Saturday 29 June 2024 Rimini will host the first stage of the 111th edition of the Tour de Francewhat better opportunity than the Grand Départ to discover some bike itineraries in Romagna?
One hundred years after the first Italian victory signed by Ottavio Bottecchia, there Big Boucle will depart from Florencea few kilometers from the birthplace of the two-time winner Gino Bartali, Ponte a Ema, to reach the Romagna Riviera, land of Marco Pantani.
Along the race route we will also pass through the lands of Gastone Nencini and Fausto Coppi, in short, a tribute to the close link between the history of the most important cycling race in the world and some of the Italian winners in Paris.
The Italian departure had been talked about for over ten years, but if the project came to fruition it was thanks tocommitment of the Emilia Romagna Region and the pact made with the Piedmont Region and the Municipality of Florence.
In addition to the unprecedented Italian departure, the other big news is represented by the 3847 meters of altitude difference on the first day of the racetruly unique in the over one hundred year history of the Tour.
Hosted by Visit Romagna / Apt Servizi and the Terrabici bike hotel consortium, a month in advance of the runners’ passage, we cycled on the roads that will award the first yellow jersey.
Here are three itineraries that the particular climatic conditions of the Romagna hinterland allow you to travel twelve months a year.
By bike in Romagna for our Grand Départ
Itinerary nr.1: on the fortress of San Marino
In 2026 Rimini will host Velo-city, the world cycling summit. Beyond the yellow that is invading the streets and squares of Rimini, the vocation bike friendly of the city materializes in a network of 130 km of cycle paths that allow you to move around safely within the urban center and when traveling to other coastal or inland locations.
Starting from the Rimini district of Viserbawe warmed up our muscles by reaching Saint Archangel of Romagna and subsequently, Poggio Berni. After crossing the Marecchia river at Ponte Verucchio we climbed for 4.5 kilometers up to 300 meters of the Malatesta Fortress of Verucchio from which you can enjoy a spectacular view of both the coast and the hills and mountains of the Romagna hinterland.
After a short descent, we crossed the border into San Marino territory by pedaling towards Mount Windywhere a sign indicates a maximum slope of 18%. A beautiful series of hairpin bends took us to the historic center, to the iconic Piazza della Libertà where the Public Palace of the Republic of San Marino is located.
After the ten kilometers of climb which led us to the main square of the capital, we returned to Monte Ventoso to follow a descending ridge which took us at high speed up to the Parish Church of San Lorenzo a Monte.
The last effort of the day earned us the magnificent piadine from Agriturismo Germolio, immersed in a spectacular olive grove. Amply refreshed we crossed the center of Rimini to reach the pier, where a huge yellow sign is ready to be filmed by the cameras placed on the helicopters of the Tour de France aerial shots.
In this 81 km ring you overcome a height difference of 1200 metres.
Itinerary nr.2: the other Barbotto
The leader of the second itinerary in the Romagna hinterland was the president of the APT Emilia Romagna, Davide Cassani. With seventeen cycling world championships behind him (9 as a rider and 8 as technical commissioner of the Italian national team), for almost two years Cassani has been busy body and soul in taking care of the final details before the Grand Départ of the Tour de France.
Despite his managerial commitments and those at the Rai microphones, seeing him in the saddle no one would say that he abandoned competitive activity for almost thirty years. From Rimini to Bellaria and then to San Mauro Pascoli and Savignano sul Rubicone we pedal constantly above 30 km/h. Having crossed the river like Julius Caesar, the die has been cast for us cyclists too: they begin the ups and downs of the Rubicone Valley which, after about thirty kilometres, take us to the foot of “the Romagna Alpe d’Huez”. With seventeen hairpin bends in just three kilometresthe climb that leads to Sogliano al Rubicone it really feels like a scaled-down version of the transalpine ascent. Once you reach the top, however, the effort is not over.
Cassani greets us in Strigara and we continue towards Colle del Barbotto on the side that is usually tackled downhill during the Nove Colli. After Montegelli a ramp to 15% lengthens our group, then we arrive at Bar del Barbotto, where the owner Francesco Mazzoni welcomes us. Since the end of May, in front of the restaurant inaugurated by the current owner’s grandparents in 1947, a monument celebrates Marco Pantani who was a customer during his training sessions.
A stop for piadinas and we set off again, descending into the Uso Valley And from here to Sant’Arcangelo di Romagna and then finishing in Rimini a 92 km ring with a difference in altitude of 950 meters.
Itinerary n.3: destination Montescudo
The last day on the pedals takes us to the border with the Marche. Starting from Viserba we enter the historic center passing the Tiberius Bridge, a node that joins two large consular roads, the Via Emilia which proceeds towards the North West and the Via Flaminia which heads towards the South West.
Andrea leads us on the cycle path that crosses the Alcide Cervi, Fabbri and Giovanni Paolo II parks. The first ascent of the day is to San Lorenzo in Correggiano. It is just the appetizer of the 10 kilometer climb that leads up to the 370 meters of Montescudo. It is a pedalable climb which, only in the final stretch, reaches double-digit gradients.
About ten kilometers downhill and we reach Corianothe locality in which it is located The History of Sica museum that commemorates the motorcycle exploits of Marco Simoncelliwho tragically passed away due to an accident during the 2011 Malaysian GP.
We go down to Riccione and, subsequently, we reach the Rimini seafrontwhere an extremely functional cycle path takes us to the place where the first yellow jersey of the 2024 Tour de France will be awarded.
This ring has a length of 59 km and a difference in altitude of 585 metres.
[la foto di copertina sulla Salita di Sogliano al Rubicone è di Andrea Biondi]
