Israel to host prestigious Italian cycling race

Stressing the chance to show off Israel to the world, Israeli officials joined with their Italian counterparts last week in announcing that three stages of the prestigious Giro d’Italia cycling race will be held in Israel, starting in Jerusalem.

It will mark the first time that any leg of cycling’s Grand Tour races — the Giro, the Tour de France and the Spanish Vuelta — will take place outside of Europe, and just the 12th time the Giro had gone outside of Italy in its 101-year history.