Italy continues to be the protagonist of the Grande Boucle. After the inaugural stage between Florence and Rimini, we leave from Cesenatico to arrive in Bologna. Final protagonist the Sanctuary of San Luca, which will be crossed twice by the registered runners. Another 200 kilometers with little difference in altitude between the start and finish (just 40 meters), but another 6 GPM, just one less than those faced today.
The tribute to Pantani
Cesenatico is the city of the Pirate, winner of the Tour in 1998, the last rider to have achieved the double with the Giro d’Italia in the same year. The group will travel alongside both Pantani Spacea museum dedicated to him by the city, which is also the cemetery that welcomes the great champion who passed away on Valentine’s Day 20 years ago. Between the start and the finish there are you are GPM. The last two concern the same peak, the Colle del Santuario di San Luca in Bologna. First ascent Monticino (2 km at 7.5% average), while halfway through the stage, near Imola, the first real climb of the day: the Gallisterna (1.2 km at 12.8%), memorable launching pad for the 2020 world champion Julian Alaphilippe.
Here there will be a tribute in passing, in nearby Brisighella, ad Aldo Ronconi: one stage (in Luxembourg), two days in yellow and just off the podium in Paris in 1947.
Once you have crossed the Montecalvo (2.7 km at 7.7%), here is the 18km final circuit ideal for attacks with a really tough final that includes the double climb of San Luca (1.9 km at 10.6%), where the students of the oldest university in the Western world (1088) they pay their vow to the Madonna. Tomorrow the two-wheel champions will also do it, with the hope of also being escorted by the Divine to Nice.
