Florence, 22 June 2024 – Pope francesco received in Vatican in audience the delegation of the Tour de France, the race that will start from Florence and Italy for the first time in history. The outgoing mayor of Florence Dario Nardella and the Tour Director, Christian Prudhomme, led a representation of the institutional bodies of the promoting committee: Metropolitan City of Florence, Emilia Romagna Region, Piedmont Region. Also present was the former cycling champion and current director of the promoting committee Davide Cassani. The other members of the delegation are the sports councilor Cosimo Guccione, the sports delegate of the metropolitan city Nicola Armentano and the organizational manager of Florence Jacopo Vicini.
“The Pope was as always attentive and lively, he urged us to support sport in all its forms, including as a form of health promotion – Nardella declared in a note -. During the conversation we also focused on the importance of sport for young people, who without this activity risk getting lost. I greatly appreciated the Pope’s curiosity and attention towards this great international event and towards the social role of sport. Closing my mandate with this audience and with the celebrations of the patron saint John the Baptist is the greatest gift I have received and which makes me once again proud of my city and full of emotion.”
