THE GIRO D’ITALIA IS COMING BACK TO THE VINEYARDS THIS YEAR WITH “THE WINE TRIAL” FROM BAROLO TO BARBARESCO. THE PASSAGE OF THE PINK CARAVAN WILL BE AN OPPORTUNITY TO PROMOTE THE TERRITORY AND ITS EXCELLENT WINES.

The pink jersey of the most fascinating cycling tour, Giro d’Italia (Tour of Italy), will return to “take in” some of the most important Italian red wines. After the legendary stage of May 15, 2010, when the pink caravan passed through Montalcino, home of Brunello for the second time in its history in a dramatic arrival among rain, mud and dirt roads where the Australian Evans, in the Tour for the first time, won the stage, the Tour will include what has already been baptized "the wine trial" once again.
It will be stage number 12 on May 22nd, starting in Barbaresco and arriving in Barolo, a 46 km lap among the most prestigious vineyards in Piedmont, as WineNews had written in September.

"It is a very difficult stage for cyclists,” said Davide Cassani, who has participated in a dozen tours and has won two stages, during the presentation in Rome, attended by the Deputy Minister of Agriculture Andrea Olivero, and Enrico Costa, the national cycling coach. “I do not drink anything”, admitted the athlete, “but cycling through the vineyards, in those landscapes that by summer will be recognized a Unesco Heritage Site, is the thrill of a lifetime”.

It is an emotion that can be experienced by bike enthusiasts as well as food and wine tourists. Before the professional race, cyclist fans will be able to participate in the program, "Wow-Wonderful Outdoor Week".
The program starts with a morning ride in the Langhe and Roero and lunch at the Cantina Bricco Rocche di Castiglione Faletto, with a menu signed by the chef with three Michelin stars Enrico Crippa, who has promised a "very pink" veal with tuna sauce. "And there are more and more foreigners”, said the president of Tourism for Alba, Bra, Langhe and Roero (www.langheroero.it) Luigi Barbero, “more than two-thirds of the tourists attracted to Piedmont food and wine, which includes, in addition to Barolo and Barbaresco, 12 more DOCG wines. Over the past ten years, we have tripled the number of guests”, he announced. The Tour of Italy, said the national president of Unioncamere Ferruccio Dardanello, “is the Italians’ party. The “Wine time trial” combining three of our winning qualities: wine, tourism and sport, which will give a generous push to recover the optimism and enthusiasm we need”. The time trial stage for professionals will pass through 12 municipalities”, said the chairman of the Committee Tappa12 Barbaresco Barolo, Giulio Abbate, “and also includes a contest for schools "I draw the Giro" and the prize "Balconies in Bloom" in a live broadcast in 150 countries and offers the opportunity to visit the monument to Pantani which counts over 100.000 visitors each year.