will enter the city center, reaching the Castle – inside which is the “Luigi Marzoli” Weapons Museum, which houses one of Europe’s most important collections of ancient weapons – and tackling the only short rise of the TT (about 800 meters at 5%). At that point, the road will descend towards the historic center and the grand finale in Piazza della Loggia, in front of its beautiful Renaissance palace.

Also known as the “Lioness of Italy” for its role during the Ten Days (a revolt that broke out in the city against the Austrian troops) in 1849, Brescia is a city rich in history and culture. The historic center is home to important Roman remains, such as the Capitolium and Roman theater, and the renowned archaeological area of the forum. In addition to Piazza della Loggia, particularly interesting is Piazza Paolo VI, which houses not one but two cathedrals: the Duomo Vecchio (or Rotonda) and the Duomo Nuovo. The city is renowned for wine production, particularly in nearby Franciacorta, one of Italy’s most prestigious wine areas.

Brescia has often served as the starting or finishing location for stages of the Giro d’Italia, most recently in 2013, when it was chosen for the final stage of the Corsa Rosa, crowning Vincenzo Nibali in the Maglia Rosa and Mark Cavendish as the stage winner. Since 1997, the city has also held the famous Trofeo Città di Brescia, a 1.2 category classic, which has the distinction of being held in the evening and arrival around 11 p.m.