The Giro di Padania was a multi-stage cycling race which forms part of the UCI Europe Tour. It was held at the beginning of September in Northern Italy, in the region known as the Po Valley or Padania.

Giro di Padania
Race details
DateEarly September
RegionPo Valley, Northern Italy, Italy
English nameTour of the Po Valley
Local name(s)Giro di Padania, Monviso-Venezia — Il Padania
DisciplineRoad race
CompetitionUCI Europe Tour
TypeStage race
OrganiserASD Monviso-Venezia
History
First edition2011 (2011)
Editions2
Final edition2012
First winner Ivan Basso (ITA)
Final winner Vincenzo Nibali (ITA)

The first edition, won by Ivan Basso,[1] was held from 6 September until 10 September 2011.[2] About 200 riders participated to the first Giro di Padania, with the national teams of Australia, Poland and Slovenia. This edition was heavily disrupted by activists protesting against the Lega Nord and the Berlusconi government austerity plans.[3][4] Activists also claimed that the race was intended as political Propaganda for the Lega Nord political party.[5][6] In the 2011 edition the leader's jersey was green (which is also the colour of Lega Nord), but the colour was changed to blue in 2012.

The race was cancelled in 2013 and has not been held since.[7]

Winners edit

Year Country Rider Team
2011   Italy Ivan Basso Liquigas–Cannondale
2012   Italy Vincenzo Nibali Liquigas–Cannondale

References edit

  1. ^ "2011 Giro di Padania – Results", Cycling News, 10-09-2011.
  2. ^ Farrand, Stephen. "Giro di Padania route unveiled in Italy", Cycling News, 28-07-2011.
  3. ^ (in Dutch) "Video: Italiaanse communisten houden wielrenners Giro di Padania tegen" NRC.nl, 7 september 2011
  4. ^ (in English) "Controversy for Italy’s Po Valley Cycling Race" The World.org, 7 september 2011
  5. ^ Ryan, Barry. "Protesters attempt to block Giro di Padania route", Cycling News, 06-09-2011.
  6. ^ (Italian) Ghisalberti, Claudio "Giro di Padania: è sempre caos Schiaffi e insulti ai corridori", La Gazzetta dello Sport, 07-09-2011.
  7. ^ "Monviso-Venezia, cancellata l'edizione 2013". spaziociclismo.it. Archived from the original on 2015-02-21.

External links edit