The “Giro d’Italia” is considered to be the second most important world cycling race in laps, after the Tour de France. This race was held for the first time in 1909. From that year onward, it has been held every year in the month of May, for a period of three weeks, on a course which is changed from time to time. There are flat stretches to cross and also exhausting mountain passages which, together with the time trial stages, decide the outcome of the race.
The record of victories in this race is shared by 3 cyclists, each having 5 victories: the Italians Alfredo Binda and Fausto Coppi, and the Belgian Eddy Merckx. As for the stage (leg) victories, the record belongs to the Tuscan cyclist Mario Cipollini, who, in the 2003 edition of the race, surpassed Alfredo Binda’s record of 41 victories.

The 7th stage (Cesena-Saltara) of the 89th Giro d’Italia passed through our Region on the 13th of May, 2006. It included Monte Catria, the highest peak of the Marche’s Apennines (1701 metres).
This is a new, spectacular stage, characterized by remarkably long distances and an exacting altimetry. In order to revive the emotions of that day, let us retrace the principal stages of the Apennines, going toward Urbino, after having crossed diverse, evocative slopes. The route extends toward Cagli. Here, at mid-stage, begins the part which, altimetrically speaking, is the most important: the first ascent is that of Monte Catria, a new ascent of 15 km, which is not very well known and is rather exacting, with very irregular medium-size slopes which at times exceed 10%.

On Wednesday the 19th of May, 2004, the Giro d’Italia proposed the 10th stage...Porto Sant’Elpidio-Ascoli Piceno...a brief stage (146 km), entirely within Marche territory and almost entirely in the Province of Ascoli Piceno. A journey which penetrated into the hinterland, into the typical hilly landscapes of Marche, first of all toward Lido di Fermo, then onward to Capodarco, a spot where cycling is especially appreciated; Fermo, a stupendous Medieval town; and Montegranaro, the birthplace of Michele Gismondi, Coppi’s highly esteemed teammate.

On Thursday the 20th of May 2004, began the 11th stage...Porto Sant’Elpidio-Cesena... 228 km, which hugs the Adriatic Sea, passing by some important touristic-thermal spa centres. The constant features of this passage are the sea and the rolling hills of Marche. This stage passed by Civitanova Marche, Porto Recanati, Loreto with its famous sanctuary,and its “panoramic balcony” on the Adriatic sea (this place is very close to Monte Conero,” the pearl of the Adriatic”, with its white cliffs overhanging the sea, its bays and the inlets where rise the famous small ports of Numana and Sirolo), Osimo Stazione , Senigallia...our lovely “Velvet Beach”... Pesaro, Cattolica. Here, the race left the coast in order to follow internal roads. For the finale, a succession of passages led to San Marino and then to the Province of Cesena. This series was continuous, proceding until a few km from the arrival in the city of Romagnola.

We await you, then, in order to relive these emotions, in order to retrace the paths of the champions across breathtaking landscapes!!!