BUONGIORNO FROM MODENA AND STAGE 10 OF 97TH GIRO D’ITALIA Corsa Rosa brings solidarity to victims of 2012 earthquake Modena, 19 May 2014 - Buongiorno from stage 10, Modena-Salsomaggiore Terme (173 km), a mostly flat stage suited to the sprinters. The stage is dedicated to the memory of Gino Bartali, the winner of three Giri d’Italia (1936, 1937, 1946). In 1936, the year of his first Giro win, Bartali won three stages. The last of them took place on 6 June 1936, in Stage 18 (Gardone Riviera to today’s stage finish, Salsomaggiore Terme, 206 km). Today’s race route encompasses towns and villages devastated by the earthquakes of May-June 2012. Through this stage, the Giro d’Italia wishes to convey a message of solidarity to all those affected. The Giro d’Italia’s Colombian riders wear a black ribbon today in memory of the schoolchildren who died yesterday in a bus fire in the town of Fundación. The peloton of the Giro d’Italia, now 182 strong, passed km 0 (SP95, transfer 4.2km) at 1317 hrs. JERSEYS Maglia Rosa – Balocco: Cadel Evans (BMC Racing) Maglia Rossa – Algida: Nacer Bouhanni (FDJ.FR) Maglia Bianca – F.lli Orsero: Rafał Majka (TInkoff Saxo) Maglia Azzurra – Banca Mediolanum: Julián Arredondo (Trek Factory Racing) WEATHER Modena: scattered clouds, 19.8°C. Wind: weak, NW 3 Mirandola: scattered clouds 21.9°C. Wind: weak, W 4 Parma: scattered clouds 21°C. Wind: weak, NW 5 kph Salsomaggiore Termi: scattered clouds, 19.5°C. Wind: weak, NW 5 kph RACE ROUTE The route follows the flat roads of the Po Valley in the provinces of Modena, Reggio Emilia and Parma. No particular difficulties until the last kilometres. At Castelfranco Emilia (km 9), roundabouts and central reservation. At Mirandola (km 61), narrow roadway due to road- works. Kms 69-76, narrow roadway. Feed zone at Villarotta (km 90.8). At Guastalla (km 98), city-centre pavé. At Parma (km 132), series of roundabouts and traffic dividers. Final kms: After Fidenza, a shallow uphill gradient leads to Bagni di Tabiano, where a short climb is followed by a fast, technical descent to Salsomaggiore Terme. About 3 km remain. Kms -3 to -1 include roundabouts and sharp bends. The final straight is 120m long on asphalt 7.5m wide. AROUND THE RACE Modena: the Cathedral, a masterpiece of Romanesque architecture, its bell tower, known as “la Ghirlandina”, and the adjoining Piazza Grande, are listed as UNESCO World Heritage Sites. Modena is one of the culinary capitals of Italy, with an extraordinary total of 19 local food products listed by one or other of the three European Union programmes defining geographical indications and traditional specialities (protected designation of origin or PDO, protected geographical indication or PGI, and traditional specialities guaranteed or TSG). Perhaps the best known of these are Traditional Balsamic Vinegar (PDO), produced from cooked grape must and aged at least 12 years (although some vinegars are aged for 35 years or more); Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese (under Italian law, only cheese produced in the Provinces of Parma, Reggio Emilia, Bologna, Modena, (all in Emilia-Romagna), and Mantova (in Lombardia, but only the area south of the Po), may be labelled "Parmigiano-Reggiano", and European law classifies the name, as well as the translation "Parmesan", as a protected designation of origin. Parmigiano is the Italian adjective for Parma and Reggiano for Reggio Emilia); and Lambrusco, a sparkling or spumante red wine from one of the eight Lambrusco “denominazione di origine controllata” (DOC) regions: Colli di Parma Lambrusco, Lambrusco Grasparossa di Castelvetro, Lambrusco di Sorbara, Lambrusco Salamino di Santa Croce, Reggiano Lambrusco, Colli di Scandiano e Canossa Lambrusco, Modena Lambrusco, and Lambrusco Mantovano. Mary of Modena (Maria Beatrice Anna Margherita Isabella d'Este, 1658-1718) Queen of England, Scotland and Ireland as the second wife of James II (of England, who was also James VII of Scotland, 1633–1701). Born a princess in the Duchy of Modena, Mary married the widowed James, younger brother of Charles II and second in line to the throne. Mary was uninterested in politics and devoted to her husband and children, one of whom was the Jacobite (i.e., from the previous Roman Catholic/Stuart dynasty) claimant to the thrones, James Francis Edward, (who would have become James III of England, and was known later in life as "The Old Pretender”). Precision engineering: among the town’s celebrated engineering firms are Maserati and Ferrari, the latter based in nearby Maranello. Cycling: Less than 100m from today’s start line, across the square, is where, in 1940, Fausto Coppi took the first Maglia Rosa of his career, at the end of Stage 11 of the 1940 Giro d’Italia, Firenze-Modena (184 km), won by 3’45” at the end of a solo breakaway of 110 km. Coppi kept the Maglia Rosa until Milan, where he won the first of his 