Friday,
May 05,
Giro d'Italia
Starts in Belgium
to Honor Italian Coal Mine Disaster Victims and Italian Residents
When
the 2006 89th Giro d'Italia
197 starters line up for the first road stage in Belgium on Sunday, they will
stand for a moment of silence. Their thoughts will reach out to 262 coalminers,
more than half of them Italian, who died 50 years ago in the Bois de Cazier mining disaster at Charleroi-Marcinelle,
where Sunday's stage finishes. More than one third of the Italians who lost
their lives in that 1956 tragedy were from Italian racer Danilo Di Luca's home province of Pescara.
Choosing to start
the 2006 Giro in the heart of Belgian's industrial Wallonia region was triggered not
only by the disaster's 50th anniversary but also by the fact that 200,000
Italians live here. They were part of a post-World War II mass emigration by
unemployed workers from Italy's impoverished south to
take jobs in the mines and steelworks of Belgium's Sambre-Meuse
valley. In all, 50,000 men came to work in the mines - and 867 of them died in
various disasters between 1946 and 1963.
Expect to see
hundreds of Italy's tricolor flags during
the four days that the Giro traverses the hills and
valleys of Belgium's southeast corner. The
biggest concentration of Italian fans will probably be in the steel town of Seraing, just south of Liиge, which hosts the stage 1 time trial. (not
called a prologue this year).
After the four
days of May 6-9 in Belgium, there will be a day of
rest and travel to Milan, Italy after which the
race will resume at Piacenza, for the next 17 stages
(Total of 21). The race covers 3526.2km ( 2204 miles).
The Giro d'Italia appears that it will be an all-Italian
affair.
Ivan Basso, a rival to Lance Armstrong in the two last Tours
de France, leads the challenge against defending champion Paolo Savoldelli along with countrymen Damiano Cunego
and Gilberto Simoni.
Jan Ullrich, of
T-Mobile, is the top non-Italian entry in the 21-stage race. However, Ullrich's form is questionable and he is expected to
compete mostly in preparation for the Tour de France.
Cunego, coming off a disappointing 2005 season following
his surprise Giro victory the previous year, has
shown strong early form, winning the Tour of Trentino.
Simoni is considered one of the best climbers and should
take advantage of several uphill stages in the Alps
during the final week of the race, which ends in Milan on May 28.
An Italian victory would be no surprise as
Italian cyclists have dominated the Giro since 1997
with Savoldelli and Simoni
winning twice. Italy's top sprinter, Alessandro Petacchi, 32, who has won 19 Giro
stages in the last three years, lamented the lack of flat stages and few
chances for sprinters. He said Robbie McEwen of Australia would be his toughest rival for stage victories.
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GIRO'S BELGIUM START HONORS ITALIANS KILLED IN MINING DISASTER
50th
anniversary of Bois de Cazier disaster
By
John Wilcockson
VeloNews editorial director
When Danilo Di Luca and the other 197 starters in the 89th Giro d'Italia line up for the
first road stage in Belgium on Sunday, they will
stand for a moment of silence. Their thoughts will reach out to 262 coalminers,
more than half of them Italian, who died 50 years ago in the Bois de Cazier mining disaster at Charleroi-Marcinelle,
where Sunday's stage finishes. Di Luca will be particularly affected because
more than one third of the Italians who lost their lives in that 1956 tragedy
were from the Italian racer's home province of Pescara.
Choosing to start
the 2006 Giro in the heart of Belgian's industrial Wallonia region was triggered not
only by the disaster's 50th anniversary but also by the fact that 200,000
Italians live here. They were part of a post-World War II mass emigration by
unemployed workers from Italy's impoverished south to
take jobs in the mines and steelworks of Belgium's Sambre-Meuse
valley. In all, 50,000 men came to work in the mines - and 867 of them died in
various disasters between 1946 and 1963.
Expect to see
hundreds of Italy's tricolor flags during
the four days that the Giro traverses the hills and
valleys of Belgium's southeast corner. The
biggest concentration of Italian fans will probably be in the steel town of Seraing, just south of Liиge, which hosts the stage 1 time trial (not called
a prologue this year).
Stage 1
The point-to-point TT is only 6.2km long but is highly technical. It opens with
1.5km alongside the Meuse River before turning left up a
twisting 2.5km hill that has a steepest pitch of 10 percent and a 330-foot
elevation gain. It descends more steeply through the town until the last 500
meters back on the river's right bank...
Stage 2
The flat, 197km stage 2 from Mons to Marcinelle....
Stage 3
This 202km stage from Perwez to Namur loop through the hills
and climaxes on the more gentle, switchback slopes of the Citadelle
climb...
Stage 4
This 193km stage from Wanze to Hotton
traverses the Ardennes and includes two Liиge-Bastogne-Liиge climbs, the Cфte de Wanne and Haute-Levйe. But the climbs come before half-distance, and
the rolling roads over the final 80km favor a regrouping and a probable mass
sprint....
Following these
four days of racing in Belgium, the Giro
participants will fly by chartered jet to Milan, Italy for the event's first
rest day on May 10, next Wednesday.
2006 Giro stages and distances
These are the 21 stages of this year's 3526.2km Giro,
with the distances modified after final course inspections by the organizers.
- May 6 Stage 1 Seraing (B) TT 6.2km
- May 7 Stage 2 Mons (B)-Charleroi-Marcinelle
(B) 197km
- May 8 Stage 3 Perwez
(B)-Namur (B) 202km
- May 9 Stage 4 Wanze
(B)-Hotton (B) 193km
- May 10 Transfer and rest
day
- May 11 Stage 5 Piacenza-Cremona TTT 38km
- May 12 Stage 6 Busseto-Forli 227km
- May 13 Stage 7 May 13 Cesena-Saltara 236km
- May 14 Stage 8 Civitanova Marche-Maielletta (Passo
Lanciano)171km
- May 15 Stage 9 Francavilla al Mare-Termoli
127km
- May 16 Stage 10 Termoli-Peschici 187km
- May 17 Transfer and rest
day
- May 18 Stage 11 Pontedera-Pontedera TT 50km
- May 19 Stage 12 Livorno-Sestri Levante 171km
- May 20 Stage 13 Alessandria-La Thuile 218km
- May 21 Stage 14 Aosta-Domodossola 223km
- May 22 Stage 15 Mergozzo-Brescia 189km
- May 23 Stage 16 Rovato-Trento (Monte Bondone)
173km
- May 24 Stage 17 Termeno-Plan de Corones
133km
- May 25 Stage 18 Sillian (A)-Gemona del Friuli 210km
- May 26 Stage 19 Pordenone-Passo di San Pellegrino 224km
- May 27 Stage 20 Trento-Aprica 211km
- May 28 Stage 21 Ghisallo-Milan 140km
The
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