One of those days that you’ll never ever forget. This is what today will be like for the participants of the Giro-E, grappling with the second five-star stage (in the same week) of this edition. Departure from Tirano and arrival in Livigno. It conveniently avoids both Colle San Zeno and (above all) the Mortirolo, which the professionals will face, but climbs the Passo di Foscagno (15 kilometres at an average gradient of 6.5%), to then tackle the final climb of the Passo di Eira, from which you go up the Mottolino slope: just five kilometres but at an average of 7.6%, with peaks of 19%. Arrival at an altitude of 2,385 metres, having climbed a total of 2,350 metres in altitude in 69 kilometres. A real cyclist experience. You have to go back to Tirano, in the heart of the Alps, and preferably by bike. You can arrive by train, visit the loggias and gardens of the noble palaces of the historical centre, the imposing Basilica of the Madonna di Tirano which is the most important example of the Valtellina Renaissance, then take the Bernina Red Train towards new adventures, not without enjoying the splendid nature of the surroundings. By bike, obviously.
Tirano–Livigno (Mottolino) stage
Tirano has been a stage host for the Giro d’Italia with five starts (the last time in 2017) and three finishes (the last in 2011). In 2015, for one of his two victories in the Giro, Sacha Modolo, captain of the Trenitalia team at the Giro-E, started from Tirano (with the finish line in Lugano). Unprecedented is the arrival on the Livigno-Mottolino ski slope, where the snowboard and freestyle trials of the Milan Cortina Winter Olympic Games will take place in 2026. However, there were four occasions in which Livigno hosted the Giro d’Italia: in 1972 a successful stage arrival by Merckx (who would win that edition) and in 2005 a successful stage arrival by the Colombian Parra; in both cases, departure the next day.
The Alpine stage is always special. Over 5,000 metres of altitude range for the professionals, who start from Manerba del Garda and cover a total of 222 kilometres: all things considered, this fraction will strike fear in some; let’s think about the sprinters, for example. A blessed fear, which gives the rider the pleasure of the feat. Because “when the road climbs, you cannot hide”, as the Cannibal, Eddy Merckx, said.
Cyclist of the day – Cordiano Dagnoni
President since 2021 of the FCI – Italian Cycling Federation, former pistard (in his record ten Italian titles and three Europeans as a derny rider) and former president of the Lombard Regional Committee, Cordiano Dagnoni pedalled yesterday at the Giro-E Enel 2024: stage number 14, with a start from Montichiari and arrival in Desenzano del Garda.
“It’s my fourth time at the Giro-E. The first was actually in the inaugural edition. For half the stage yesterday, I pedalled alongside Minister Giorgetti, it was nice to discuss certain topics while cycling. For the rest I chatted with Marta Bastianelli, who recently joined the FCI women’s technical staff, and many other friends. The route was beautiful, very rough: it surprised me and, afterwards, it let me gauge the level of difficulty for athletes like Ganna to tackle stages like this. A banger for real racers. The final epilogue of yesterday, with Ganna winning in front of the Maglia Rosa, I, as an Italian and as president of the FCI believe it was unparalleled., The beauty of the Giro-E is precisely this: pedalling, and then enjoying the arrival of the champions. It is an event that sends out many messages: the importance of sustainable mobility, the beauty of discovering the area by cycling, the need to keep fit. I am a great supporter of the pedal-assisted bike, because it means I can go out with fitter friends and enjoy their company. Post-Nibali Italy? Two years ago we won five stages at the Giro, last year four, this year we already have four… Milan is there in the sprints, Ganna is there in the time trial, and we have a lot of young people. I particularly like Tiberi, who is doing well, but also Zana and Fortunato. We have a good youth movement, last year Italy was first in the Under 23 world ranking. Even if we don’t have the leading rider yet, we have a really good youth movement, in which there are no child prodigies, but kids who are slowly maturing, and that’s what counts.”
City of Sport and Health, an opportunity for young people: after the break, the ANCI workshops at the Giro d’Italia resume in Bolzano.
The third week also begins for the ANCI workshops in the municipalities hosting the Giro-E stage starts, like for the e-bike experience which takes place on the roads of the Giro d’Italia.
The appointment scheduled for the restart after the rest day is scheduled for Tuesday 21 May at 1 pm in Bolzano, as always in the hospitality area of the Giro-E Green Fun Village.
The workshop entitled “The cooperative relay – generational turnover in the world of work” will be an opportunity for reflections and ideas regarding the cooperative model, young people and community development.
Various actors from public administration and local cooperation will be taking part.
The general objective of the workshops is to improve the level of engagement of young people in the valorisation of resources in the area as drivers of sustainable local development, through the common thread of sport and its values.
This initiative takes 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.
Like in every stage, ANCI also kicks off the Bolzano Giro-E stage with its own cycling team, led by skier Giorgio Rocca and made up 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.