5 Giri d’Italia. Castelfranco Emilia: birthplace of Alfonsina Strada, the only woman to have ridden one of cycling's three major stage races. Born Alfonsina Morini, the daughter of a day labourer and a wet nurse, she married Luigi Strada, a metal plater and engraver, who was also a rider and racer, in 1924. She finished outside the time limit on Stage 7, but was allowed to continue. Only 38 riders completed the Giro and Strada, although no longer officially in the race, finished 28 hours behind the winner, 30-year-old Giuseppe Enrici, but more than 20 hours ahead of the lanterne rouge, Telesforo Benaglia. Towns severely damaged by the earthquake: San Felice sul Panaro (km 49.2): Contrary to what its name suggests, not on the Panaro River! The Rocca Estense (Este Castle) and other buildings seriously damaged, and the Clock Tower entirely destroyed. Mirandola (km 60.9, int. spr.): the Church of San Francesco d’Assisi, the town hall and several biotech companies severely damaged. Moglia (km 76.3): town hall, the parish church and many buildings in the city centre severely damaged. Mirandola (km 60.9, int. spr.): the humanist and philosopher Giovanni Pico dei Conti della Mirandola e della Concordia, known as Pico della Mirandola (b. Mirandola 1463, d. Florence 1494), the author of Oration on the Dignity of Man, which has been called the Manifesto of the Renaissance, and a key text of Renaissance humanism. Reggiolo (km 85.2): birthplace of Carlo Ancelotti (born in 1959), former footballer with Roma (1 Scudetto and 4 Coppe Italia) and Milan (2 Scudetti, 2 European Cups). Capped 26 times and scored one goal for Italy, and appeared in the 1990 World Cup. Current Real Madrid manager. Brescello (km 111.7): On the Enza river, near where it meets the Po River that flows along most of race route. Famous as the set of Don Camillo books by Giovannino Guareschi (b. Fontanelle di Roccabianca 1908, d. Cervia 1968), one of the best-selling Italian authors worldwide, and by far the most translated Italian writer. Parma (km 131.8): a town of wonderful architecture, 12th-century Duomo, with valuable frescos, octagonal Romanesque-Gothic Baptistry, Renaissance Church of S. Giovanni Evangelista, Church of the Madonna. The Royal Theatre (Teatro Regio) is a symbol of the city’s passion for opera. Parma is a town of music, birthplace of Arturo Toscanini (Parma 1867-New York 1957), Giuseppe Verdi (Roncole di Busseto 1813-Milan 1901) and Renata Tebaldi, soprano (Pesaro 1922-San Marino 2004, citizen of Parma by adoption).In film, birthplace of the Bertolucci family: Attilio (1911-2000), poet, and father to Bernardo (1941) and Giuseppe (1947-2012), both film-makers; and Alberto Bevilacqua (1934-2013), writer, movie director and screenwriter. Cycling: to name just one of the host of great local riders: Vittorio Adorni, (b. San Lazzaro di Parma 1937). Vittorio contains within him the history of modern cycling: 1965 Giro champion, room-mate and confident of Anquetil, Gimondi and Merckx, and World Champion in 1968, when he rode alone for 90 km and winning by a margin of 9'50" on Herman Van Springel and 10'18" on Michele Dancelli. We are enormously privileged to have him as our special guest throughout the 97th Giro d’Italia. Ponte Taro (km 141.7): bridge built 1816-1821, 565.5 meters long and 8 wide, considered as the longest bridge in Europe at the time it was built. Salsomaggiore Terme (km 173): Spa town whose salt-bromine-iodine thermal waters were prized by the Romans. Majestic Art Nouveau-Art Déco Spa building. Hosted “Miss Italy” for 39 years. Salsomaggiore Terme has hosted 9 Giro d’Italia stage finishes: 1921 Stage 8, Livorno-Parma, won by Luigi Annoni 1929 Stage 12, La Spezia-Parma (Domenico Piemontesi) 1948 Stage 3, Genova-Parma (Luciano Maggini) 1964 Stage 4, San Pellegrino Terme-Parma (Vito Taccone) 1966 Stage 13, Baganzola - Baganzola (ITT, Vittorio Adorni) 1980 Stage 4, Torino-Parma, vinta da Giuseppe Saronni) 1983 Stage 13, Reggio Emilia- Parma (ITT, Giuseppe Saronni) 2001 Stage 16, Erbusco-Parma (Ivan Quaranta) 2011 Stage 2, Alba-Parma (Alessandro Petacchi) TELEVISION The 2014 Giro d’Italia is broadcast in 171 countries across 5 continents. RAI, the Giro’s longstanding partner and host broadcaster, shows the stage in Italy on RaiSport 2 from 1400 hours (CET) and on RaiTre, in simulcast, from 1505. The stage is streamed on www.raisport.rai.it, while www.gazzetta.it carries highlights, analysis and news updates. The Giro d’Italia is broadcast throughout Europe on Eurosport every day at 1430. Elsewhere, the Giro d’Italia’s broadcasters are Sky Sports (UK), VRT/Sporza, TV2 Sporten, FORTA (TV3 Catalonia, TVG Galicia, TPA Asturias, EITB Basque Country), beIN Sports, NOS, SRG SSR, Sportsnet, RDS, TDN, ESPN Sur, ESPN Brasil, Al Jazeera, SuperSport, Eurosport Asia-Pacific, J Sports, Hy Sport, Sony SIX, TrueVisions, SBS, FOX Sports, and Sky Sport (NZ).