Studies calculate value of Giro d’Italia in euros, social impact & soft power
What is a cycle race worth? La Gazzetta dello Sport (the organiser of the first Giro d’Italia) was among the companies and bodies pulling together new data to place some numbers on the value of the Giro d’Italia. There are a lot of positives.
Social impact €79 million
According to the study, the 2025 edition generated a social impact valued — using the Banca Ifis Measurement Model — at €79 million, a significant figure resulting from the wide audience involved and the transformative impact the Giro inspires.
71% of live spectators stated that attending the Giro had a positive effect on their personal well-being — approximately 1.6 million people. Additionally, 23% of non-athletes declared they would begin exercising after the experience, while 57% of regular athletes said they would increase their training frequency. The social value produced corresponds to a multiplier effect of 2.8x — meaning that for every euro invested in the event, almost three euros were generated in social benefits.
UK eyes may well be drawn to this and some of the other positive stats, given that the Tour de France’s Grand Depart returning to British soil (England, Wales & Scotland) in 2027 – it will be the first time Le Tour and Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift Grand Depart will both take place in the same country outside France.
New fans & soft power
The second study focused on the economic data related to the Grande Partenza from Albania. The research highlighted how the event contributed to the international promotion of the host country and to strengthening Italy’s image abroad, particularly in connection with the values of design, innovation and production quality globally associated with Made in Italy.
Among the most significant findings: 92% of live spectators viewed positively the decision to start the 2025 Corsa Rosa outside Italy’s borders. This choice also expanded the audience base — 36% of attendees were experiencing the Giro for the first time, confirming the event’s ability to attract new fans. Furthermore, 74% of spectators recognised the Albanian start as a strong driver of tourism promotion, while 38% viewed it as a means of reinforcing cultural ties between Italy and Albania. One in four spectators also believed the event helped improve Italy’s image as an open and collaborative country. These findings confirm that the Giro d’Italia is not only a world-class sporting event but also a tool of soft power, capable of strengthening international relations and projecting Italy’s values of inclusion and cooperation worldwide.
Giro an eBike booster too, says report
A study titled “E-bike: The Engine of Sustainable Mobility Made in Italy” provided an overview of the Italian electric bicycle industry, highlighting the international growth potential of a supply chain increasingly central to sustainable mobility. RCS Sports & Events’ Giro-E, the exclusive eBike experience held on the same days and roads as the Giro d’Italia, is officially recognised as a cycling tourism event by the Italian Cycling Federation.
The press statement was a little sweeping in its positivity, but said: “All indicators — sales, production, and exports — show positive trends, as do the figures for bike sharing and eBike rentals, both far outperforming car sharing”. It also pointed to a 53% increase in km of cycling infrastructure compared to ten years ago.
Together, the three studies confirmed that the Giro d’Italia goes beyond being a major sporting event: it is a powerful accelerator of social, cultural, and economic development, capable of generating value and innovation well beyond the competitive dimension.
“It is proof that sport, when well organised and communicated, can become an extraordinary tool of soft power”
The stats and studies were unveiled at the eighth edition of Il Festival dello Sport di Trento, organised by La Gazzetta dello Sport and Trentino Marketing, together with the Autonomous Province of Trento, the Municipality of Trento, the University of Trento, the Trento Tourist Board and under the patronage of CONI and the Italian Paralympic Committee.
Also taking part was Leonardo Ghiraldini, former international rugby player, representing NATIVA – Regenerative Design Company. He emphasised that the sport of the future will focus not only on competition but also on the creation of shared value. With this awareness, RCS Sports & Events has, for years, adopted a comprehensive framework to map social, environmental and economic impacts and to design improvement plans. The goal: to consider and enhance key sustainability variables to transform the eventinto an accelerator of long-term value, actively engaging spectators, companies, and local communities. “This vision of shared sustainability,” he explained, “is becoming a true collective asset, evolving into a certification model for the future of sporting events.”
