Rimini, big party with the Tour de France on 29 June; while shortly afterwards the Azzurri kick off against Switzerland, in a city that also hosts the Gymnastics athletes in celebration.
On June 28th at 12.45pm the statue dedicated to Marco Pantani will be unveiled
The countdown has started: minus 5 to the historic arrival of the Tour de France. And yellow fever rises which, hour after hour, infects the whole city ready to dye and dress in theme. A color that, since yesterday, also meets blue. When everything seemed impossible, Zaccagni’s goal in the 98th minute gave Italy a place in the round of 16, making the Azzurri’s path cross with that of the most famous yellow race in the world. On Saturday 29 June the Tour is expected to arrive at around 5.34pm on the Lungomare di Vittorio at beach level 72. Shortly afterwards, at 6pm, the kick-off for Italy’s match against Switzerland will be blown ‘Olympiastadion in Berlin.
A gigantic Saturday of sport for Rimini, which will also be invaded in those days by thousands of artistic gymnastics and rhythmic gymnastics athletes, in the city to take part in Gymnastics in celebration, summer edition.
Yellow fever rises in Rimini
Rimini is ready to dye yellow. The symbolic monuments of the city return to light up with the color of the Tour: from 27 to 30 June the yellow lights will be turned on on the two-thousand-year-old Bridge of Tiberius and on the Arch of Augustus, also surrounded for the occasion by 6 thousand yellow flowers (‘tagetes giallo ‘), on Castel Sismondo and on the Fountain of the 4 Horses, crowned by 1500 ‘yellow tagetes’ blooming in the flowerbeds in the shade of the Grand Hotel.
And again the large ‘Rimini’ sign that stands out at the port (36 by 8 metres), the two three-dimensional structures dedicated to the Tour for taking selfies in Piazzale Fellini and the Arco d’Augusto, the large totems in Piazza Cavour and in the area of arrival.
In the name of the myth of the Pirate, the last cyclist ever to win the Giro d’Italia and Tour de France in the same year, one of the greatest champions of all time to whom the 2024 Tour pays homage together with Gino Bartali and Fausto Coppi, the inauguration of the large statue of Marco Pantani which will be unveiled on Friday 28 June at 12.45 in the Marecchia park area near the Tiberius Bridge. Thirty years after his first professional victory in the Giro d’Italia, when he arrived first at the finish line of the Dolomite stage Lienz-Merano and twenty years after his death, which occurred in Rimini on 14 February 2004, Rimini remembers Pantani with a statue ( 5 m high with a base of 4.40) which will be positioned looking at the Tiberius bridge. With this work, designed by the new ‘golden compass’ Aldo Drudi and donated to the city by a pool of sponsors in love with cycling and the Pirate, the intention is to enhance the legend of Pantani along the green and blue line that connects the hill to the sea.
Also in the name of the Pirate is the creation of the new cycle path in via Montescudo characterized by pink and yellow colors to remember the triumphs at the Giro d’Italia and the Tour de France. The cycle path, which covers the 1.2 kilometer stretch from the Casale ghetto to the Gaiofana, will be completed in the run-up to the arrival of the Tour de France.
And the initiatives of private individuals and tourist operators are still spreading: the Bike hotels in Rimini north organize outings on the Tour de France route for groups of foreign tourists, hundreds of stickers in homage to the Tour de France stand out on the beach establishments of Piacere beach Rimini, the yellow ride of the “lifeguard of Italy” Gabriele Pagliarani continues around the whole city with the colors of the Grand Boucle, the businesses associated with Confartigianato Imprese Rimini, and beyond, are dressed in yellow with decorations, stickers and posters to welcome the arrival of the most important cycling competition in the world in the best possible way. A fever that continues in these hours to infect Rimini residents and guests to reach the climax with the passage of the yellow caravan, the festive and colorful procession staged by the partners of the sporting event and which precedes the cyclists in the two hours before the start to enliven the crowd gathered at the edges of the route until the finish line, distributing gadgets, involving the fans and spectators waiting for the champions to parade before their eyes.
The main road signs
Already starting from June 26th there will be the first changes to the traffic system, which will extend in the following days with temporary parking and circulation bans which will concern in particular the streets that will be traveled by the yellow caravan and the race, as well as the roads and car parks that will host the advertising caravan and the Tour village.
The changes also involve local public transport lines and Hera’s waste collection operations.
Without prejudice to the closure, starting from June 28th, of the last km of the route (on the Lungomare Di Vittorio) in order to set up the finish line, the remaining race route will be closed starting from 2.00 pm on Saturday 29th June, resulting in the suspension of circulation for all vehicles (with the exception of emergency vehicles).
RACE ROUTE
The race will enter the Municipality of Rimini, passing through the Republic of San Marino, from the Customs border where, traveling along the entire SS 72, it will reach the new roundabout between the San Marino highway and the Statale 16 “Adriatica”.
Then the race will travel along the SS 16 in a southerly direction until the Befane roundabout where it will enter the town center of Rimini and, through viale Settembrini, viale Chiabrera and viale Firenze, it will reach viale Regina Elena. Here it will continue on this last street until Piazzale Gondar where it will reach Lungomare Di Vittorio, heading north, until crossing the finish line (located at bathroom 72).
RACE TIMES
The arrival of the advertising caravan (made up of over 100 vehicles) is expected at approximately 4.05pm.
The arrival of the first runners is expected at approximately 5.34pm.
MAIN ROAD MODIFICATION DEVICES
Tuesday 25 June
From 01:00 on 25/06 to 22:00 on 29/06, closure of the Viale Chiabrera car park (at the disposal of the Tour organisation).
Wednesday 26 June
From 6.00 pm on 26/06 to 10.00 pm on 29/06, closure of Lungomare Di Vittorio, in the stretch from via La Città delle Donne to via La Voce della Luna.
Friday 28 June
From 8.00pm on 28/06 to 10.00pm on 29/06, closure of the remaining stretch of Lungomare Di Vittorio, from Piazzale Gondar to Piazzale Benedetto Croce.
Saturday 29 June
From 10:00 to 20:00, closure of the entire area of the Rotonda Lucio Battisti and of via Colombo (section Vie Bianchi/Cappellini-Rotonda Lucio Battisti), Beccadelli (section Viale Vespucci-Lungomare Tintori) and Lungomare Tintori (section Viale Beccadelli -Via Bianchi).
The last 3 km of the race route (from the Befane roundabout to the finish line) will be closed to traffic from 2pm on Saturday 29 June.
ALTERNATIVE PATHS
To bypass the race route, the underpass of via Rodriguez can be used, which can also be reached from the southern area via the route via Varisco-via Macanno-via Acquabona-via Coriano.
For the occasion, to reach Via Coriano more easily, the road system inside the Gros will also be usable and passable (in both directions).
A14 HIGHWAY
The Rimini-Sud motorway toll booth will be closed on exits on Saturday 29 June from 2pm to 6pm (and in any case until the needs cease) while on entry it will remain open with the exception of the period of time between 5pm and the passage of the race, when the access roads will be closed and therefore the motorway toll booth will not be accessible.
For info: https://www.comune.rimini.it/tour-de-france-2024
