by Maddalena de Franchis
Much more than just a sporting event. In the name of yellow – the symbolic color of the Tour de France, the first stage of which starts today from Florence towards Rimini – communities gather, initiatives are promoted, the streets are decorated, and themed menus are prepared. The enthusiasm that, in these hours, dominates our localities affected by the route is genuine: the feeling of being, up there in the Apennines, for a day at the center of the world.
Far from the mass tourist circuits of the Riviera, burdened by progressive depopulation, demographic winter and hydrogeological instability, the small villages are now enjoying the international limelight, ready to demonstrate that yes, they too are ready to welcome the greater tourist flows generated by the event. The RaiSport cameras will be on from 8, then moving on to RaiDue at 14.
2 pm will be approximately the time when the group will arrive at the Valico dei Tre Faggi, the highest point of the stage at 950 meters, thus entering the first of 38 municipalities in Emilia-Romagna (3 in the Forlì area): Premilcuore. Along the entire route, the passage of the athletes is preceded by about two hours by the parade of the Tour advertising caravan, which includes hundreds of vehicles and will entertain the public with music and the distribution of gadgets. The group will go down the provincial road 3 of Rabbi: it is closed to traffic from 11 am to 3:30 pm starting from the hamlet of Strada San Zeno; same times on the Bidentina and along the Forche and Carnaio. At the height of the Rocchetta hotel, which reopens today, a street food point will be open all day, with tripe, lampredotto and local products, including typical cured meats and cheeses.
Galeata and Santa Sofia, the other two municipalities in the Forlivese area, are also buzzing: you will arrive at Strada San Zeno (formerly the municipality of Galeata) around 2.30pm. Here, after crossing the bridge over the Rabbi, the race will take the Sp24 ‘Forche’, traveling along it until it reaches the Bidente valley and the town of Galeata (between 2.35pm and 2.41pm). The Mountain Grand Prix will be held on the Forche pass. In the town, the Pro Loco and the mountain bike association purchased 2,500 yellow t-shirts to distribute to the public.
The stage will continue along the Bidentina, uphill towards Santa Sofia, where the runners are expected at 2.45pm, and then turn towards the Sp26 Carnaio: the second Mountain Grand Prix will take place at the pass of the same name (between 3pm and 3.15pm ). Here, as at the Tre Faggi and on the Barbotto in the Cesenate area, a full house of fans is expected (who in many cases will also be tourists arriving specially).
In Santa Sofia, an artistic installation was created on the Bidente riverbed in the heart of the town: a yellow Eiffel Tower intended to be photographed from above. Some food stands have been set up in Piazza Garibaldi, with musical entertainment and inflatables. In Piazzale Karl Marx, at the beginning of the Carnaio climb, Asd Santa Sofia Calcio will manage another food stand.
Tonight, once the stage is over, you can still take a hot air balloon ride from 7pm to 9pm in Galeata, over the archaeological area of Mevaniola and Pianetto (7-minute flight): a day that will be hard to forget.
