Ah, the Giro d’Italia. Arguably the most interesting of the Grand Tour Cycling Races and definitely my favorite. The Grand Tours of Cycling are the three intense, 3-week long bicycling races that tour a particular country. The most well known in the United States is Le Tour de France, but the other two are well known and just as crazy as Le Tour – these are the Giro d’Italia (Tour of Italy) and La Vuelta de Espana (Tour of Spain).
The Tour de France was the first of these incredibly demanding races, but more on that in an upcoming cache. The Giro was first conceived by the sports editor of La Gazzetta dello Sport, an Italian newspaper, in response to the Tour de France. The first race was held in May, 1909. While 127 riders started, only 49 riders finished the grueling 2,448 km (1,521 mi) race. Over the years the number of riders has increased, much like the French and Spanish tours. The race covers many kilometers of beautiful, mountainous terrain. All three tours are mountainous and difficult, but often the Italian route is the most difficult (though the Spanish tour can be hotter and more difficult, at times).
The rider who is leading in time wears a pink jersey (yellow in the Tour de France) because La Gazzetta printed its newspapers on pink paper. Three different riders have won the Giro five times each – a monumental feat. These are Alfredo Binda (1925, 1927-29, 1933), Fausto Coppi (1940, 1947, 1949, 1952, 1953), and Eddy Merckx (1968, 1970, 1972-74). Coppi is thought to have been capable of winning more, but the race was suspended from 1941 – 1945 for World War II. One American, Andy Hampsten, won the overall race in 1988 and one Canadian, Ryder Hesjedal, won the race in 2012. Surprisingly, no Germans have ever won the Giro d’Italia.
The only Grand Tour race for elite women cyclists is a Giro d’Italia for female riders. This race is shorter, currently 8 days, but still grueling. Originating in 1988, the women’s Giro has gone by three different names: Giro d’Italia Femminile, Giro Donne, and Giro Rosa, its current name. Although this race has had a wide variety of international winners (including Mara Abbott from the United States and Claudia Hausler from Germany), the winner with the most pink jerseys is Fabiana Luperini (1995-98) with four consecutive wins.
The information above is primarily from Wikipedia.com. The photo of Gino Bartali (left) and Fausto Coppi (right) is from listal.com. The photo of Fabiana Luperini is from Wikipedia.com.
I hope you have as much fun learning about the Giro and finding this cache as I do when I watch the race each year. Enjoy the puzzle!
Coordinates are:
14.15.18.4.
17.21.1.18.1.14.20.1.17.21.1.20.20.18.15
20.18.5.4.9.3.9
19.5.9
19.5.19.19.1.14.20.1.19.5.20.20.5
15.22.5.19.20
21.14.15
22.5.14.9.17.21.1.20.20.18.15
21.14.15
3.9.14.17.21.5
19.5.9
4.21.5
You can check your answers for this puzzle on GeoChecker.com.