Andora, 7 May 2024 – There is no Giro without the sea and there is no sea without the Giro. And so the flat, blue horizon appeared before the gaze of the Giro-E riders, who today set off from Savona for the fourth stage, arriving in Andora after 84 kilometres, almost all along the coast and therefore rather tiring, not only due to the inclement weather, but because at over 25 kph the e-bike motors stop working, by law, and the group can rarely restrain itself to go below this speed on the plain.
It was unlikely that the cyclists took the time to explore Savona before the ride, but the city is definitely worth it. A journey to discover its beauty should start from the monument to the President of the Republic Sandro Pertini, born in the province and its most illustrious citizen. Then the Priamar Fortress, where Mazzini was locked up, the Brandale and Leon Pancaldo towers, the many palazzi, the museums, including All About Apple, about the history of the American brand. Allowing yourself to be tempted by the local cuisine is a must: a panissa or chickpea flat bread (turtellassu) in the alleyways, accompanied by a glass of Vermentino or Rossesse, and then off to the seaside.
The Savona-Andora stage
No fewer than 84 kilometres long, the first sea-view stage of the Giro-E Enel 2024 presents a flat, but not very flat altitude profile: today there are 800 metres of elevation. Partly due to the climb to Forte Ciuto (371 metres above sea level), reserved for the Giro-E, and partly due to the typical ups and downs of the coastal roads which, in the end, break your legs, also because the team captains really push you hard.
In its history, Savona has hosted five starts and five stage finishes of the Giro d’Italia (the last time in 2014).After 15 kilometres the stage joined the Giro d’Italia route, up as far as Andora. No one complained about the effort or the length of the stage: the pros clocked up an impressive 190 kilometres!
