With 5 months delate, until October 25, the 103rd edition of the cycling race will cross the Belpaese
On October 3rd, the prestigious annual multiple-stage race took off from Monreale in Sicily rather than from Budapest as originally planned. The city, with its 1174 Cathedral known as “the most beautiful temple in the world” and Byzantine mosaics, is a UNESCO World Heritage site. It is the 9th time that the Giro d’Italia starts in Sicily and the island will host 4 of the 21 stages. The last one will arrive on October 25th in front of the Duomo in Milan after a total of 3,497.9 km.
It is the 9th time that the Giro d’Italia starts in Sicily and the island will host 4 of the 21 stages
Among the champions taking part in this edition, there is the Slovakian Peter Sagan, who embodies modern cycling. The rider, able to sign his autobiography while climbing the Tourmalet and to make the fans dance at the starting rally, finally said yes to the Giro d’Italia. With him, there is Vincenzo ‘The Shark’ Nibali, already winner of the Giro in 2013 and 2016. Indeed, if the Shark manages to obtain the third pink jersey, he will cancel Fiorenzo Magni’s record and become the oldest winner of the Giro at 35 years and 11 months.
The Giro will also touch Matera, which is experiencing moments of splendor after being European Capital of Culture in 2019. It will arrive in Rimini for the centenary of Federico Fellini’s birth. While in Rivolto, in the province of Udine, the stage will take off under an exhibition of the Frecce Tricolori, the aerobatic demonstration team of the Italian Air Force. And for the 78th time in the 111 years of the Giro, the riders will reach Milan and its impressive Duomo.
Ilona Catani Scarlett