Giro d'Italia takes spin round Ireland in next year's race

Bradley Wiggins suffered injury in his attempt to win the 2012 Giro d'Italia (AFP)

Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland will host the first three days of next year’s Giro d’Italia.

The race, one of the three major Grand Tours along with the Tour de France and the Vuelta a España, will begin with a 21.7km team time trial setting off from the Titanic Belfast Museum on 9 May.

The second day will see a 218km (136-mile) road stage starting and finishing in Belfast and winding up the Antrim coast to the Giant’s Causeway, before a 187km haul from Armagh to Dublin on day three.