Banners and flags on the balconies, written on the asphalt: people crowded along the route two hours earlier
STRADELLA
Banners, stands, flags, strictly pink balloons written on the asphalt: this is how the eastern Oltrepo greeted the arrival of the 18th stage of the 104th Giro d’Italia, the Rovereto-Stradella. Since two hours before the expected arrival of the runners, people have, slowly, under a sun that is finally almost summer, have taken their places along the route, first taking shelter in the shade and then suddenly appearing on the side of the road as the caravan passes. .
Dedicated to Berzin
On the ascent of the Panizza, in Cigognola, the Viking, the organized supporters of Pf Broni 93, the team that participates in the women’s A1 series basketball championship, wanted to pay homage to Evgenij Berzin, the Russian adopted by adoption, winner of the 1994 Giro. 27 years later, the Corsa Rosa has once again made a stop in Stradella. “Campione Berzin 1994” read the writing of the green-and-white supporters, who also colored the route with their banner. In short, a full-blown amarcord.
Speaking of colors, an entirely pink kilometer was drawn on the asphalt at Zenevredo. The highest point of the stage was in Castana, where the 4th category mountain Grand Prix was located in Casa Barbieri, which saw the French Remi Cavagna pass in order, ahead of New Zealander Patrick Bevin and our Diego Ulissi. The transalpine rider continued in his action, arriving in front of everyone at the second flying finish line of the day in Piazza Garibaldi in Broni, where they were assigned to the first three bonuses valid for the general classification. After a few seconds, Alberto Bettiol passes by and then takes off on the Canneto Pavese climb to reach the finish line in Piazza Trieste in Stradella with his arms raised. Among other things, in 2013, the rider from Poggibonsi won the Gp Colli Rovescalesi, an important amateur cycling race that takes place on our hills, but was then relegated due to an irregular sprint.
Pink balloons in via Emilia
In Broni, the public concentrated on the very central Via Emilia, where several shopkeepers exhibited pink balloons; while from the offices hung the tricolor from the windows. He felt a desire for normality, to leave behind the difficult period of the pandemic. All equipped with masks, they behaved regularly, but there was certainly no lack of enthusiasm: the children with caps and T-shirts purchased from the numerous vans that precede the entire caravan, the adults ready to applaud the protagonists. Someone in via Roma displayed banners on the balcony praising the Giro and the good wine of the Oltrepo Pavese. Even the parish priest and vicar general of the diocese of Tortona, Don Mario Bonati, did not miss an opportunity to immortalize the passage with his camera, right in front of the basilica of San Pietro Apostolo.
In Stradella, many crowded the stands with the tasting of typical local products and the Accordion Museum, the pride of the Oltrepadana town, awaiting the arrival of the stage.
The greeting of the hills
In Cigognola there is a huge inscription “It starts with the Giro” on the hills and on the sports field a pink inscription greeting the festival, next to a bunch of grapes and a tractor, symbol of the industriousness of the territory. Banners, tricolor flags also in Montù Beccaria, in Montescano, in the Scuropasso valley. Numerous associations have exhibited their posters along the way. Alongside the forces of order, carabinieri and police, the commitment of the numerous volunteers, from the Alpine troops to the Civil Protection, who guarded the intersections and controlled the warm but very correct public, was maximized. Everything went smoothly. Once the “end of race” car passed, everyone slowly returned home, with the knowledge that they had spent a good day of sport and hopefully chased away the Covid nightmare forever.FRANCO SCABROSETTI