GIRO’16: Good Morning Molveno!

From Dolomites to Po Valley, finale to suit peloton’s fastest wheels.

Stage finish at Cassano d’Adda, home of Gianni Motta, Giro champion 50 years ago.

Molveno, 25 May 2016 – Good morning from Stage 17 of the Giro d’Italia, 196km from Molveno to Cassano d’Adda, the penultimate opportunity of this year’s Giro for the sprinters.

The group, 162 riders strong, passed km 0 at 12.34. Did not start: dossard nr 146, Mezgec.

WEATHER
Molveno: Blue skies. Wind: NW 8-11km/h.13-14°C
Cassano d’Adda (Finish): Light cloud. Wind: W 9-12km/h. 24-26°C

JERSEYS
Maglia Rosa (pink), General Classification, sponsored by Enel – Steven Kruijswijk (Team Lotto NL – Jumbo)
Maglia Rossa (red), Sprint Classification, sponsored by Algida – Giacomo Nizzolo (Trek – Segafredo)
Maglia Azzurra (blue), Mountains Classification, sponsored by Banca Mediolanum – Damiano Cunego (Nippo – Vini Fantini)
Maglia Bianca (white), Young Rider Classification, sponsored by Eurospin – Bob Jungels (Etixx – Quick-Step)

POINTS AND TIME BONUSES
During the stage, just 3 King of the Mountains points are up for grabs, but time bonuses of 13 seconds and no fewer than 90 points towards the points classification.

GENERAL CLASSIFICATION
1 – Steven Kruijswijk (Team Lotto NL – Jumbo)
2 – Esteban Chaves (Orica Greenedge) at 3’00”
3 – Alejandro Valverde (Movistar Team) at 3’23”
4 – Vincenzo Nibali (Astana Pro Team) at 4’43”
5 – Ilnur Zakarin (Team Katusha) at 4’50”

Stage 17 – Molveno – Cassano d’Adda – 196km
Finish: Approx. 17.15
Race Headquarters: Villa Borromeo, via Vittorio Veneto, 58

Route
The first half of the stage is wavy, while the second half is perfectly flat. The route rolls along moderate undulations all the way up to km 120 (Brescia), where the road eventually levels out. There are a few tunnels in the first part. In the flat sector, the roads are relatively wide and straight, with just a few more curvy stretches. Roundabouts, speed bumps and traffic dividers are the main obstacles typically found in urban areas.

Final kms
The final 5km are perfectly flat, with two mild bends and one (last) turn 600m before the finish, on 7m wide asphalt road. Roundabouts, speed bumps and traffic islands are the main obstacles, throughout the stage course.

POINTS OF INTEREST
MOLVENO – km 0
The city of Molveno lies on the northern shore of the lake of the same name, which originated following a large landslide around 4,000 years ago. It is located at the eastern edge of the Adamello-Brenta Nature Park, a popular summer and wintertime holiday resort. Molveno makes its debut as Giro d’Italia stage city.

TIONE DI TRENTO – km 32
The town, the main centre of the Valli Giudicarie, is the territory’s major trade and service hub.

PONTE CAFFARO – km 63
This hamlet in Bagolino, north of Lake Idro was the scene of a battle fought between the forces led by Garibaldi and the Austrian empire on 25 June 1866. From 1861 to 1918, it marked the boundary between the Kingdom of Italy and Austria-Hungary.

BARGHE (feed zone) – km 87
The route skirts the lake, passing Anfo (and its fortress) and Lavenone. Next on the course – now within Val Sabbia, a major metalworking area – are Vestone, Barghe (feed zone) and Preseglie, home to the Madonna di Visello sanctuary.

PASSO SANT’EUSEBIO (KOM) – km 100

BRESCIA (intermediate sprint) – km 120
Italy’s sixth biggest city lies at the foot of Monte Maddalena. Founded over 3,000 years ago, it has a rich historical and monumental heritage. Brescia is called the “Lioness of Italy” because of its ten days of resistance against the Austrian troops during Italian Risorgimento (from 23rd March until 1st April 1849). UNESCO declared the Roman Forum and the Lombard monastery of San Salvatore-Santa Giulia a World Heritage site.

MACLODIO – km 144
Maclodio was the scene of a battle between the Republic of Venice and the Duchy of Milan on 12th October 1427. Milan was defeated, marking the supremacy of Venice over the territory of Brescia.

RUDIANO – km 156
The route cuts across the fertile lowlands of Brescia and past Trenzano, with its imposing town hall. Rudiano was home to the racing driver Franco Mazzotti (1904), who, together with his fellow drivers Aymo Maggi and Renzo Castagneto, and journalist Giovanni Canestrini, founded the world-famous Mille Miglia endurance race in 1927.

CALCIO (intermediate sprint) – km 163
Home to the imposing church of San Vittore, designed by the famous Italian architect Carlo Maciachini.

