Next Year’s Giro d’Italia to Commemorate 1949 Superga Air Disaster
In an announcement that pays tribute to a poignant chapter in Italian history, organizers of the Giro d’Italia revealed the preliminary details for next year’s race. The 2024 Giro will kick off in the picturesque Piedmont region on May 4, marking an important moment in time. This opening stage is set to commemorate the 1949 Superga air disaster, a tragic event that claimed the lives of the entire Torino soccer team.
On the first day of this Italian Grand Tour, riders will embark on an 85-mile journey from Venaria Reale to Turin. The route holds deep significance as it traverses the Superga hill, where the Torino team’s plane met its fateful end, marking the 75th anniversary of the tragedy.
In 1949, a catastrophic plane crash took the lives of all 31 individuals on board, including the beloved “Grande Torino” team, named after their remarkable five consecutive Italian league titles. Their legacy endures.
The victor of the opening stage will be honored with a distinctive “maglia rosa,” the leader’s pink jersey. This jersey will bear the words “Solo il Fato li vinse,” or “Only Fate defeated them,” in Torino’s team colors.
The second stage encompasses an undulating 93-mile route, commencing in San Francesco al Campo and concluding at Santuario di Oropa, just outside Biella. The stage showcases three classified climbs, including a demanding uphill finish in the highest category.
Stage three will offer a chance for the sprinters to shine, featuring a mainly flat, 103-mile course from Novara to Fossano.
While stage four also originates in Piedmont, specifically Acqui Terme, it will take riders beyond the region. Further details about this stage will be unveiled on October 13 in Trento, when the complete route is disclosed.
The reigning champion, Primož Roglič, secured victory in this year’s Giro d’Italia.