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Introduction to the 86th Giro
d'Italia
by Fabio
Map courtesy of Gazzetta [click for larger
image]
 After
having a two-week delay (the event was originally scheduled for November 16)
due to a journalists' strike, the route of the 86th edition of the "Giro
Ciclistico d'Italia" (Cycling Tour of Italy) has finally been unveiled on
Saturday, November 30 at Milan's Auditorium theatre.
The race, organized as usual by the RCS Group and "Gazzetta dello Sport"
paper, is set to start on Saturday, May the 10th 2003, in the south-eastern
town of Lecce, and finish in Milan's Piazza Duomo on Sunday, June the 1st,
after a three-week long battle fought entirely on domestic soil.
After the contest turned into a kind of "Tour of Europe" in 2002 when, in
order to celebrate the coming of the European currency (the "Euro"), the
race got underway in Holland and crossed several countries before hitting
the "motherland", the next edition will not be featuring any stage inside
foreign territory.
An all-Italian flavour positively affecting the Southern part of the
country: the regions mostly "damaged" by the "international" taste of the
2002 edition, that last year expressed their disappointment at being almost
ignored by the organizers, will be enjoying the Giro presence on their roads
for more than a week this time, with even an all-Sicilian stage.
The "Daily Peloton" couldn't miss the event, and is glad to present you a
special report on the 2003 Tour of Italy. By clicking on the links
below, you can find all details of the first Grand Tour of the year, from a
complete list of the 21 stages, to a more in-depth look at the route, from
details on all main difficulties to rider reactions, from last year's
results to an historical database including all winners of all
classifications, and more stuff and tidbits. |
