BORGOFRANCO D’IVREA. “Now I can finally say it: I am really satisfied with this opportunity that has been offered to us and that we have been able to seize on the fly”. These are the words of Fausto Francisca, mayor of Borgofranco, on Monday evening as he returned from Milan, where he attended the official presentation of the 2023 Giro. Forced to remain silent until the route is officially made official, the mayor jokes about it: “It’s true , it is a secret of Pulcinella, also because by now the news was circulating, the inspections of the staff of RCS Sport did not go unnoticed, but it is right to play along. And now, we need to get serious, because there is a lot to do to make the most of this great opportunity, for which I must certainly thank the President of the Region Alberto Cirio, who was the first to believe in it and to make us overcome some initial fears ” . The Region, in addition to institutional support, will also guarantee a substantial budget, taking on 50 percent of the expenses foreseen for the three stages that will involve Piedmont.
«Since 1995, when I was elected mayor for the first time until today – comments Francisca – I have seen too many opportunities, ideas and proposals for the revival of Borgofranco and the territory to be announced with great fanfare and then wreck miserably. Yet we know well how much our area needs a revival, in several respects. Promoting its excellence through the Giro is one of the best tools we could have and we will try to make the most of it, involving the whole territory ». The Park of the 5 lakes, the typical food and wine products and the morainic greenhouse are among the peculiarities to be valued, but Borgofranco focuses mainly on the Balmetti: “In recent years they have gone from a private and little-known heritage to an attraction of our country: a slow but continuous work of enhancement which, between direct and indirect, has already created about forty jobs and indicated a direction to follow. What we call “the mountain that breathes”, the natural cellars ideal for storing food and for moments of celebration are attracting tourists and onlookers. The visibility that the Giro guarantees can give a further boost to our unique heritage ».
The fact that it is the smallest stage city of the Giro 2023 does not scare the mayor of Borgofranco: “Maybe it means that we are the bravest – he jokes -, but above all we want to be the leader for all that territory that goes from Pont-Saint-Martin to Ivrea, rich in resources that are often not adequately exploited. Certainly, even at an economic level, this adventure is challenging, but I am sure, also on the basis of previous experiences, that if we work well, every euro spent will return to the territory. We administrators must understand that young people are fleeing, that the territory continues to be impoverished. It is a trend that must be reversed by taking advantage of every opportunity. Today the occasion is the Giro d’Italia and we are already working to get to May 19th ready and prepared ».