[1] After the previous edition's route favoured the sprinters, the race returned to a more hilly route that favoured the climbers, despite being mostly flat.

The 190-kilometre (120 mi) race started in Magenta on the outskirts of Milan and headed due southwest, though after around 35 kilometres (22 mi), the route took a nearly 100-kilometre (62 mi) U-shaped diversion to the north from Vercelli, which included the Zimone and Cossano Canavese hills midway through, before continuing the southwest direction from Crescentino.

In the final 24 kilometres (15 mi), riders took on two ascents of the Superga hill, which had an average gradient of 9.1 percent, on the outskirts of Turin.

The first ascent was 4.3 kilometres (2.7 mi) long, and after descending back down into San Mauro Torinese, riders took on the second ascent, which climbed up a further 0.6 kilometres (0.37 mi) to the finish line.

[3] Each team entered a full squad of seven riders, although Astana–Premier Tech had one non-starter.