The Giro d'Abruzzo returns after 17 years, RCS Sports he inserted it into the calendar in place of the Giro di SiciliaA short, four-day stage race that crosses the entire region: starting tomorrow, finishing Friday. LAbruzzo returns to have an important race, in addition to the Matteotti Trophy, and this is because the investment in cycling has been significant. The region hosted the opening stopwatch of the Giro d'Italia 2023 and before that he worked on a cycle network right on the Trabocchi coast.
Cycling is growing
Stefano Giuliani, who has lived and breathed the Giro d'Abruzzo, and who has linked his love for cycling to this land, is one of them. When we asked him to talk about his region, his voice lit up and the words came out like a raging river.
«I'm happy because it's my sport and my region – he says – For some time now we have become the centre of Italian cyclingBefore the Giro starts, we'll have the European road races in 2029. The center of gravity has shifted from north to south. To make good cycling, you need a lot of passion and determination, which we have, but also a lot of money. Luckily we have politicians who believe in cycling and invest a lot in it.o. Ultimately, ours is a sport that helps you discover the area, just look at the ski resorts: there are more people who ride bikes than ski. It's the right time to invest in a bike».
How did you take the news of the race's return?
It was a wonderful surprise, but imagine how much performance anxiety it gave me. I'm also the sporting director (of the continental team Vini Monzon-Savini Due-OMZ, ed.) I will arrive at the first stage with a thrill inside meI'm a little sad because I would have liked a team to try to win with, but I have a lot of young guys who have a lot to learn in this world.
The top teams will be there.
To be competitive now you need to have great motivation, but that's not enough; you need a solid structure and a clear work plan. Even at the Matteotti Trophy, which I help organize, champions now come to raceIt's nice, because it's a nice message, but for small teams everything becomes difficult.
What can you tell us about the journey?
The first two stages seem to be manageable, We will have to be careful of the escapes, but with the control that there is now in the group the sprint should be a givenThe finish in Pescara is fast, first there are some ups and downs in the Ortona area, but I don't think they can harm modern sprinters.
The first stage starts from Vasto…
We'll start from there, and you will see the same territories that the Giro d'Italia crossed last yearThe Giro d'Italia has helped reveal some beautiful landscapes, and I'm sure many people will come to see them. To get to Pescara, a city of 360-degree sport, you will pass through an area rich in vineyards, where many wineries are born, like Vini Fantini Farnese.
The second half seems more lively.
We start from Alanno, where I used to ride my bike as a child, you will cross many hilly areas, with medium-long climbs. But even in this case, modern sprinters can easily handle the fatigue in my opinion. The challenging part, which cannot be seen from the altimetry, is that of Celano, which is a continuous up and down.There is a very beautiful castle and nearby are the gorges that take their name from the town.
From the third stage, do the mountains begin?
RCS seems to have kept the format of the Giro di Sicilia: two fast stages, a third harder one and the last one in real mountain terrainThings have reversed a bit because the third stage of the Giro d'Abruzzo reaches Prati di Tivo, a very famous climb and an equally renowned ski resort. We start from Pratola Peligna, near Sulmona, an area known for its confettiWe proceed towards Rocca di Mezzo, a town famous thanks to the Giro.
Last day, arriving in L'Aquila…
Starting from Montorio al Vomano, the riders will pass through the Gran Sasso National Park, heading towards L'Aquila. I imagine the arrival will be a long climb that leads to the cityIf you think about L'Aquila again, you go back to the Giro, with the famous rainy and cold stage.
Are there areas where you can play tricks?
In the second stage, when you cross Fucino, There is always wind in that area, but it is difficult to determine which way it is blowing.Even though, with modern tools, you wake up in the morning and know everything. You can tell if the wind is changing even when you're running.
Meanwhile, the appointment is for April 9th…
I'm waiting for you, we'll keep some arrosticini aside for you too.
