Bologna, 29 June 2024 – Always the Colle della Guardia in Bologna is the protagonist of the most beautiful pages of the Italian cycling and now it will also enter the legend of Tour de Franceprotagonist of the second stage of the Italian Grand Depart.
Give her amateur races to the amateur ones, from the youth to the professionals of the Giro d’Italia, of the classic at the end of the season Tour of Emilia and now the Grand Boucleunder the Basilica of San Luca champions cried and rejoiced, with unforgettable memories for them and for the public who were lucky enough to see, in color or black and white, these moments that will stand the test of time.
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Tour de France schedule from Cesenatico to Bologna: where it passes today
‘Fiorenzo the Magnificent’, symbol of suffering
In its 2.2 km it is a litany of dry tears e duri the face of is carved in the asphalt Florence Magni who with the grit of the Mugello lion, clenched between his teeth with anger and pain a inner tube tied to the handlebarsthe only pretext he could have had to complete that task Tour of Italy. Was the timed climb of the 1956 Giro and Fiorenzo Magni, who fell on the descent of Volterra, decided to continue strenuously the Tour with a fractured collarbone, becoming the symbol of the suffering of every cyclist chasing a dream. That ribbon held between his teeth was the only thing he could relieve his excruciating pain suffered on the climb, starting even against the doctor’s negative opinion but with a determination that perhaps no longer exists today and which earned him the name of ‘Florence the Magnificent‘ given to him by Ugo Tognazzi and Raimondo Vianello, who were following the Giro.
Saint Luke and the glorification of champions
There are several episodes that have been seen glorify champions who challenged fate by pedaling alongside the 666 arches bedeviled of the porch to the top. San Luca entering the stage race Menton – Rome of 1961 with the two-man fight between Guido Carlesi and Tom Simpson who died six years later on Mont Ventoux. He will wait more than 20 years to return to greatness on the Colle della Guardia in 1984 Francesco Moser with the arrival, however, bowing to Moreno Argentin followed by Fignon in the pink jersey who will lose in the last stage. At the Giro San Luca he returns as a protagonist again in 2009: in the Campi Bisenzio – San Luca it is the Australian Gerrans who finds the good shot and precedes Bertogliati and Gavazzi. The pink jersey remains that day on the shoulders of the Russian Menchov, with a pacing Di Luca who can do nothing to oust the leader. Ten years later the Giro returns to the Colle della Guardia with the prologue of the Gran Partenza from Bologna: the time trial ends with a sumptuous podium that sees the first place Primoz Roglicfollowed by Simon Yates and Vincenzo Nibali.
Epic climb that immortalized great feats
An epic climb which is also the historical protagonist of the Tour of Emilia. The protagonist in 1986 is Hubert Seizin 1987 Bernard comes back to the Argentin – Fondriest duo, in 1991 it is Cassani’s turn after an escape born on the ramps. Climb that since 1999 the GSEmilia of Adriano Amici has definitively become the arrival of the race after some intermediate passages putting great names in the roll of honor. Many feats remain in the eyes, from the solo of Simoni emerging from the fog in 2005, Ullrich’s great victory, then Rebellinthe classy thrust by Bartoli in 2002 with a sprint on the Orfanelle curve, Basso’s sprint on Casagrande, then Franck Schleck, Di Luca, Gesink, Nairo Quintana, Ulissi, Bakelants, Chaves, Visconti, De Marchi, Primoz Roglic and many others.
Now even the Tour de France has chosen to pass over the Colle della Guardia, recognising its great value and spectacular nature, also consecrating it as a climb of the Grand Boucle.