MOZZANICA – km 177
Main sights in Mozzanica include the civic tower and the moat around old town centre that was once surrounded by defensive walls.

CARAVAGGIO – km 182
The route passes the majestic sanctuary of Our Lady of Caravaggio, which hosted a Giro stage start in 2013.

TREVIGLIO – km 188
Just a few kilometres from Treviglio is Arzago d’Adda, the village of Giambattista Baronchelli, the third most prominent figure in Italian cycling during the rivalry between Moser and Saronni. Vailate, nearby, was hometown to Pierino and Adriano Baffi; both professional riders with Giro stage wins.

CASSANO D’ADDA – km 196
Cassano d’Adda makes its debut as a Giro d’Italia stage city. The historical district of the city lies on the right shore of River Adda, as part of the original defensive scheme, and the broader territory is scattered with a multitude of elegant buildings, especially stately villas belonging to noble Milanese families, the most prominent being the Villa d’Adda-Borromeo. The castle is a majestic building sitting prominently on the Adda and protected by ramparts.
Cassano d’Adda was hometown to the great footballer Valentino Mazzola (1919-1949), and to general and Senator Giuseppe Perrucchetti (1839-1916), considered the founder of the Italian Alpine Army Corps.
The stage finish in Cassano d’Adda pays homage to local hero Gianni Motta, winner of 1966 Giro d’Italia.

TV COVERAGE
TV coverage of the 99th Giro d’Italia will reach all four corners of the world: 184 countries will see the Corsa Rosa on 29 different networks, 24 of them live.

ITALY
RAI – Radio Televisione Italiana, the longstanding host broadcaster, provides extensive coverage of the Corsa Rosa. The action is live in three separate programmes: “Prima diretta” (“Pre-Live”) on Rai Sport 1, “Giro in diretta” (“Giro Live”) at 15:10 – 16:15 in simulcast on Rai 3 and Rai HD, and “Giro all’arrivo” (“Giro on the Finish Line”), with the last hour of racing until 17:15. The traditional post-race analysis programme “Processo alla Tappa” (“The Stage on Trial”) ends at 18:00.
When the race reaches Italy, the stage start will be covered in Rai Sport 1’s “Giro Mattina” (“Giro Morning”), showing the signing in ceremony, with interviews, the start of racing, and local colour. The strand “Journey through the Italy of the Giro d’Italia” will show historical and cultural anecdotes and features.
For viewers unable to watch the stage live in the afternoon, the evening show TGiro (“Giro Bulletin”) will tell the story of the day’s racing from 20:00 on Rai Sport 1, followed by Giro Notte (“Late Night Giro”), with 90’ of stage highlights from 22:45 on Rai Sport 2. The Corsa Rosa will be streamed on the website www.rai.tv.

AROUND THE WORLD
In Italy the Giro can also be seen live on Eurosport, broadcasting to 53 countries across Europe from 14:15, with race commentary in 19 languages.
In France, the stages are live exclusively on beINSports, with reports and features from the scene.
The Dutch public broadcaster NOS is showing three hours of live racing of the first three stages in the Netherlands, as well as the final 90 minutes of the weekend stages in Italy, plus daily highlights of every stage.
Free to air race coverage is live in Flemish via VRT, in Danish on TV2 Denmark, in Switzerland via SRG SSR, in Spain via Teledeporte and EITB and in Kazakhstan, in highlights, on Kaz Sports.
The Corsa Rosa is live in South America on ESPN, with Portuguese commentary in Brazil, English commentary in the Caribbean and Spanish across the rest of South America. Colombian fans have a wide range of options, with live coverage on RCN and Señal Colombia. TDN is showing the race live in Mexico and Central America. beIN Sports is covering the Giro in the United States of America and RDS is providing French-language coverage in Canada.
The Giro d’Italia is also on the small screen in the Middle East and North Africa thanks to live coverage on beIN Sports, while in South Africa and Sub-Saharan Africa the Giro is on the Supersport channels.
In Asia, the Corsa Rosa in available in 16 countries via Eurosport Asia Pacific; J Sports is covering the race live and exclusive in Japan. LeTV is doing the same in China.
Race highlights are on FPT Telecom in Vietnam, while the Thai public can enjoy the key parts of the stage on both True Visions and NOW26.
The huge interest that Australia has shown in the Giro continues in 2016: SBS is showing all 21 stage live, while Fox Sports is showing highlights. In New Zealand, Sky is showing the race live and in highlights.
Finally, the Corsa Rosa is being shown worldwide via SNTV – Sports News Television and Sport24, the 24 hour sports channel for airline and cruise ship passengers.

Alpine ski star Aksel Lund Svindal, great cycling fan

GIRO D’ITALIA – RIDE GREEN
During yesterday’s stage, over 2.5 metric tons of rubbish were collected, 89% of which will be recycled. Over 36 tons of rubbish has been recycled so far at the Giro.

#Giro

PHOTO CREDIT: ANSA – PERI / DI MEO / ZENNARO