The 2020 Tour of the Alps was cancelled due to a coronavirus outbreak, but the race organization has decided to bring the event back in April 2021.

Formerly known as the Giro del Trentino, the race was renamed the Tour of the Alps in 2017 as the route was expanded to encompass the Tyrol-South Tyrol-Trentino Euroregion of Italy and Austria.

The UCI Pro Series event is the traditional opening event of the Giro d'Italia, but in May the organization opted to postpone the Tour of the Alps to 2021 rather than lobby for a berth ahead of the rescheduled Corsa Rosa The UCI confirmed that the 2020 Giro would be held on October 3-25, after the UCI revised its fall calendar following a season interruption in March due to the COVID-19 epidemic.

"We are proud to confirm the planned stage venues for the 2020 Games," said GS Alto Garda President Giacomo Santini.

"This is a testament to the high organizational quality of our races and the great impact we have on local development. Building relationships with the stage venues allows us to organize the beautiful Tour de Alps, and I would like to thank the three Territory Committees, who have been instrumental in helping to make the Tour of the Alps a great success. Thanks to their contributions, the Tour of the Alps can start from the starting point."

The 2021 Tour of the Alps will take place from April 20-24, starting in Brixen/Bressanone and finishing in Riva del Garda. The race consists of five short but grueling stages with a total climbing distance of 13,000 m. Travel between stages has been reduced from 2019 as part of the race organization's efforts to reduce the event's carbon footprint.

The first stage enters Austria via the Brenner Pass on the way to Innsbruck, and the 142.8 km leg includes three laps of the Axams climb, which was on the time trial route of the 2018 World Championships, as the finishing circuit.

The following day, a summit finish in Fechten im Kaunertal will be followed by a 164 km return to Italy on the third stage to Naturno.

The longest and toughest stage is the final day, 168 km to Pieve di Bono, climbing 3,380 m.

The stage is followed by the final climb to the top of the mountain. The first climb is the 1,706-meter-high Castolin Pass, the highest point of the Tour de Alps.

The final stage is a short but grueling one from Valle delle Chiese to Riva del Garda, including the Category 1 Passo Duran, as well as twin climbs on the Planzo climb before finishing on the north shore of Lake Garda.

The 2019 Tour of the Alps was won by Pavel Sivakov (Team Ineos), who finished ninth overall in his debut Giro d'Italia. In front of him are Thibaut Pinot (2018), Geraint Thomas (2017), Mikel Landa (2016), and Richie Porte (2015).