The Tour de France is one of the world’s most important and famous cycle races, and for the first time in its 120-year history it’s starting in Italy, Florence to be precise, on 29 June, then moving to Rimini, via the natural splendour of the Tuscan-Emilian Apennines and the sandy Adriatic coastline, before heading for Piedmont and from there into France, where it will end, after a total of 21 stages, on 21 July in Nice, not, for the first time since 1905, in Paris (which is hosting the Olympics at the end of July). Nearly a month of exhausting road cycling to win the iconic yellow jersey, which for the past two editions has been worn by Danish cyclist Jonas Vingegaard, one of this year’s favourites along with Tadej Pogačar, Primož Roglič, Remco Evenepoel, Simon Yates and Carlos Rodríguez.

The first stage, Florence-Rimini (206 kilometres) is dedicated to Gino Bartali, one of the greatest cyclists in history, who was born in 1914 at Ponte a Ema, a small village 10 km from Florence, and who won the Tour de France on two occasions.

The teams will be presented on 27 June, with a parade from Palazzo Vecchio to Piazzale Michelangelo.

On Saturday 29 at midday, the riders will set off for a non-competitive route from Villaggio alle Cascine to Piazza della Signoria for the formal start of the race. They will pass through the streets of the city centre and cross Ponte Vecchio, one of Florence’s best-known landmarks, before arriving at Piazza Pitti, then take Viale Niccolò Machiavelli up to Piazzale Michelangelo, from where they will continue towards Piazza Gavinana to Viale Europa and Bagno a Ripoli. Here the real race begins, with the departure at 12:40 from Viola Park.

A great celebration for cycling fans, and for anyone visiting Florence on those dates, with plenty of action and events in store.

(ph. Florian Schmetz)