There Grand Depart abroad it is nothing new, on the contrary: it has already happened 25 other times in the past. The departure of Tour de France 2024 from Florence However, it remains historic: it is the first time in Italy. In the 110 editions preceding the Big Boucle she left from all the neighboring countries (except Andorra), but she had never decided to cross the Alps to pay homage to her cousins. And yet, right between France and Italy history was written of cycling. The lack is filled with this 111th edition. The historical anniversary is the centenary of the triumph of Ottavio Bottecchiathe first Italian to conquer the Tour way back in 1924. Behind the choice of Florence but there are also other reasons. He confessed it three years ago anyway Christian Prudhommethe director of the Tour, telling about a message sent to him by Matteo Renzi which was the spark to organize in 2024 the departure in Italy. A message whose paternity it is actually under discussion: in recent weeks it has been claimed by Dario Nardella, outgoing mayor of Florence. A mistery? In essence little changes: politically, local authorities – the Municipality of Florence and the – have moved to conquer the departure in Italy Emilia Romagna regionto which was then added the Piedmont – who dealt directly with the organizer Aso (Amaury Sport Organisation). A total cost among 8 hey 10 million eurosbut the economic return should be higher.
The three (and a half) stops in Italy
Thus we arrived at the Great Departure from Florence. But not only that: the Tour travels the first three stages entirely in Italy and also the beginning of the fourth. The first half, Saturday 29 June, is Florence–Rimini: 206 km crossing the roads of the Tuscan-Emilian Apennines to arrive on the Adriatic, with a passage also in San Marino. The second stage starts from Cesenatico and arrives at Bologna (which initially had itself been a possible starting point for the Tour): another 200 km, with passages through Ravenna, Faenza and on the Imola. Then on Monday 1st July the third stage, 231 km from Piacenza to Turinwith the beauty of in the background Langhe, Roero and Monferrato. Finally, the departure of the fourth stage from Pinerolo: it will be the first tough fraction, of mountainwith the Sestriere and then after crossing the border into France the transition to history Galibier (snow permitting) preceding the arrival downhill a Valloire. At that point the Tour will have definitively said goodbye to Italy.
The tribute to the great Italian champions
The design of the Italian stages is not only linked to agreements between local authorities and organizers. It was said about centenary of the company Bottecchiawho in 1924 was the first Italian to win the Tour but was also the first cyclist ever to wear the sweater yellow continuously from the first to the last stage. The Friulian also triumphed in Paris the following year. More generally, however, with the departure in Italy the Grande Boucle pays homage to the great Italian champions of cycling. The Florence of Gino Bartali And Gaston Nencinitwo other winners of the Tour. The race passes through the places dedicated to the memory of Bartali, yellow jersey in Paris in 1938 and 1948, whose 110 years from birth. The second stage starts from Cesenatico, the hometown of Marco Pantanithe last to make the historic feat Giro-Tour double In the 1998 (just this year Tadej Pogacar will try to emulate it). Finally the Piedmont of Fausto Coppithe first ever to achieve the same double in 1949 (he also won the Tour again in 1952). After 75 years, the French race pays homage to Coppi with a ride in his Tortona and with one Côte dedicated to him.
The message of Nardella (or Renzi?)
In addition to the charm of historical anniversaries, there are obviously years of history behind the departure of the Tour from Florence negotiations And winks. As the director of the Tour Prudhomme himself recalled, she was a real one anomaly that wasn’t there never been a departure in Italy, given the proximity to France and the great passion for the cycling that unites the two peoples. Three years ago, when everything was made official, Prudhomme told the French media: “A end March 2020in the midst of a pandemic, Matteo Renzi he sent me a message with a photo of his city with these words: ‘Florence empty, deserted but so beautiful. I haven’t forgotten the my dreams of the Great Departure. After the pandemic, let’s see. So things started again.” When he wrote that alleged message Renzi had not been prime minister nor mayor of Florence for some time. However, he was first citizen in 2013when the world of cycling. And already two years earlier, in 2011had begun to speak publicly with Prudhomme about a possible departure of the Tour from the Tuscan capital. Dario Nardella at the time he was Renzi’s deputy and was also the president of Promoting committee of the two-wheeled world championship. “So I started to establish relationships with Tour director Christian Prudhomme and French friends. We attempted a first candidacy in 2014but we lost very little to Leeds”, explained the outgoing mayor of Florence a few weeks ago in an interview with Tuttobiciweb. In the same interview, you stated that he was the one who sent the message during the pandemic: “In the midst of the Covid emergency, I sent a message with a photo of Florence completely empty, with the writing: ‘Florence beautiful and sad. Who knows if we will be able to make our dream come true’”. Who knows from whom he actually received the Prudhomme message: it is likely that the Tour director confused Nardella for Renzi. The fact is that it worked.
The role of Cassani and Emilia-Romagna
The operation was successful – Nardella himself admitted it – above all thanks to the collaboration between Florence and theEmilia Romagna. In fact, the project carried out by had already been under study for some time David Cassani, former runner and coach of the Italian national road cycling team. The idea was precisely to start the Tour from Bologna. There necessary expense but it is too high to be supported From one alone administration. In the end it was actually decided to merge the two projects: “Team up with Stefano Bonaccini and Emilia Romagna, subsequently also with Piedmont, allowed us to face the crisis with greater serenity economic challenge“, Nardella underlined again. The combined provisions of two long courtships thus led to the Grand Départ Florence Émilie-Romagne 2024. The Tour in Italy.
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