On Tuesday 24th May, the Castelli Team are hosting their monthly “Epic” ride. For those that don’t follow professional road cycling, May is traditionally the month of the Giro d’Italia, the English translation being the Tour of Italy. As such, we’ll be riding in the Maglia Rosa or pink jersey which is synonymous with the event.
The Giro d’Italia is a historic race that was started in 1909 by Italian newspaper La Gazzetta dello Sport to increase sales of their circulation. This newspaper was printed on pink paper and the race leader wore the Maglia Rosa so spectators and competitors could easily spot them, which in turn promoted the newspaper. Nowadays, as you would expect given Castelli’s prestigious history, they are the manufacturers of the prestigious Maglia Rosa.
Incidentally, the current Giro lasts 3-weeks and is considered one of the Grand Tours, along with the Tour de France and Vuelta a España.
On 24th May, the stage that the pros will be tackling is 200km in length and features three epic climbs, Goletto di Cadino at 1938 meters in height, followed by Passo del Mortilrolo at 1854 meters, and finally Santa Cristina at 1448 meters. An absolutely brutal day and one of the hardest I can remember witnessing.
To commemorate this adventure, the Castelli Team will host their “Epic” ride on the “Tour of Fire and Ice” route which is 25.3km in length and tackles the Alpe du Zwift. Expect this to be a little longer than the normal “Epic” rides. As usual, it begins at 7:25PM CST/6:25PM BST/1:25PM EDT/10:25AM PDT. You can sign up here.
Giveaways
Given this ride is slightly more “Epic” than usual and to tie in with the Giro, Castelli are giving away a Maglia Rosa jersey! This historic jersey can be won by staying close to the beacon throughout the ride and being present when a snapshot is taken. The winner is announced on Catelli’s Strava Club site, which riders are welcome to join.
What I particularly like about the design is that it links back to the origins of the event, particularly with a simple logo paying homage to the newspaper – La Gazzetta dello Sport.
It’s certainly an exclusive jersey to own and will look particularly nice out on the roads.
Event Details
- Route: Watopia, “Tour of Fire and Ice”
- Date: 24th May 2022
- Time: 7:25PM CST/6:25PM BST/1:25PM EDT/10:25AM PDT
- Signup link
