Giro-E Stage 12, Bartali would have liked it.
“This is all wrong”. Who knows if Gino Bartali would have reacted in this way, seeing the Giro-E pedal-assisted bikes “invade” the territory of his beloved Giro, which he won three times, between 1936 and 1946. As it happens, Ginettaccio is one of today’s tributes to the Pink Race. Stage number 12, in fact, passed through Ponte a Ema, the birthplace of the Righteous among Nations.
The electric Giro started a few kilometres later, already past Florence. But it didn’t lose anything, because it offered its participants three of the four climbs of the day. Start from Pontassieve, therefore, already on the Giro route. The start was uphill, towards the Passo della Consuma, 18 kilometres in length, 5.7% average gradient. Then the peloton crossed the province of Florence and entered the province of Arezzo and its spectacular forests of the Casentino. Then it was back up to the Passo della Calla, with double-digit gradients, enhanced by rain mixed with hail. Next was a long descent to Santa Sofia and then the Passo del Carnaio, the last rough spot of the day, shorter in length but with gradients up to 14% steeper than the Passo della Calla. Another descent, challenging, up to five kilometres from Bagno di Romagna, where the finish line was. In short, full Apennines, 2500 metres of elevation gain, almost one hundred kilometres (96 to be precise). A tough stage, therefore beautiful, three stars all deserved. Bartali would have liked it.