PORDENONE/UDINE – Towards the upcoming Giro d’Italia, with an added fear. The historic pink race is usually organised a year or more in advance. But for next year’s edition, which as always will take place in May, the scenario seems to have become more complicated. And this also concerns Friuli Venezia Giulia, which thanks to the ability and knowledge of Enzo Cainero, over the last twenty years it had regularly hosted some stages of the race. But the unforgettable manager from Udine also warned that no one can guarantee such a privilege. And for the 2025 edition which will be number 108 in the history of the Giro d’Italia, it appears that there is still a lot to decide.
The point
Paul Urbanithe man from Gemona who with passion and commitment has taken on the legacy of regional manager of Rcs-La Gazzetta dello Sport, the official and historic organizer of the Giro, had outlined the hypothesis that the first stage would start from Trieste with a subsequent second fraction destined to celebrate Gorizia, which together with the Slovenian Nova Gorica will be the “Capital of Culture”. But even international movements have intervened as a result of the recent strengthened political ties between Italy and Albania. And Tirana itself has requested and is obtaining to be the starting point in 2025.
This is much more than a hypothesis, so the subsequent development of the Giro is quite easily conceivable: it will be from Puglia to go up the country and up to the Alps. However, the grand finale at the Imperial Forums in Rome remains solid, thus aping the Tour de France with its Parisian Champs Elysees. An innovation that had already cost, last year, the final stage which, after the spectacular, unforgettable climbing of Lussari, was originally supposed to start from Udine and arrive in Trieste and instead was canceled at the last minute.
In home
And Friuli Venezia Giulia? It is known that President Massimiliano Fedriga is keen, but he too will presumably have to resign himself to “superior national interests”. However, it should not be ruled out that, perhaps, a solution will be found for the Gorizia stage. That would already be something. We will understand better in the coming weeks. Paolo Urbani is reportedly about to meet with Giro patron Mauro Vegni and mediation remains desirable. But, speaking of the future Giro d’Italia, the Destra Tagliamento has long been eager to host it, where sport in general and cycling in particular remain very popular. It seems that something good in this regard could happen in 2027, taking advantage of the centenary of Ottavio Bottecchia’s death. The Pordenone velodrome is in fact named after the champion from Colle Umberto – two-time winner of the Tour de France – and modernization works are planned for it, so that on the occasion of its 110th edition the Giro could finally pass through those streets and finish in the capital that has been waiting for it for a long time, having all the credentials to welcome it.
© ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
Read the full article at
The Gazzettino
