May 11, 2023
Naples Giro Day
Isn’t This a Cycle Blog?
So far, we have not cycled an inch of the tour so lest we get booted off Cycleblaze, I should tell you that our tour will begin Sunday at Sorrento, which lies at the south end of the Bay of Naples, about 25 km from Naples as the crow flies.
Before that we have an important event to attend here in Naples: the Giro d’Italia. We have been looking forward to this day ever since we realized we would be here in Naples at the same time as the sixth stage of the Giro (there are 21 stages in the tour).
Even better news was that Naples would host both the start and finish on this day so we would be able to enjoy the full atmosphere of the event. For any non-cyclists reading this, a grand tour such as this is usually experienced much like a train whizzing past you. It approaches rather quickly, the cars pass by and before you know it, all is silent again. In this case, we would get to experience much more than a blow-by. But wait, it gets better. The Giro's main hub for the start and finish is Piazza Plebiscito, a short walk from our B&B.
This plan made for a very simple itinerary today: 1.check out the logistics of taking the ferry to Sorrento tomorrow and 2. enjoy the Giro d’Italia.
The first task turned out to be straightforward, perhaps because I had spent a disproportionate amount of time sorting through all the different ways to get to Sorrento from Naples. The final decision was to take a hydrofoil ferry directly to Sorrento. We wanted to be sure we could take the bikes on the ferry so we headed to the port after breakfast and bought the tickets. As for the bici’s on the ferry, no problem. That left the rest of today open to experience the Giro. Oh my, what a day it was!
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This race costs a staggering sum to hold every year so the sponsors are very important. Their pink booths were all set up around the main stage where the music was blaring and dancers dancing. They were all giving away shwag or deals on their offerings.
We wandered down to the waterfront and soon the team buses were rolling past us, lining up in the staging areas. They gleamed in the sunshine which means someone cleaned the buses last night, after a dreadful downpour yesterday. The teams were all onboard and we caught glimpses of the riders from time to time.
After the team buses, came the neutral service vehicles (who supply bikes to riders whose team cars cannot reach them when their bike is out of commission) and the team cars (two per team). Their role is to support the riders en route. It's s a rather hairy job as they have to dash among the riders in an attempt to stay close to their team members while they are racing.
The police motos were all lined up, ready to roll. They lead out the riders and clear the roadway well in advance of the race. And they do the same for the packs of riders once the peloton spreads out and breaks up. They warn everyone that the riders are coming and coming fast. Of course all the roads are blocked off so theoretically there would not be any cars on the route.
Each rider has to sign in for the day, so they rode past us in dribs and drabs to sign in at the main stage in the piazza. It was all very casual and open. A nice moment transpired in front of us when one of the riders approached the couple in front of us. They were his grandparents and seeing the connections between this young man and his grands was very touching.
It was a thrill to see all these top notch riders cycle past us. Rohan Denis, who we’d had a really nice conversation with at the top of a climb near Girona last year, was among them. We cheered on every familiar face.
It was a surprise to see how young they looked and how small they were. Not that we didn’t know they were young, but it really struck home to see how young and svelt they were. They are each powerhouses in their own right and can unleash incredible power on their bikes. It is very impressive. Keep in mind they lead a monk like existence to stay in this shape. Everything is controlled. It’s very tough mentally and physically.
We could sense the race was about to get underway when the police simultaneously started their engines and pushed off their kick stands all at once. It gave all of us bystanders a jolt of excitement.
The race started at 1pm. Since the streets of Naples are not conducive to bike racing, the plan was to promenade behind the Race Director’s car for the first 9.5 km. At that point the flag would drop and the racing would begin. Today’s stage was 163 km, not a particularly long day for the riders.
We were standing right beside the course when the race started. No ropes or barriers at all. They cruised past us and rode down the cobbles.
The next vantage point to watch the race was on TV at our B&B. We made our way through the Spanish Quarter, stopping for lunch en route, and then flicked on the tv to see the riders winding their way down the mountainside into Amalfi and along the coast from there back towards Sorrento. From there they climbed one more hill and then zoomed to the finish line in Naples.
We gave ourselves just enough time to get to the finish line area before the leaders arrived. When we saw the first heli come zipping across the sky towards us, we knew they wouldn’t be long.
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We were watching at the 2k marker, which meant there would be a sprint developing after they passed us. The first two riders appeared to be working very well together as they gave their all. About 2 minutes later, a large group came flying down the road. ‘Uh oh’ we both thought. Those two leaders are toast for the simple reason that two minutes is often enough time for the pack to swallow up the breakaway group. After that, smaller groups came past us. These were the workers who spill the beans all day long to lead out their team leaders. They are tired out so will cruise to the line and not worry about finishing position.
So, where are the photos? Umm, there aren’t any (for now). It was a blur when they went past and we decided watching was more important.
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After all that excitement, we had just enough time re-group and head out to dinner. I had my first spaghetti vongole of the trip, a favorite of mine. David had a salt baked fresh fish with roast potatoes. We also indulged in a caprese salad and melone & prosciutto appetizer. All were excellent, as we are discovering to be the case with just about every single thing we order.
And that’s a wrap for a very memorable day.
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