Tuscany, Emilia-Romagna and Piedmont, the 3 regions of northern Italy at the start of the Tour
2024 promises to be an exceptional year for cycling in Italy and for those who choose this means of transport to discover the territory. The country is preparing to host major events and initiatives dedicated to cycling, including, for the first time in Italy, the start of the Tour de France.
The Tour de France will touch three regions in northern Italy: will start in Tuscany, cross Emilia-Romagna and reach Piedmont, regions that in recent years have distinguished themselves by the promotion of cycling and cycle tourism, as a means of valuing the territory and its food, wine and cultural resources.
At the Bologna Cycle Tourism Fair, from April 5 to 7, Tuscany, Emilia-Romagna and Piedmont will be present to present their own proposals for cycle touring itineraries, from the most sporty ones in search of the great hills in the history of sport, to the appropriate routes for those who, on the other hand, seek nature and culture at a leisurely pace and savoring the food and wine offerings.
The Tour de France will be the focus of attention that will highlight on an international stage the beauty of Italian territories to be discovered by bicycle.
Here are some proposals:
Tuscany
On June 29, the Tour de France leaves Florence, city of art, literature and architecture, as well as the cradle of the Renaissance and the Italian language, standard of Italy, with a 205 km stage that ends in Rimini, traveling along the picturesque roads of the Tuscan-Emilian Apennines, until reaching to the beaches of the Adriatic Sea. A stage that pays tribute to Gino Bartali.
Tuscany excites cycle tourism fans with fifteen tourist areas. Each area offers travel proposals and events on two wheels, along with countless cycling routes from the Atlas of Itineraries. The Gran Départ del Tour in Florence is an unmissable opportunity to discover and cycle from Florence to Siena, the Grand Tour of Chianti, the Ciclovia Puccini, the Bike Trail Terre di Pisa or Le Vie di Dante in Mugello, to name just a few. The Ciclovía di Puccini, one of the most original routes in the region, links the Serchio Valley, homeland of Giacomo Puccini’s family, with Versilia, where he grew up, passing through Lucca, where he was born. Along the route, you can listen to the musician’s symphonies thanks to the QR code signage.
In Florence, you can visit the Bartali museum in Ponte a Ema, where the champion was born.
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Emilia-Romagna
The second stage of the Tour in Italy, on June 30, begins in Cesenatico and ends in Bologna: from the seaside resort where Marco Pantani lived and rests, the Tour covers beautiful flat sections before tackling some of the most emblematic climbs in the region .
Emilia-Romagna is not only the land of great cycling champions, is a privileged land for cycling in all its forms. With almost 9,000 km of cycling routes, some of them permanent, cycle paths and also gravel tracks, the region offers something for everyone: the Ciclovia del Sole (Cycleway of the Sun) between Mirandola and Bologna; the Food Valley Bike between Parma and Busseto; the Ciclovie dei Parchi (Park Cycle Paths) within the parks and nature reserves of Emilia Romagna; the Via Romagna through cities of art, historic villages and the natural beauty of Romagna.
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Piedmont
From Emilia-Romagna to Piedmont, from Piacenza to Turin: on July 1, the third stage of the Tour runs through the Tortona hills in memory of the great Fausto Coppi, crosses the Langhe, a UNESCO heritage site along with Roero and Monferrato, cradle of wine and the truffle, and, finally, some of the roads already traveled by Milan-Sanremo.
The next day, July 2, Piedmont will once again be the scene of the Tour de France, with the departure of the 4th stage from Pinerolo: the champions will head to France with an alpine stage, through the hills of Sestriere, Monginevro, Galibier to the finish line in Valloire.
It was here, with the famous Cuneo Pinerolo of 1949, where the myth of Fausto Coppi was definitively established.
Piedmont is one of the regions with some of the most beautiful climbs in the country that have made cycling history, such as the Monviso Lands, which link Italy and France, but it is not just sport. Pinerolo itself, with its more than 750 km of cycle paths that cross plains, hills and mountains, connecting with the Po Cycle Route, along the Moncalieri-Saluzzo axis, and with the Turin Cycle Route axis through from the Airasca-Stupinigi area, is an excellent destination for cycling tours suitable for the whole family. Thanks also to the Upslowtour project of the Unione Montana del Pinerolese, a few kilometers from Turin, 15 itineraries have been drawn up, with various technical characteristics, to be traveled by mountain bike or e-bike.
Piedmont is also crossed by a regional cycling network and some of the main cycle routes that allow you to explore the area and discover its natural beauty, culture and traditions. From the hills of lower Piedmont to the rice fields of the Vercelli area or the Zegna Oasis in the Biella area, passing through the routes between Turin and Cuneo along the Maira River, there are also ideal itineraries for those who want to organize a holiday by bicycle and enjoy the rich gastronomy and regional wines.
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Not only destinations, but also talks and workshops
The 2024 edition of the Cycle Tourism Fair will not only be the place to find inspiration for your next bicycle trip, in search of the roads of the great champions or cultural and nature tourism proposals. The Fair will also be the event where you can learn to plan, organize and manage a bicycle excursion or an adventure trip with the whole family. For two days, on Saturday, April 6 and Sunday, April 7, at the Cycle Tourism Fair there will be, in fact, talks, with presentations, travel stories and lands to discover, with a thousand ideas to imagine and prepare the first or next experience of a bicycle trip, and practical workshops on how to ride the bicycle, including luggage racks and bikepacking, or about emergency cycling.
«The Cycle Tourism Fair was born with the aim of answering the questions of those more or less experienced regarding bicycle trips: from the choice of bicycle, to the equipment to carry, including nutrition and training. For this reason, we have enabled two scenarios: one dedicated to workshops that will be able to offer answers to the public’s questions, and another to inspire people to choose the destination for their next trip.«, declared Pinar Pinzuti, director of the Cycle Tourism Fair.
Cycle Tourism Forum
On Friday, April 5, the Cycle Tourism Forum will take place, a day dedicated to operators who want to improve, establish contacts and create new business models. The event includes training sessions, workshops, best practice comparison moments and networking to offer those operating in the sector an opportunity for growth and study. Space will also be given to the 4th ISNART report on cycle tourism and training for journalists.
For more information and registration:
Where, how and when
The Cycle Tourism Fair is organized by Bikenomist, a company specialized in the communication and promotion of cycling economies, from Friday, April 5 to Sunday, April 7, 2024, in the DumBO space in Bologna. In its third edition, it is confirmed as a reference point for the national and international active tourism sector. There will be space for workshops and stories of travel experiences with the Bikeitalia Talks, along with a large exhibition area to host proposals for destinations for active holidays, both Italian and foreign, proposals from bicycle and accessory manufacturers, and offer an experience complete trip.
The Cycle Tourism Fair is confirmed as an important meeting and professionalization opportunity for those who already work in the travel and active tourism sector, but also for those who want to approach a promising segment of the tourism world for the first time.
More than 80 destinations, operators and producers in Italy and around the world have confirmed -among them our friends from Gran Canaria– and their participation in the next edition of the Cycle Tourism Fair, such as Spain, Turkey, Slovenia, Croatia, Belgium, the Region of Sicily, Veneto, Basilicata, Tuscany, Apulia, Abruzzo, Piedmont and Friuli-Venezia-Julia, as well as many other destinations that have set their sights on active tourism. Bicycle and service brands such as Shimano, Canyon, Ducati, Gazelle, Bergamont, BRN, Repower and others are also confirmed.
2024-03-28 13:50:18
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