Florence, 7 June 2024 – It is not an exaggeration to speak of an increasingly frenetic wait to Florence and in Tuscany For the start of the Tour de France. In the next few days the city will be increasingly yellow, with buildings and monuments that will be illuminated, with flags, banners and drapes that will fly almost everywhere. It will also be an increasingly “armored” Florence with access and parking bans in the last days before departure, to allow preparation and to be able to work with a certain tranquility.
The week highlight it will be that from 23 to 29 Juneday of departure of the Big Boucle. Some corners of the city have already taken on a new look such as Piazza della Repubblica with the scoreboard inaugurated on March 21st when there were 100 days to go until the start, and which marks the time remaining until the big moment of the event. Florence will be in yellow including the facade of Palazzo Vecchio which will be illuminated, like other monuments and structures such as the San Niccolò tower and the San Frediano gate. Other points of the city will host giant yellow jerseys, while dozens of public light poles will also be affected by this yellow wave with the addition of special designs.
They won’t stay not even some historic buildings outside, because the Tour which leaves Italy for the first time and has chosen Florence, is a great event. Sometimes you have the impression that perhaps you don’t fully realize what will happen in those days. Up in the sky above Forte Belvedere, an airship will also be stationed which will launch confetti and streamers.
June 27th has been set the official presentation of the teams in the setting of Piazzale Michelangelo and on that occasion the general director of the Tour Cristian Proudhomme will take part in the tourist ride which will start from the Ponte Vecchio area and end at the Piazzale. On the 29th however everything will start from the Cascine park with the group of runners and the entire caravan which will move towards the historic center having Piazza della Signoria as a point of reference, then the caravan will parade on Ponte Vecchio to go up via Viale dei Colli at Piazzale Michelangelo.
From here downhill passing through the Gavinana area where Piazza Gino Bartali is located, with the statue that recalls the great Florentine champion to whom it is dedicated the first step as well as Gastone Nencini. The official start is in front of the Viola Park in Bagno a Ripoli. One of the many ordinances issued for the event reminds us that Piazzale Michelangelo will be closed for parking and transit from 6am on Tuesday 25 June until midnight on the 29th. Piazza Santa Croce will also be affected by the race, hosting the “yellow village” for enthusiasts .
And in the year in which for the first time in its history the Tour chose Italy for its start, it could not miss Ernesto Colnago, 92 years old, genius and master of cycling in the world. Already in previous years, the first bike brand in the world to do so, had created a special bike in honor of the Tour. This year’s bike was presented yesterday in all its beauty in the Sala dei Gigli of Palazzo Vecchio, and this event is part of in the Pitti Immagine program dedicated to bicycles and cycling which will take place from 26 to 28 June at the Stazione Leopolda. The event will be called Be Cycle and Colnago will exhibit its bicycles. The one created for the 2024 Tour is called C68 Fleur-de-Lys and enhances the lily, a key element of the bike’s design, the lily being a symbol full of meaning both for Florence than for France.
In short, the anticipation is growing and the dream is about to become reality.
