A few days ago, the Giro della Lunigiana social media profiles appeared the evaluation report drawn up by the UCIThe international junior race received a top-notch rating. So, curious about the work that went into setting up such an organization, we asked Lucio Petacchi, president of the race, and Alessandro Colò, one of the organizers, what does this recognition mean to them?.
Everybody to work
We are not surprised to learn that the wheels have already been set in motion for the 2024 edition.
«All those green lights – says Lucio Petacchi, director of the Tour of Lunigiana - they just make us happy and say that we worked wellOrganizing the most important junior race is a huge task, and we're already working on the next edition. I went to the Municipalities and Administrations to start building the pathWe rely heavily on our strong points such as the Liguria Region, the City of La Spezia, Luni, Pontremoli, fivizzano, Massa and for the last two years also Portofino and Chiavari".
«Last year, we introduced an important figure – continues Petacchi – who was the intermediary between the teams and us at the organization. This role is covered by Rino de Candido, former coach of the junior national teamHe knows this world and interfaces with the various national and regional selections to report their point of view."
Safety first
But what specific work is behind the Giro della Lunigiana? We had the opportunity to tell you about it from the inside, looking into the various aspectsBut it's with Alessandro Colò, one of the organizers, that we go into specifics.
«Safety is the most important point for us – says Colò – and To be safe you need free roadsThis means starting three months in advance with a route check, identifying strategic intersections, and then positioning volunteers along the route to block the passage of cars. For each stage, we define how many people are needed on foot and how many on motorbikes.There are two people who take care of this and they are Marco Casini and Gianluca Buriani.
"Then we have to cordon off the start and finish," he continues, "and in that case, one person takes care of the logistics: positioning the barriers, deciding where to send the cars, judges, and motorcycles. The plan of the territory that we use as a reference helps us in this.Finally, on race day, signs must be placed at dangerous points along the route. They give advance warning of the race, and it's a job that needs to be well planned. So months before the volunteers view the stages and decide which points are worth highlighting, so they make a list of the signs they need. For example: three signs for every dangerous intersection, two for sharp bends, four for narrow roads.
Public and route
The second part highlighted by the UCI reports the words "spectator" and "route," two factors that must coincide to ensure that the race is enjoyed not only by the kids but also by enthusiasts.
«For the route – continues Colò – The UCI imposes, for international stage races in the junior category, a maximum of 400 kilometres in totalYou understand that at the territorial and municipal level it's not easy to make everything fit together; in the 2023 edition we were just within touching distance, covering 398 kilometers, excluding transfers. Transfers are used by us organizers to connect the departure and arrival cities.This is why transfers are sometimes longer than necessary. Another difficulty is related to route changes, which can happen. For example, this year we have changed some stages because between the inspections in May and the race period, some things had changed.
«The public's voice – he explains – is linked to how the fans are able to follow the race. If there are alternative routes to get to the start or finish point. If there's space for people to stand on the side of the road, in short, all the logistics related to the public."
Hotels and media
It's not easy to find accommodation for all the teams taking part in the Giro della Lunigiana. It must be taken into account that teams cannot be forced to make transfers that are too longBut the days of the Giro della Lunigiana coincide with the end of the summer season, tourists are present in an area halfway between the sea and the mountains.
«The UCI controls all the hotels where the teams stay – says Colò – and the services must be up to par. Kitchen, spaces for vehicles and for washing bikesWe've already spoken to several venues to reserve seats for 2024. We give a number of people we intend to accommodate at the hotel and agree on a price, because it's high season here anyway.
«The media coverage (which also involved us at bici.PRO, ed.) refers to television coverage and more. We had planned a delay on Rai channels on Sunday after the end of the race. Plus, there's also the social aspect, where we've worked hard to keep communication always up-to-date. We had a live broadcast every morning, posts and updates on the race, written news and photos. Not to mention the speed of communication regarding arrival orders and updated rankings."
«The standards are high – concludes Lucio Petacchi – but to best manage an important race like ours it is right that it is this wayWe are rewarded with this kind of judgment, because that is what drives us to improve and always offer a new and well-packaged product».
