The most passionate ones hold a phone in their hand to see the movements of cyclists in real time; others look for it best position to take pictures from a filming the long-awaited arrival. Someone is commenting on the match played yesterday by Italy at the European Championships, which resulted in a controversial elimination. Many are taking shelter in the shade. There are yellow shirts, yellow umbrellas, raised signs – one even says Australia -, pro-Palestine demonstrators, elderly people and children, people from Ravenna and tourists. In total there will be about 300 people gathered at Porta Serrata in Ravenna, at the entrance to Via di Roma, a historic road that cuts the city in two, crossing it from north to south, to witness the passage of the second stage of the ‘Grand Départ Italia’ (Cesenatico-Bologna) of the Tour de France 2024.
Cyclists set off around 12.15pm from Cesenatico – city of the legendary ‘Pirate’ Marco Pantani, the climber who achieved the ‘Giro-Tour’ double in 1998, a feat achieved by a select few – to reach Bologna in the afternoon.
The Tour de France certificate in Ravenna
A couple of boys are wearing Tour t-shirts and caps. «Yesterday we were in Rimini, then we came here to Ravenna and later we will go to Bologna – Daniel explains in English -. We came here from Prague to attend the Tour and we’re having a lot of fun. I’m not the real enthusiast, but my girlfriend Clara.”
«I love cycling and the Tour – says Clara -. Daniel gave me this trip for my birthday. Yesterday in Rimini we saw the passage of the first stage and it was very exciting. Today we came here to Ravenna. I’m really excited.”
A little further on two women they are sitting on the threshold of a door. They explain that they come from Colorado in the United States and are touring Europe by bicycle. They crossed Lithuania and Slovenia, then yesterday they arrived in Venice. “When we saw that the Tour de France was passing so close, we thought ‘We can’t not go and see it.’ And so we came to Ravenna, this time by train,” they say.
As the time of the passage approaches, more and more police and Tour cars begin to pass by. Some carry bicycles, others gadgets to distribute to the cheering public. The atmosphere is electric. «I’m in Mirabilandia» says someone in the crowd.
A gentleman 90enne he is sitting on a chair, which he brought from home, accompanied by his son and says: «If they had told me that the Tour de France would pass through Ravenna, I would never have believed it. When I was young, there weren’t all these events».
«I’m in Ponte Nuovo“, reports a gentleman positioned inside the ancient gate of the city, around 12.50. And there are those who, a few moments before, had the pleasure of admiring the fleet of cyclists passing in front of the basilica of Sant’Apollinare in Classea famous UNESCO monument, fixing in the memory an image of rare beauty destined to remain over time.
Located at the top of the climb up Via di Roma, Porta Serrata promises to be an excellent observation point for the race.
When the wait ends: a riot of cyclists in via di Roma
It is 1.03pm when the first 12 cyclists on the run they go up Via di Roma, then turn onto the San Gaetanino ring road and continue towards Faentina. 10 minutes later a colorful tide invades the street in a riot of emotions and acclamations.
In an instant the cyclists fill the view. As in a painting, they perfectly occupy the visual space that the Porta Serrata arch offers on Via di Roma. They seem to never end. But in a second they have already turned around the corner, disappearing towards the next objective. It really happened: the Tour de France crossed Ravenna.
Read also: For the passage of the Tour de France the town of San Michele pays homage to Felice Gimondi
