The Giro d ‘Italia 2024 is almost here! May 4 will see the start of the historic Corsa Rosa from Venaria Reale in Turin, with the event celebrating its 107th year.
Since its inception in May 1909, the happenings of the Corsa Rosa have become an integral part of Italian history, engaging and exciting adults and children alike who each year anxiously await the for stages to be announced and take to the streets to see the pack go past.
As we await this year’s event, we’ve put together 5 of the most unforgettable moments of the Giro d ‘Italia, all of which have made the history of competitive cycling and beyond.
- Gino Bartali conquers the Dolomites. It was 1937, the first time that a route on the fearsome Dolomite passes had been included in the Giro, in the Vittorio Veneto – Merano stage. Gino Bartali, with his powerful accelerations, managed to leave behind the rest of the pack from the first hairpin turn of the Cimon Della Pala and on the Costalunga pass. He crossed the Merano finish line in eight hours, with a 5-minute lead over Enrico Mollo.
- Fausto Coppi versus Bartali. In the 1949 race, Italy, still reeling from the war, followed the duel between Coppi and Bartali with baited breath. During the 17th Cuneo-Pinerolo stage, Fausto Coppi managed finally to prevail over his rival, as well as all the other participants, in a solitary ascent of 192 km. He passed Colle della Maddalena, Vars, Izoard, Monginevro, and Sestriere, arriving in Cuneo with an 11-minute lead over his historic opponent.
- The Pirate’s recovery on Oropa. On 30 May 1999, a historic date for modern cycling, the ‘Pirata’ Marco Pantani, then already known as one of the strongest climbers, lost his chain at the foot of the ascent to the Oropa Sanctuary. Pantani was wearing the Maglia Rosa, and his opponents took advantage of his misfortune to leave him as far behind as possible. Following assistance from the domestiques the Pirate was back in the saddle, making as many as fifty overtakes in record time to finally claim victory. Pantani was initially unaware of this feat, thinking that he had been unable to overtake the whole group, and celebrated only when he was hugged by his companions.
- Nibali and the three peaks. In 2013 we witnessed another historic duel between Vincenzo Nibali and Bradley Wiggins, the two favourites for victory. The latter pulled out at Pescara, due to bad weather. Nibali won the Maglia Rosa in all the subsequent stages but, on the Three Peaks of Lavaredo, he decided to prove his supremacy. Despite a sudden snowstorm he decided to attack the climb at maximum speed, claiming victory 4 minutes earlier than the rest of the group. His fist waved high on arrival, and the kiss he gave to his wedding ring, are images that will be remembered in history.
- Froome flips the leader board. 2018 was a historic race in many respects. It was the first Giro d’Italia with a non-European stage (Jerusalem), and its winner, Chris Froome, officially joined the greats of cycling by becoming the third rider ever to win the Giro d’Italia, Tour de France and Vuelta di Spagna consecutively. The race saw a disappointing start for Froome, who seemed so visibly subdued that the victory of his opponent Simon Yates seemed assured. Until, during the Venaria Reale-Bardonecchia stage, a truly incredible flipping of the leader board took place. Froome sprinted on the Colle delle Finestre, 80 km from the finish line, detaching himself from the competition and from Yates, who retired on the first slopes of the race’s Cima Coppi, marking the beginning of an unexpected comeback that would take Froome to the podium.
So let’s return to the present day, hoping that the 2024 race will give us the same excitement and twists of fortune as in the past, and wishing good luck to all the participants!
Sources:
www.giroditalia.it
www.gqitalia.it
www.sport.sky.it
www.ultimouomo.com
