The first grand tour of the season has arrived, there’s something lovely and comforting about grand tour racing. You know you can kick back and settle into 3 weeks of solid cycling watching, what’s not to love. This is the 109^th Giro d’Italia, it’s going to kick off over in Bulgaria before heading back to Italy for most of the race. That means it’s going to start on Friday, with Monday the first rest day, allowing everyone an early travel day. It’s a flat start to the race, the sprinters will be fighting for the first pink jersey, which is something I always like. In terms of the overall race, Vingegaard is the standout name on the startlist, especially as Almeida has pulled out due to illness. The pressure will be on the Dane to deliver, something he’s used to, this is his chance to win all 3 grand tours, a remarkable achievement in the sport of cycling. As usual, I’ll be providing you with previews of all stages and betting tips if you’re that way inclined, perfect if you want to know what’s actually going on in the race. The price is £50 and that gets you the rest of the season, not just the Giro. Enough chatter, time to look at all the stages.