Stage 9
Cervia > Corno alle Scale
From the Romagna coast to the Apennines, through history, nature and scenic mountain views.
Cervia
The beaches of Romagna are famous all over the world, as is the level of hospitality offered to visitors. The same is true in Cervia, the starting point of the ninth stage of the Giro. But there is much more here. The town’s history is closely linked to its salt pans - still active today - and to the wealth they once generated. The historic center is laid out in the so-called Quadrilatero, an urban plan created at the end of the 17th century, which preserves landmark buildings such as the Cathedral and the Town Hall. Evidence of its productive past can be seen in the Salt Warehouses overlooking the canal port, alongside the San Michele Tower, a defensive structure built to protect the town and its salt reserves. The connection with the sea is instead evident in the canal port and Borgomarina, the old fishermen’s district.
The race continues through the countryside of Emilia-Romagna. It is perhaps no coincidence that this region is home to leading companies producing agricultural machinery exported worldwide.
The next must-stop for fans is Bologna, only briefly touched by the Giro but absolutely fascinating for cycling enthusiasts: the climb to the Sanctuary of San Luca is a true monument of the sport, lined by a portico with more than 600 arches - the longest in the world. A visit to the city inevitably includes Piazza Maggiore and the iconic Asinelli and Garisenda towers, ever-present in Bologna’s skyline.
The peloton then enters the Reno Valley, passing through Pontecchio Marconi. It is a curious detail that, in an era when riders are constantly connected to their team cars via radio, the race passes through the village where the Nobel Prize-winning physicist carried out his first experiments in wireless telegraphy. The work of Guglielmo Marconi and the history of telecommunications are celebrated in the museum housed in Villa Griffone, his family home.
In Marzabotto, homage is paid to the victims of one of the most tragic civilian massacres of the Second World War. The route then heads toward the finish, passing through Lizzano in Belvedere, home to an interesting Quartz Museum. As the finish line approaches, riders pass near the evocative Sanctuary of the Madonna dell’Acero (16th century).
Corno alle Scale
Corno alle Scale is the most important ski resort in the Bologna area, the place where Alberto Tomba laid the foundations of his extraordinary career. Yet even outside the winter season, its dense network of trails, the sweeping views from the Apennine ridge, the remnants of the Gothic Line, and the scenic Lake Scaffaiolo offer irresistible attractions.
