Giro del Trentino expands to five days as it heads further afield

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The Giro del Trentino is set to expand its geographical horizons as well as its size as it grows to five days for the 2017 season. The event is also due to announce a name change in the coming weeks.

The Giro del Trentino will venture out of the Province of Trentino and into Südtirol and the Austrian state of Tyrol, which have both previously featured in the race. On stage 2 of this year's edition, Mikel Landa won when the race visited Tyrol with a mountain stage to the city of Anas. Organisers were keen to emphasise that Trentino would remain the centre of the race.

"After reaching the 40 years threshold we had the opportunity to take on a new challenge," said GS Alto Garda President and former MEP Giacomo Santini. "Over the years, we have established very positive cooperation with Trentino's neighbours, particularly in Eastern Tyrol where several Giro del Trentino stages have finished. Trentino remains the event's homeland, but the connection established with Südtirol and Austrian Tirol moves in the direction of a more powerful event, that will be able to live up to the tradition of excellence we have built in our history, and possibly exceed it."

The Giro del Trentino started off as a one-day race in 1962 and gradually grew over the years. The 2.HC classified race has become a relatively popular build-up to those targeting Liege-Bastogne-Liege or the Giro d'Italia. Previous winners include Richie Porte, Vincenzo Nibali and Ivan Basso. Landa claimed victory in this year's race by beating Tanel Kangert by just two seconds.

The new-look event will take place which will take place between April 17 and 21, 2017.