Kicking off on April 12, the 2022 Giro di Sicilia is now just a few days away.

Here are some figures: there will be 4 stages, covering 662 km overall, for a daily average distance of 165.5 km, and 9,840 metres of elevation gained.

The opening stage will be tailored to sprinters, two hilly stages will appeal to classics hunters, and the closing mountain stage will decide the overall champion.

One stage will run entirely along the coast, two will move inland from the shoreline, and one will wrap around the volcanic cone of the Etna, as in a sort of tribute.

An all-round and comprehensive route that appeals to all road racing specialists, on any possible terrain.

A rich and complicated route that mirrors the richness and complexity of the land it runs through.

The race will begin in Milazzo, where Garibaldi defeated the Bourbon army in 1860, paving the way for the unification of Italy.

Next along the route there are Bagheria, “the city of villas”, Palma di Montechiaro, the land that inspired “The Leopard”, and Caltanissetta, whose name comes from Arabic, “Qal’at an-Nisa”, which roughly translates as “women’s castle”.

Realmonte will follow, with the beautiful Scala dei Turchi, then Piazza Armerina with its Roman mosaics (a Unesco World Heritage), and the fertile pistachio fields of Bronte, leading to the grand finale atop the Etna, some 1,800 metres above sea level, in Piano Provenzana.

In as little as four stages, the Giro di Sicilia will take us on a journey through thousands years of history, across many different cultures, and through a variety of different settings – from Mediterranean beaches to high-mountain switchbacks.

Starting from April 12, the thrill and emotion of great cycling – the most beautiful sport in the world – will be adding to the beauty of this amazing land.