There is no Giro without the sea and there is no sea without the Giro. And so the flat, blue horizon appeared before the gaze of the Giro-E riders, who today set off from Savona for the fourth stage, arriving in Andora after 84 kilometres, almost all along the coast and therefore rather tiring, not only due to the inclement weather, but because at over 25 kph the e-bike motors stop working, by law, and the group can rarely restrain itself to go below this speed on the plain.
It was unlikely that the cyclists took the time to explore Savona before the ride, but the city is definitely worth it. A journey to discover its beauty should start from the monument to the President of the Republic Sandro Pertini, born in the province and its most illustrious citizen. Then the Priamar Fortress, where Mazzini was locked up, the Brandale and Leon Pancaldo towers, the many palazzi, the museums, including All About Apple, about the history of the American brand. Allowing yourself to be tempted by the local cuisine is a must: a panissa or chickpea flat bread (turtellassu) in the alleyways, accompanied by a glass of Vermentino or Rossesse, and then off to the seaside.
The Savona-Andora stage
No fewer than 84 kilometres long, the first sea-view stage of the Giro-E Enel 2024 presents a flat, but not very flat altitude profile: today there are 800 metres of elevation. Partly due to the climb to Forte Ciuto (371 metres above sea level), reserved for the Giro-E, and partly due to the typical ups and downs of the coastal roads which, in the end, break your legs, also because the team captains really push you hard.
In its history, Savona has hosted five starts and five stage finishes of the Giro d’Italia (the last time in 2014).After 15 kilometres the stage joined the Giro d’Italia route, up as far as Andora. No one complained about the effort or the length of the stage: the pros clocked up an impressive 190 kilometres!
Cyclist of the day – Andrea Tafi
Happy Birthday, Mister Roubaix! It is our Andrea Tafi’s birthday today. Ours of us cycling fans, and ours of the Giro-E, because by now he is a regular. Current captain of the Wonders-Autostrade per l’Italia team, owner of a beautiful farmhouse (Il Borghetto Andrea Tafi) in his beloved Lamporecchio, in Tuscany, our Tafi is a giant of cycling, not only Italian: a professional from 1988 to 2005, long distance rouleur and one-day racing specialist. He has won three Monumento classics: Tour of Lombardy 1996, Paris-Roubaix 1999 and Tour of Flanders 2002.
How old is he? Let’s not pry: this champion is timeless!
City of Sport and Health, an opportunity for young people: the second stage of the ANCI workshops at the Giro d’Italia in Valdengo.
It is a positive experience that ANCI is carrying out in the municipalities where the Giro-E starts.
The objective of the workshops is to improve the level of engagement of the young population in the valorisation of cultural, naturalistic, food and wine resources and excellences of the area as drivers of sustainable local development, through the common thread of sport and its values.
On Wednesday 8 May, at 1.30 pm, a moment of discussion on young people and valorisation of resources, sport and intangible cultural heritage is scheduled, once again in the hospitality area of the Green Fun Village.
The agenda includes speeches by the Mayor of the Municipality of Massa Francesco Persiani, the Councillor for Sports of the Municipality of Massa Roberto Acerbi and the Councillor for Youth Policies of the Municipality of Massa Giorgia Garau, followed by qualified speeches on the topics of the day.
These appointments take place as part of the broader support and financing program for Italian municipalities under the National Youth Policy Fund, created through agreements with the Italian Department for youth policies and universal civil service of the Presidency of the Council of Ministers.
ANCI also kicks off the Giro-E stage in Valdengo with its own cycling team, led by skier Giorgio Rocca and made up, like every day, of local administrators and ambassadors of the area.
For info and registration click here: link
TICKETONE
One of the great innovations of the Giro-E Enel 2024 is that from this year it is possible to purchase tickets for participation in one or more stages of the event.5 places are available per stage: you will cycle with the RCS Sports & Events team. The minimum age is 17 years and a medical certificate is required for non-competitive sports.
Here is the link: Ticketone Giro-E Enel 2024