Antonio Tajani, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation: “Last year, I appointed the Giro d’Italia as Ambassador of Italian Sport in the World because the Giro tells the story of our territories, embodies our values, and celebrates all the best that Italy has to offer. Our export of sporting goods is worth around 5 billion euros, and within this, the cycling sector plays an important role, as the most beautiful, innovative, and successful bicycles are undoubtedly Italian. But sport cannot be measured only in economic terms. The appointment as Ambassador of Sports Diplomacy also carries an additional responsibility — that of inspiring and promoting values among the younger generations of Italy and the entire world. Sport is, in fact, an extraordinary vehicle for peace, one that brings people together and allows us to face the future with optimism. Looking ahead to the important occasion of the Milano-Cortina 2026 Olympic and Paralympic Games, Italy has asked the United Nations General Assembly to adopt a resolution for an Olympic Truce. The message is simple and universal: to stop conflicts during the Games.“
Urbano Cairo, President of RCS MediaGroup: “The results we presented today show that the Giro has further increased the economic value of its legacy for the territories, generating an economic impact of €2.1 billion and confirming its status as a symbol of our country — an event that tells Italy’s story to the world through sport, culture, and its regions. The Corsa Rosa brings together institutions, businesses, and people, creating tangible benefits not only economically but also socially and environmentally. These figures clearly demonstrate how the Giro is an accelerator of growth, sporting passion, and innovation for the entire nation. We are proud that RCS Sport continues to lead a project that represents both a national heritage and a global benchmark.”
Matteo Zoppas, President of ICE Agency: “In the close collaboration between growth diplomacy and sports diplomacy, the Giro d’Italia has proven, with concrete figures, to be a strategic vehicle for promoting the bike economy and the entire bicycle industry supply chain. But that’s not all. Thanks to the partnership with the Giro d’Italia, we seize the extraordinary opportunity to showcase, live during the race, the strength and distinctive features of Italy’s production districts and the territories crossed along the route. It is a powerful promotion of Made in Italy, leveraging a communication channel of exceptional value. Through the Giro d’Italia, we also organize business forums that bring Italian companies into direct contact with international buyers, creating tangible opportunities for the internationalization of SMEs. With an economic impact estimated by Banca Ifis at over €2 billion, both direct and indirect—€350 million of which is linked to Made in Italy—and with images broadcast by more than two hundred television networks across five continents reaching an audience of over 750 million, the Giro d’Italia provides a highly effective global showcase. It allows us to present to the world not only the beauty of our country, but also the quality and value of Italian products and industrial districts, represented here by the bicycle industry. The data confirm the vitality of the sector: in 2024, the bike economy recorded exports worth €759 million (+2.3% compared to the previous year), and in the first half of 2025 it has already reached €429 million (+6.5% over the same period in 2024), showing strong promise for the future“.
Paolo Bellino, CEO and General Manager of RCS Sports & Events: “The research presented at the Festival dello Sport shows how each edition leaves a concrete legacy for the territories and communities it passes through. The Giro d’Italia2025, with its start in Albania, once again proved to be much more than a sporting competition: it is an ambassador of Italy to the world. Ninety percent of spectators welcomed this decision positively, recognising its cultural and promotional value. The Corsa Rosa has promoted Made in Italy and generated tangible economic impact across the territory. It is proof that sport, when well organised and communicated, can become an extraordinary tool of soft power — capable of enhancing Italy’s international image while stimulating tourism, culture and business. We will continue to invest in events that bring Italy to the world and the world to Italy.”
Maurizio Rossini, CEO of Trentino Marketing: “Sporting events and strategic partnerships are fundamental tools to strengthen the perception of Trentino on a global level. This is how we build effective and lasting promotion of our territorial identity. When a tourist arrives at a destination, the quality of services is essential. That is why the offer must be up to standard, because true promotion stems from the direct experience lived on the territory. Modern and accessible infrastructures are the foundation for attracting visitors, athletes and families, and for ensuring a competitive offer at the international level.”
Maurizio Fondriest: “As a rider, I saw the Giro mainly as a sporting challenge, with the crowds along the roads showing how much fans love this race. Later, experiencing the Giro from the outside, I realised its strength also on an economic and social level: with Banca Mediolanum I saw how it can create value for sponsors, engage thousands of people, and promote territories, even lesser-known ones, both in Italy and abroad. Today the Giro is at once competition, spectacle, business opportunity and a driver of tourism—an opportunity that local administrations should seize to open up to the world.”
Giacomo Nizzolo: “The month of May is now perceived as the month of the Giro d’Italia: a unique event that I was lucky to experience not only in Italy but also abroad, with starts such as in Denmark, where the impact was extraordinary and an entire country turned pink. The affection of the people is something I have never found in other competitions. This passion generates enormous economic and image returns: as a rider you focus only on the race, but over time you come to understand the scale of an organisation that moves more than 5,000 people every day—an impressive machine that is at once a major sporting event and a powerful economic engine.”
