The Autodromo is ready to embrace the Tour de France today, for the first time in its glorious history. The riders will emerge at Piratella shortly before 3 pm and will travel almost a lap of the track, in its direction of travel, passing in front of the pits and exiting from under the tower.
“After the WEC and Formula 1, another great sporting event will be the protagonist on the asphalt of our Autodrome – comments Gian Carlo Minardi, president of Formula Imola –. The Tour de France is the most important professional team cycling race in the world and the images of Imola will be seen by millions of fans, another splendid postcard for our territory. And for the local public a special opportunity to admire champions such as Pogacar, Roglic, Vingegaard, who will be the undisputed protagonists of the race underline how once again the perfect teamwork between the Region, the Municipality and Formula Imola has led to this extraordinary result”.
The track will be open to bikes from 8 to 11 (helmet use is mandatory). Ciclistica Santerno, Uisp and Triathlon are organizing a self-managed rally, starting from Piazza Senna, including a final refreshment. The same sports associations have planned a free bike route for children. Piazza Senna will be animated with the musical proposals of Radio Bruno. The Autodromo shop will be open (simulators included), it will be possible to have lunch at Carburo and Doppio Malto. The Aver association (Associazione velocipedisti eroici romagnoli) will propose an exhibition of rare historic racing bikes.
“The passage of the Tour is an epochal fact, which happens once in a lifetime – underlines the general director of the Autodromo, Pietro Benvenuti –. Truly a great event. After Wec and F1, we are pleased to host the maximum competition dedicated to cycling. It’s a satisfaction for everyone who worked on it, we are happy to be able to plant it.”
The central grandstands of the Enzo e Dino Ferrari will be open today, available to those who want to watch the race also on the big screen that will show the images of the race live. From 13:00, from Piazza Senna it will be possible to enter the Autodromo on foot and head along the route, to the sides of the track, to be able to watch the race pass directly from the track.
For the circuit it is the closing of a cycle that has rewritten the recent history of the long love story (which began in 1968 with the legendary World Championship won by Vittorio Adorni) between Enzo and Dino Ferrari and bikes. After having hosted the stage arrival of the Giro d’Italia twice in a few years, in 2015 and 2018, the unforgettable 2020 Road World Championships and the 2021 Italian Championships. And now, even if only in passing, even the Tour de France.
“Imola has long cultivated a deep relationship with cycling”, recalls mayor Marco Panieri, once again expressing his full satisfaction with today’s event. A relationship destined to continue into the future, including the next one. In fact, the fourth stage of the Giro d’Italia women, the women’s version of the Corsa rosa, will start from here on Wednesday 10 July.
