for the Region “two days of success” [FOTO] – Targatocn.it

“The culmination of work that began years ago and a truly enormous opportunity for Piedmont. It was yesterday for Turin, for Monferrato, for the Langhe, for the Roero, for the Alessandria area, it was today for Pinerolo and the Olympic mountains. Millions of people from all over the world watched the two stages on television and saw Piedmont, savouring its beauty thanks to a wonderful sport like cycling. All this makes us say that if we have managed to bring tourism to 10% of the regional GDP it is because there is a lot of work behind it, of which sporting events are certainly a fundamental piece”: this is what the President of the Region declared Alberto Cirio commenting on the two days of the Tour de France presence in Piedmont.

“As soon as the pandemic was over – Cirio added – we thought it was appropriate to identify events that would say ‘Piedmont is here and waiting for you’. We saw this opportunity in the Tour de France, we believed in it, we entered into a strategic alliance with the Municipalities of Turin and Florence and with the Emilia Romagna Region, and the dream became reality. Our intention is to increase the desire to come to Piedmont throughout the world because in Piedmont you feel good. And the Tour has proven to be one of the most effective vehicles for this promotion”.

The regional councillor for Culture, Tourism and Sport is on the same wavelength Marina Chiarelli: “The passage of the Tour de France was a seal of authority and quality for our Piedmont and underlines once again its strategic importance as a natural location for major international events. This prestigious sporting event confirms not only the attractiveness of the territory, but also its ability to work as a team to manage major challenges at all levels. The Piedmontese baggage of skills is now tested and has proved fundamental this time too in ensuring the success of such a complex event, demonstrating to the entire world the excellence and competence of our communities”.

Yesterday the Piacenza-Turin, the third stage of the Grande Partenza which took place for the first time in Italy, proved to be a extraordinary postcard of Piedmont as it focused attention on the UNESCO World Heritage sites and recalled the deeds of Fausto Coppi.

Today it was the turn of Pinerolo and the views of the Olympic mountains. A real mountain stage characterized by the climb to the 2035 meters of the Colle del Sestriere in front of the monument dedicated to Fausto Coppi, and to the 1,860 of the Colle del Monginevro before crossing the border, the climb to the Col du Galibier and the arrival in Valloire. At the start of the stage were present the president Cirio and the regional councilor for the Mountains Marco Gallo.

Side events

Before the arrival of the runners in Turin, President Cirio, with Mayor Stefano Lo Russo and Councilor Chiarelli, attended the award ceremony for the eight children who won the graphic competition “dictato del Tour”, reserved for Piedmontese students aged 9 to 12.

Subsequently, the journalists present in the press room set up in the Inalpi Arena were able to taste two original proposals:

– the aperitif “La Musette” (in memory of the name of the small cloth bag given to cyclists at refreshment points, containing food and water supplies), the fruit of the talent and creativity of Gigi Barberis, a bartender from Alessandria, strictly yellow and based on lemon juice, salted chamomile syrup, white bitter, citron and ice;

– the gianduiotto “Piemonte dolce Tour” in the preparation of the pastry chef Giovanni dell’Agnese, covered with yellow-colored cocoa butter that combines gianduia chocolate with a bonet insert and including a small chocolate Mole Antonelliana and a Piedmont hazelnut and the gianduiotto by Guido Castagna wrapped in a special yellow-colored package.

And the spotlight was on Piedmont also at the time of the awards ceremony on the podium in Turin: President Cirio and Councillor Chiarelli participated in the awarding of the yellow jersey to Richard Carapazdi. IT TOHthe artistic project inspired by the Torét by the artist Nicola Russo and which supports the Piedmont Foundation for Cancer Research, and the Jonas Abrahamsen polka dot shirt (best climber) of a ceramic hot air balloon produced exclusively for the occasion from the artisans of Mondovì with the logos of the Piedmont Region, Tour de France, Vineyard Landscapes of Langhe-Roero and Monferrato and of a magnum of Barbaresco.