Stage 6
Torre del Lago Puccini (Viareggio) > Rapolano Terme
Viareggio and Torre del Lago
Thanks to its clamorous carnival, or the more ancient and discreet festivities that were once held in the sumptuous Art Nouveau palaces overlooking the seafront, Viareggio always has something of a party atmosphere. Don’t forget to pay a visit to the Darsena, the heart of the lively nautical district: this is where most of the superyachts that we observe with a certain envy in the many ports of the Mediterranean are built. And it’s no coincidence, given that no fewer than 10 of the world's leading shipbuilding brands have their headquarters in Viareggio. The riders' day starts in Torre del Lago Puccini, the small town overlooking Lake Massaciuccoli, where composer Giacomo Puccini had his villa built (now a museum) to spend the last period of his life. After a few kilometres, the grandiose white silhouette of the Certosa di Calci can be seen from far away. In the village of Calci, one of the roads up Monte Serra begins. This is a historic training ground for Tuscan riders and a detour here should be experienced as a sort of pilgrimage to what is considered a natural sanctuary for two-wheelers.
The surroundings
The stage, however, continues on flat ground. Passing through Ponsacco and the Valdera, the peloton reaches Lajatico, Andrea Bocelli's hometown, embellished by a remarkable number of contemporary works and installations including the famous Teatro del Silenzio, a visionary example of eco-architecture and Land art.
The next stop is in Volterra, one of the most famous Etruscan cities in the country, whose history is celebrated in the Guarnacci Museum through a collection of artefacts from that distant era with few equals in terms of value and quantity. The Ecomuseum of alabaster, set up in a beautiful tower house, celebrates the most important craftsmanship of the place.
The spa of Rapolano
From here to the finish, there will be almost no flat ground to play with, as the riders will tackle the hills of Val d'Elsa crossing the towns of Casole d'Elsa and Colonna di Montarrenti, in the Sociville area. The time has finally come for the treacherous, but fun for those not in the race, white roads. While waiting for their favourite champions, fans will have the opportunity to visit the medieval centre of Asciano and the nearby Abbey of Monte Oliveto Maggiore. The wellness temples of Rapolano Terme are a little further on, beyond the finish line of the sixth stage of the Giro. Nothing better to relax and get in shape at the end of a busy day.
On the same day, the SiConnectSi (Siena - Rapolano - Sinalunga) project will be presented, consisting of two bicycle routes of about 50 km that converge in Rapolano Terme starting from Siena and Sinalunga. Additionally, some cycling itineraries in the Rapolano area will be shown, and a video dedicated to the "Garibaldi Gravel" route will be projected, retracing the itinerary of Giuseppe Garibaldi, who, in August 1867, stopped in Rapolano Terme to treat the after-effects of the wound he suffered in the battle of Aspromonte.
