After three years, a man from Romagna returns to compete in the Giro d’Italia. It is Manuele Tarozzi from Faenza who yesterday was included in the list of Vf Bardiani cyclists who will take part from Saturday in the 107th edition of the Corsa Rosa which will start from Venaria Reale. Sudden and wonderful news, which arrived when we were preparing to see the third consecutive Giro d’Italia without athletes from Romagna (the last one was Belletti in 2021). In the unofficial list of starters, in fact, Tarozzi had not been included in the lineup of Bruno and Roberto Reverberi, only to reappear in yesterday’s official list in place of Alessio Martinelli from Valtellina. Without taking anything away from the Lombard cyclist, Tarozzi fully deserved the call-up to what will be the first Giro d’Italia of his career. He did it with his determination and courage, competing in every race with an uncommon fighting spirit and with the unique combination of knowing how to take risks and clock up many kilometers facing the air. And this is how Bardiani’s masterpiece double in the first stage of the “Comunitat Valenciana” was born (victory for Alessandro Tonelli in a parade over Tarozzi), the best climber’s jersey at the “Coppi e Bartali”, but also the excellent 12th place in the general classification at the recent “Presidential Tour of Turkey”. And they are the same ingredients that Bardiani will ask of the rider Manfredo in the upcoming Giro d’Italia and that Tarozzi will certainly try to reciprocate with many kilometers on the run. The declared objective of the Reggio Emilia team is the stage victory, but also with an eye on the general classification with the very expert Domenico Pozzovivo who on Saturday will equal Vladimiro Panizza’s record with 18 participations in the Corsa Rosa.
A Tour of Faenza
Tarozzi on the street, Cassani on television and the passage of the pink race on Friday 17 May (Riccione-Cento). And it’s a shame that Raffaele Babini is no longer officially the race director, otherwise Faenza would have hit the jackpot in the next Giro. Tarozzi was launched into professionalism by the InEmiliaRomagna Team and with the decisive contribution of Davide Cassani. A further stimulus for Tarozzi, who could put Cassani’s impartiality in serious difficulty in his newfound role as Rai technical commentator.
