The Tour de France faces the second stage today, still in Italy. The group, in today’s fraction, Sunday 30 June, starts from Cesenatico and arrives in Bologna after 198 km. The route includes a flat first part. In the second half, however, the climbs can liven up the day with effects on the general classification. The first jolts can come with the climb of Gallisterna, which precedes the passage to Imola. The epilogue of the stage is characterized by the double circuit through the streets of Bologna, with particular attention to the two passages on the climb of San Luca (1.9 km at 10.6%) that can favor individual initiatives.
Departure is scheduled for 12.15pm, arrival between 5pm and 5.30pm. The second stage will be broadcast on free-to-air TV from 12pm on Raisport Hd, from 2pm on Rai Due. Streaming is available on Raiplay. For subscribers, full live broadcast on Eurosport 1, Sky channel 210, and streaming on Dazn and Discovery Plus.
TOMORROW BIG
The roads of Piedmont and the province of Cuneo will be the scene of the race on Monday 1 July, with the third stage: Piacenza-Turin which includes passage through the provinces of Alessandria, Asti, Cuneo and Turin.
At 231 km, it will be the longest of the 21 stages scheduled for this Tour, the 111th edition of the event, which involves 22 cycling teams of 8 riders each, for a total of 176 athletes.
After an initial passage in Santo Stefano Belbo, the caravan of runners will make its final entry into the province of Cuneo arriving from Boglietto and Castagnole delle Lanze, then it will touch Neive, Barbaresco and the locality of Tre Stelle to descend to Alba (see below for the detailed route in the city). After crossing the Albertino bridge it will head to Mussotto and from there towards Piobesi d’Alba and Corneliano, before climbing to Sommariva Perno and then heading to Ceresole d’Alba and towards the arrival in Turin (at the bottom of the page the Pdf with the times of the passages of the entire stage).
MATTEO SOBRERO PLAYING AT HOME
Matteo Sobrero (pictured below), a Red Bull Bora Hansgrohe representative, will be playing “at home”. For the 27-year-old rider from Montelupo Albese, one of eight Italians at the start, it will be his debut at the Grande Boucle. In the first stage yesterday, Saturday, the rider from Langhe arrived 116th, 29 minutes behind the first Romain Bardet.
THE PASSAGE TO ALBA
The passage of the runners in the capital of the Langhe is expected between 3.25pm and 3.49pm, depending on the average speed maintained up to that moment. The caravan will arrive from the SP3 of the Municipality of Treiso and will cross Altavilla, viale Cherasca, piazza Monsignor Grassi, corso Michele Coppino, via Don Alberione, piazza Michele Ferrero, corso Italia, corso Fratelli Bandiera, corso Giacomo Matteotti, corso Torino, corso Canale, up to number 119.
In these areas – reminds the Municipality – vehicular and pedestrian traffic will be suspended from 12.25 pm until 4.13 pm or in any case until the “end of race” vehicle passes.
Along the aforementioned route from Viale Cherasca to Corso Canale (area on the “Casa di Riposo Ottolenghi” side) a parking ban is also established from 7.00 am to 4.13 pm on Monday 1st July.
Along the race route, the sale of alcoholic beverages in glass or metal containers by the owners of public establishments will also be prohibited. Anyone who does not comply with this provision incurs a fine ranging from 25 to 500 euros.
As part of the third stage of the Tour de France, the Inside event is scheduled to start at 12:15 in Piazza Adolfo Sarti in Alba, with the participation of 21 cyclists who will cover the last 65 kilometres and arrive in Turin at around 15:00.
From 1pm in Piazza Garibaldi there will be a San Paolo Sport gazebo for the distribution of gadgets related to the event, delivered to everyone while supplies last. While from 1.30 pm on the roundabouts of Piazza Monsignor Grassi, Piazza Ferrero and Piazza Garibaldi, the boys of Estate Ragazzi dressed in yellow will wait and greet the caravan and cyclists of the tour.
[Foto Afp – Adnkronos]
