The world of cycling takes to the virtual roads of the Giro d’Italia to raise funds for the fight against coronavirus with the launch of a charity event. Recently, in the pages of La Gazzetta dello Sport, Mario Cipollini (the Corsa Rosa’s stage win record holder) and Gianni Bugno (President of the Association of Professional Cyclists) called for the organisation of a charity fundraiser to combat the coronavirus.
In just a few days, RCS Sport and La Gazzetta dello Sport answered, organizing the Giro d’Italia Legends, which will take place on Easter Sunday, 12 April, and the Giro d’Italia Virtual that will follow, beginning on Saturday 18 April. The two events will provide fans with a chance to experience the excitement of the Giro virtually as the world continues to collectively confront the Covid-19 epidemic.
Cycling fans from across the world will be able to join the event, riding the final 37.4 kilometers of the 2020 Giro’s Giovinazzo – Vieste stage. A live post-stage broadcast, taking place at 17:00 CEST, will give participants the chance to interact with their favourite cycling legends via the Corsa Rosa’s social media channels.
The Giro d’Italia Legends – the “prologue” to the Giro d’Italia Virtual – will follow the final 37.4km of stage 9 of the original 2020 Giro route, offering fans and ex-professionals alike a new digital experience created in collaboration with Garmin Edge. The event, with no official race rankings, will take place from 11:00 to 18:00 CEST on Sunday 12 April.
Cycling stars of the past participating in this exciting new prologue will include Mario Cipollini, Gianni Bugno, Paolo Bettini, Claudio Chiappucci, Davide Cassani, Stefano Garzelli, Ivan Gotti, Maurizio Fondriest, Alessandro Ballan, Filippo Pozzato, Andrea Tafi, Michele Bartoli, Daniele Bennati, Stefano Allocchio, Alessandro Bertolini, Giuseppe Guerini, Riccardo Magrini, Andrea Noè, Matteo Montaguti, Francesco Chicchi, Mario Scirea, Marco Velo, Alessandro Vanotti and Alberto Volpi.
