Articolo disponibile anche in: Italian

What happens at home when an important guest is expected or the priest is coming to give the Easter blessing?  Everyone gets busy cleaning, reorganizing, polishing the silver, and making the house beautiful for the guest.

This is what has been happening in Panzano in Chianti over the last few days. Everyone is working to make the road that passes through the Chianti region beautiful and safe.

On May 15th, the 9th segment of the Cycling tour of Italy will pass prom Radda to Greve, a 40 chilometeri stretch filled with curves and ups and downs. It is an honor to have the “Giro” pass through our streets. an honor strongly championed by the Consortium of Chianti Classico.

And so, for our honored guest, let’s get to work!: holes filled and leveled, asphalted roads, new street and road signs, and 100 other frills to enhance our presence for the 1000’s of spectators and tourists along the route and assist the motorcade that accompanies the race.

It’s a lovely calling card for an international event. Someone commented: “Wow! Every year we should have an event like this that improves the viability of our streets and roads”.

In the meantime, let’s hold on to the results which we hope will last in time. Let’s maintain them, because like Rosanna Lambertucci used to say: “Beautiful on the inside, beautiful on the outside”.

She was talking about physique, but let’s apply these rules at home and on our streets. There is certainly the same fervor for public works in Radda. There is a lot going on in the 2 towns on both sides of the race.

The Town administration, the Association of Volunteers, hotels, restaurants, bed and breakfasts, clubs, shops and street vendors are busy. Tons of arms are raised for selfies. Today there are fewer cycling fans than in the time of Binda, Guerra, Girardengo, Coppi and Bartali, but the Giro still brings excitement and enthusiasm, passion and fun.

We love to see the “Girini” , participants with varicolored jerseys, who plod through our countryside, trying to conquer the “Premio della Montagna” , the prize that will be in reach here, on our hillside.

Miriam Serni Casalini e Dario Cecchini