“Today Florence and Tuscany are experiencing a great celebration and a huge emotion. It is a historic moment, let’s enjoy this occasion to the fullest.”
Thus President Eugenio Giani in a packed and festively dressed Piazza della Signoria where the official starting ceremony of the 111 Tour de France took place.
At 12.21 the ribbon cutting, in front of the Loggia dei Lanzi: with the president Giani, the new mayor of Florence Sara Funaro, the president of the regional council Antonio Mazzeo, the former mayor Dario Nardella, numerous authorities and representatives of the main Tuscan administrations who made this historic departure of the Tour from Italy possible by supporting the event in various ways; with them also Prince Albert of Monaco.
Then, amidst applause, the cyclists rode towards Ponte Vecchio, while fountains of fireworks exploded on the Arengario and Queen’s ‘Bicycle’ blared.
“Florence and Tuscany – continued Giani – are at the centre of the largest cycling event and cycling has a historic and indissoluble bond with our region, cemented by the memory of the deeds of Tuscans who made this sport great, first of all Gino Bartali, but also Gastone Nencini, Alfredo Martini, Paolo Bettini, Franco Ballerini, without forgetting the current Italian champion Alberto Bettiol”.
Then the runners passed from Piazzale Michelangelo and then off towards km 0 in Bagno a Ripoli, near Viola Park, where they arrived just before 1pm for the actual start. Also greeting them during the passage were the presidents Giani and Mazzeo and the new mayor of Bagno a Ripoli Francesco Pignotti.
