La Gazzetta della Sport has reported that the race organizers for the Giro d’Italia are considering a U.S. kickoff for the 2011 event.
The 2010 race starts in Amsterdam for the first three stages (see route and stage info here), then the riders are transported to Italy for the remainder of the race. That’ll be a test as to whether a long transport is acceptable to the teams and riders, with the success or failure of it helping determine if a jump across the pond is realistic.
Giro director Angelo Zomegnan and other race officials are currently in NYC opening “From Past to Future”, a 100-year photographic history of the Tour of Italy. If you’re in the neighborhood, check it out at Eden Fine Art Gallery. If talks are successful and it works out, it would mark the first time a major grand tour would start outside of Europe…until, of course, the Tour of California and Tour Down Under reach “grand tour” status *wishful thinking*
Check out the news article on this link (should open a Google Translated version of the page in English). Photo: AFP file photo.
