Giro d'Italia

This year the annual Giro d'Italia bicycle race will open with stages in Northern Ireland. The Grande Partenza or ‘Big Start’ of the will take place over three days from 9 - 11 May 2014. It involves routes in Belfast, around the coast and, finally, a dash from Armagh to Dublin.

 

Maps of the routes have been released. The second day's is a 218km round trip; Belfast to Antrim, Ballymena, Bushmills then taking in the Causeway Coastal Route from Cushendall to Larne onto Whitehead and Carrickfergus before returning to Belfast.

An aspect of the map I like is the elevation guide. I have thrown it on its side to suit the format of this blog. You can see these maps and the others at this link.