Tomorrow evening, during the Trento Sports Festival, the 2024 design of the Giro d’Italia will be revealed. I don’t discover America by stating that the main cause of RCS’s difficulty in giving birth to this edition was linked to the presence of the Tour de France on Italian roads at the end of June. In fact, Tuscany, Emilia-Romagna and Piedmont are involved in the yellow project, which traditionally host a fair portion of the pink race. The fact that, on a one-off basis, the funds that local authorities allocated to the Giro were diverted elsewhere made it difficult, from a commercial perspective, to find offices available to find what was necessary to set up an arrival or departure. Just to give an idea of the historical conglomerate weight of these three regions in the economy of the route, Emilia-Romagna has always been present, not hosting stages only in 1913 and 1927. Piedmont was excluded only three times out of 106, in the 1971, 1981 and 2008 editions. A different matter must be said for Tuscany, which was missing in some of the latest editions, including last year.
We will leave on Saturday 4 May from Turin, to be precise, from the palace of Venaria Reale, as in 2011, to arrive in Corso Moncalieri on the 75th anniversary of the Grande Torino tragedy. This means that we will move on to Superga which, however, will be tackled from the less tough side. The second stage will also be celebratory with the arrival at the Oropa Sanctuary where 25 years ago Marco Pantani created one of the greatest feats in the history of cycling. An explosive start will be followed by more sedated stages. The arrival in Fossano, from Novara, will be for sprinters. It is not yet clear how challenging the finale will be the following day of the Acqui Terme – Andora which could repeat the final stages of the Laigueglia Trophy. From Genoa to Lucca another day for fast wheels will take place which will precede four decidedly intriguing stages. We will return to the Siena area, starting from Torre del Lago Puccini to arrive at Rapolano Terme along a healthy portion of dirt roads. On Friday 10 May we will race against the clock, 40 kilometers long from Foligno to Perugia and then move the next day from Spoleto towards Prati di Tivo with the pink race which will return after 49 years to a peak in Abruzzo. On Sunday 12 May from Avezzano we will head towards Naples in a section that will also include Vesuvius.
After the first rest in the shadow of the volcano, on Tuesday 14 May we will cycle from Pompeii towards the Sannio arriving in Cusano Mutri and then reach the Adriatic the following day, traveling from Foiano Valfortore to Francavilla al Mare. The next Martin Sicuro – Fano could be a stage for sprinters, if it follows the coast, or present some pitfalls, if the race deviates into the Marche hinterland. The whirlwind ascent northwards will continue with the super-flat Riccione – Cento. The second time trial of the 2024 edition will take place on Saturday 18 May. It should be 35 kilometers from Castiglione delle Stiviere to Desenzano del Garda. The second week will end with the Manerba del Garda – Livigno, the first heavy stage in terms of altitude.
Little Tibet will host the second rest which will be followed, in keeping with the tradition that the last Tuesday of the race is often decisive, with a heavy section which will take the runners across the Stelvio to Alto Adige with arrival on Monte Pana in Valgardena. The following day will be dedicated to Trentino with the finish line at the top of the Brocon Pass. The interlocutory Fiera di Primiero – Padova will announce the last two hard stages. On Friday 24 May, a non-random date, we will cycle in Friuli Venezia Giulia from Mortegliano to Sappada, where the Piave originates. The last Saturday, for a change, will be Belluno-tinged from Lake Santa Croce to Bassano with a double climb of Monte Grappa. Then everyone took the train to the capital for the joyful final event in the shadow of the Colosseum.
All waiting for Tadej.
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