2011 Giro d’ Italia could start in America

November

You may have heard rumors that the Giro d’ Italia could start in Washington DC in 2011. This would be the first grand tour to start in the United States. I long time friend, Robin Morton and her team at g4 Productions or working with Mark Sommers, the Race Director of DC’s Capital Criterium. Morton has a long history with the Giro as the Manager of the first American Team to race there in 1984.

Added American professional cyclist Christian Vande Velde, winner of the 2008 Giro team prologue stage, “that’s just plain cool. Opening a European grand tour in the Nation’s Capital and racing past all the monuments, memorials, and buildings that you see on television every day would be something of Olympic proportions.”

The proposed prologue course would pass such famous landmarks as the Lincoln, Jefferson, and Washington monuments as it works its way to the National Mall past the many Smithsonian museums. It would then head down Pennsylvania Avenue passing the White House. This would be a fast flat course that would be a spectators dream.

“The course promises to be one of the most spectacular prologues ever used in a grand tour,” said Sommers. ”It seems very appropriate that the prologue for the first US start of a European grand tour be held in the heart of the Nation’s Capital.”

“We have looked at some comparables on the potential economic impact of bringing the US stages of the 2012 Giro d’Italia to Washington,” commented Greg Odell, CEO of the Washington Convention Center Authority. ”It is clear that this event could provide the District and surrounding metropolitan region with a tremendous economic boost and spike in tourism, as well as increase the City’s profile as a destination for a wide range of sporting events, activities, and related conventions, meetings, and vacations. As such, we are eager to help bring the start of this great international sports event to DC.”

Stage one would be a circuit in the Washington DC area and would finish down Pennsylvania Avenue with the US Capitol in the background. This course would be suited to a fast sprint finish.

“It would be an honor to have a such a prestigious US city selected as the first non-European host of a Grand Tour stage,” said USA Cycling CEO Steve Johnson. “The consideration is a testament to the growth of American cycling and the progress of the U.S. in becoming a true destination for the top level of cycling.”

This entry was posted on Tuesday, November 17th, 2009 at 7:34 AM by Randall Wolf. Print This Post | Email This Post

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