Italy's legendary classic features an exciting stage lineup in 2013. The organizers pay more attention to the south with the start in Naples and a full seven stages along the coasts. After 9 stages on flat and medium terrain, the mountain stages in the north begin almost halfway through the Tour. Whether this will help the sprint strong riders like Cavendish or even title contenders like Bradley Wiggins to perform successfully?
by Bruno Fleckenstein
The Giro d'Italia, which is being held for the 96th time this year, has established itself over the decades as the second most important road cycling race in the world, ahead of the Vuelta a Espana but behind the Tour de France. Since 1988, it has also been held for women under the name "Giro d'Italia Femminile".
Historical review
Inspired by the Tour de France, the publisher of the Gazzetta dello Sport and editors Tullo Morgagni and Armando Cougnet set out to organize a domestic race. Funding was secured from the Italian Cycling Federation and various corporate sponsors.
On May 13, 1909, the starting signal was given for the first staging of the so notorious classic. During three weeks in May, the course leads the participants in stages across Italy and nearby foreign countries. Luigi Ganna was the first overall winner of the Tour on May 30, 1909, when he crossed the finish line in Milan. After that, the Tour was won 30 times by an Italian until 1949. After 1949 and the 5-time Italian winner in that year, Fausto Coppi, the Tour was won for the first time by a foreigner in 1950 with the Swiss Hugo Koblet. His compatriot Carlo Clerici did the same four years later.
In the 70s, the Belgian Eddy Merckx was the measure of all things. He repeated his 1968 triumph in 1970, 72, 73 and 74, being the only one to equal the performance of 5-time champion Cotti. In the 80's, names like Bernard Hinault, the 3 times winner from France, Francesco Moser from Italy, winner in 1984, or Giuseppe Saronni were well known to the friends of cycling. Urs Freuler, the ten-time track world champion from Glarus, and Laurent Fignon from France, who won the Tour in 1989, also shone with awards (points and mountain classification) at the 84 Tour.
You can find the whole article in the issue 01/2013
English 
Deutsch 
Français 
Español 
Italiano