TERAMO – The first initiatives promoted by the Gran Sasso Laga GAL and the municipalities involved in the 8th stage of the Giro d’Italia Spoleto-Prati di Tivo, whose arrival is scheduled for Saturday 11 May, were presented this morning in Teramo. Mayor Pietracamela Antonio attended the press conference Villainsthe mayor of Isola del Gran Sasso Andrea Iannithe mayor of Montorio al Vomano Fabio Loudthe president of the GAL Gran Sasso Laga Carlo Matonein addition to Maurizio Ants contact person for Abruzzo for RCS Sport and Luigi Of Josiah GAL consultant for sporting events.
With the 2024 edition, the pink race returns after 49 years to the Teramo side of the Gran Sasso, thanks to the commitment of the Gran Sasso Laga GAL which last year put forward the “candidacy” to the president of the regional council Marco Marsilio to bring it to the attention of the organizers. And so it was. For the record, in that sunny May of 1975 Giovanni Battaglin arrived first on the Abruzzo mountains with the Jolly Ceramica team, while the winner of the Giro d’Italia that year was Fausto Bertoglio of the same team.
This time too Prati di Tivo will represent an important moment of the race, considering that it is the first real climb of the Giro and will certainly provide information on the protagonists most credited with the final victory. After the departure in Umbria, the caravan will enter Abruzzo in the Capitignano area and then cross Montereale and Campotosto in the province of L’Aquila and enter the province of Teramo between Aprati di Crognaleto and then Pietracamela; the city of Montorio al Vomano was identified as the headquarters of the stage.
“An extraordinary opportunity to promote the area considering the great media circus that follows the race – said Carlo Matone, president of the Gran Sasso Laga GAL – but also a moment of celebration for all enthusiasts who will be able to admire the champions along the road that will lead to the arrival of the stage, showcasing not only our landscape and artistic excellence but also a beautiful audience setting, demonstrating sporting participation by the citizens, always respecting the places and therefore the environment”.
To encourage citizens’ participation, the Gran Sasso Laga GAL in agreement with the municipalities of Montorio al Vomano and Pietracamela has promoted some initiatives which involve the organization of shuttle buses and the presence of services and itinerant refreshment activities along the route. The details of this and other activities will be made known in the next few days, but it is certain that the starting point has been established for the morning of Saturday 11 May near the “Pigliacelli” stadium in Montorio al Vomano where it will be possible to park, with arrival in Pietracamela; from here, for safety reasons, it will only be possible to continue on foot and move freely along the approximately 6 km that lead to the arrival village. The return of the car is expected in the evening.
“We hope that the difficulty that has prevented us from asphalting the road until now will be overcome in a short time – clarified the mayor of Pietracamela Antonio Villani – considering that we are just a few days away from the event. It would be an own goal that we cannot afford. For the rest, we are fully committed to guaranteeing the best welcome for the caravan and enthusiasts; we are evaluating the possibility of positioning a couple of large screens in strategic areas to allow television images to be seen. Finally, on the eve of Friday 10 May we will organize a big ‘Waiting for the Giro’ party with Setak’s concert”.
“I am very attached to Prati di Tivo – revealed Maurizio Formichetti, contact person for Abruzzo for RCS Sport, organizer of the Giro d’Italia – both for the sporting events and for the admiration of a beautiful place that we would like to see reborn from a tourist point of view also thanks to this occasion. I hope that the people of Abruzzo and Teramo will show all their warmth to the cyclists along the route, as happens throughout Italy and in the major competitions around the world and therefore we can only applaud the GAL’s initiative to encourage public participation”.
The mayor of Montorio al Vomano, Fabio Altitonante, was also satisfied: “We will host the headquarters of the stage and guarantee the best welcome to the organizers and to the many Italian and foreign journalists accredited inside the Convento degli Zoccolanti, where we will also make sure to make our food and wine delicacies known”.
The president of the GAL Carlo Matone and the Mayor of Isola del Gran Sasso Andrea Ianni then returned to the issue of the lighting of the “paretone”: “The Park had made a commitment to President Marsilio that if the municipality of Isola had carried out the Vinca (Environmental Impact Assessment) with a positive outcome, it would have complied with the decision; well, with the latest act published on the praetorian noticeboard, the Park has disregarded this commitment and has actually anticipated that in any case it would have denied the authorization for the initiative. A grotesque affair which however will not be able to overshadow such an important event for our community.”
During the press conference, the consultant for the GAL’s sporting activities, Maurizio Di Giosia, anticipated that the “Teramano Apennines Transhumance Cycle Route” project is nearing completion, 9 itineraries that cross the territory for approximately 325 km, each with an average length of around 40 km, destined to attract many two-wheel enthusiasts and tourists.
LISTEN TO CARLO MATONE
LISTEN TO ANDREA IANNI
LISTEN TO MAURIZIO FORMICHETTI
