Each coach – after subscribing to the website www.fantagiroditalia.it and following the basic rule “One team, 8 riders, one captain” – will create one or more teams (up to a maximum of 5) choosing 8 riders among those competing in the Giro d’Italia 2024 (the list will be periodically updated until the official list of starters is provided) and appoint one of them as captain. This is a very important role since the points earned by the team captain based on the order of arrival of each stage will be doubled. All within the limit of 100 Wolfies (the Giro d’Italia official mascot and “currency” of the FantaGiro d’Italia), the maximum credit available to buy riders and compose one’s own team.
The riders’ positions in the FantaGiro d’Italia rankings will be determined by their racing performances (stage finish + general, king of the mountains, points and youth classifications etc.) and by the “bonuses” and “maluses” provided for in the rules of the game, collected by each rider during the 21 stages as well as in pre-stage operations, signature’s check and prize-giving ceremonies.
The Bonuses include the MacGyver Bonus (+20 pts) awarded to the rider who repairs his own bike while remaining in the saddle, the Mr. Fix-it Bonus (+20 pts) earned by the rider who stops to carry out a repair or intervention on one of his teammates’ bikes, or the Good Samaritan Bonus (+20 pts) cashed by the rider who “lends” his bike to one of his teammates. Bonuses for the interaction between athletes and fans are also up for grabs: these include the Relatives’ Visit Bonus (+10 pts) for the rider who stops during the race to greet family, friends and/or supporters; the Picnic Bonus (+10 pts) for the rider who receives food/drinks from fans during the race; the Wheelie Bonus (+10 pts), doubled in case of wheelie on the finish line, or the Water Bottle Bonus (+10 pts) awarded for giving a water bottle to a small fan. Among the bonuses more closely related to race dynamics are: the Fugitive (+10), Epic Fugitive (+20) and Legendary Fugitive Bonus (+30) awarded to the rider who wins the stage with at least 20, 50 or 80 km in a solo breakaway, respectively; the Selfless Bonus of 10 points awarded to the rider in the Maglia Rosa who will lead out a teammate for the final sprint; the Stop & Go Bonus of 10 points for the rider who waits for a team-mate after a technical problem or a fall; or the Equipment Bonus of 3 points for the rider (and 1 to all the others in his team) who is caught on camera while grabbing water bottles, snacks, capes, gloves or other equipment from the flagship. Past and present champions will be honoured with ad hoc bonuses: these include the Coppi&Bartali Bonus (+10) for riders from different teams who exchange their water bottles, the Nibali Bonus in case of stage win in the snow (+30), the Gilbert Bonus for those who exult by lifting their bicycles to the sky (+10), the Kuss Bonus (+20) for those who drink while holding onto their champagne bottles for more than 10 seconds on the podium, the Ciccone Bonus (+10) for the stage winner who throws his glasses to the spectators as he is about to cross the finish line, and a tribute to the unforgettable Michele Scarponi with a bonus of 20 points if a bird lands on a rider’s shoulder.
The same rules apply to Maluses, awarded for both race dynamics and pre/post-stage situations. This category includes, for example, the Clumsy Malus (-10) and the Super Clumsy Malus (-20) for those who stumble or fall during signature’s check or prize-giving ceremony, respectively; the Bumbling Malus (-20) for the rider who fails to uncork the bottle on the podium, or the Teetotaller Malus (-10) for those who uncorks the bottle but do not take a sip. During the stage, the riders might likewise incur Maluses, such as the Wheel-Change Malus (-5), the Bike-Change Malus (-10), the “How Cold Is It?” Malus (-10) for the rider who is forced to stop to wear his cape, the Angry Malus (-20) for the rider who raises his hands at a colleague during the race, and the Irritation Malus (-20) for the rider who throws his bike to the ground as a gesture of anger. Among the heaviest Maluses, with a penalty of 30 points, are the Blasphemy Malus for swearing, the Dizziness Malus for falling off the ramp at the start of a time trial, the Early Celebration Malus for the rider who exults too early in victory and is overtaken on the finish line, as well as the Disqualification Malus of no less than -100 points.
Daily bonuses linked to specific features of the various territories touched by the Corsa Rosa will also be available, as well as Bonuses associated to the official partners of the FantaGiro d’Italia: Colnago, Drivalia and La Gazzetta dello Sport.
The rulebook, which is subject to possible changes until 3 May (the eve of the Grande Partenza of the Giro d’Italia 2024), is available on the website www.fantagiroditalia.it.
