Cycling stars take part in the first Giro d'Italia Criterium with a 30-lap race at Expo Dubai 2020

World cycling stars will take part in the first ever Giro d'Italia Criterium on 6 November in a 30-lap short-format race over a 2.1km course at the Dubai Expo 2020 site.

The Critérium is a cycling event linked to the Giro d'Italia, which aims to showcase the excellence of the 104-year-old grand tour, one of the most prestigious events in world cycling.

The list of high-profile riders who have signed up for the challenge includes big names such as 2021 Giro d'Italia winner and 2019 Tour de France yellow jersey winner Egan Bernal (INEOS); three-time UCI road world champion Peter Sagan (BORA); nine-time Giro stage winner Elia Viviani (Cofidis); or two-time UCI ITT world champion and six-time Giro d'Italia stage winner Filippo Ganna (INEOS).

The race at Expo 2020, organised in partnership with the Dubai Sports Council and the World Expo Italy Pavilion, will see cyclists take on a criterium course in the shape of the Giro d'Italia's 'Amore Infinito' infinity symbol. The race will take place near the Expo 2020 Italy Pavilion, where the Giro d'Italia trophy will be on display.

The pavilion will also host a meet the riders session on 5 November, giving fans the exclusive opportunity to talk to their favourite cyclists, before a gala dinner held in celebration of the inaugural race for the competitors.

The Italy Pavilion, located in Al-Forsan, provides visitors with an unforgettable experience featuring new educational, professional and commercial opportunities. It showcases buildings, systems and technologies that play an important role in sustainability, the circular economy and digital architecture.