Maglia Rosa carries Twitter messages from fans and riders; Blue replaces Green for mountains competition
Giro d’Italia organiser RCS Sport has unveiled the leaders’ jerseys that will be contested in this year’s race at a reception at the Just Cavalli Cafè in Milan. The pink jersey – Maglia Rosa – for the race’s overall leader was presented by Italian actress Giorgia Würth, the face of the 2012 Giro, accompanied by injured Farnese Vini-Selle Italia Classics star Filippo Pozzato. The jersey features a number of Twitter messages, from fans and riders, and continues to be sponsored by Italian ice tea manufacturer EstaThe.
The big news is that the mountains jersey will turn blue in 2012, having been various shades of green since its inception in 1974. This is due to the fact that it is the colour of new sponsor Banco Mediolanum; the bank sponsored an InterGiro jersey in the past, which was a competition based on times at the ‘Traguardo Volante’ intermediate sprints.
The jersey for young riders – born after January 1st 1987 – will remain white, and will be sponsored by Italian fruit producer F.lli Orsero; the points jersey continues to be red – having changed back from cyclamen in 2010 after a 30-year period – but its sponsor will be announced at a later date.
Present at the ceremony were Andrea Monti, the editor of La Gazzetta dello Sport, Giacomo Catano, the CEO of RCS Sport, Michele Acquarone, general director of RCS Sport, Ennio Doris, the president di Banca Mediolanum, and Fulvio Zendrini, the head of Marketing and Communication for F.lli Orsero. While former super-sprinter, ‘Re Leone’ Mario Cipollini also attended, appearing in a photocall with Giorgia Würth.
The 2012 Giro d’Italia will start on May 5th with an 8.7km time trial in the town of Herning in central Denmark, before returning to Italy after three stages in the north European country; finally finishing in Milan with another time trial on May 27th.
The 2011 race was won by Alberto Contador but, after a long-awaited verdict from the Court for Arbitration in Sport (CAS) that ruled him liable for his clenbuterol positive in the 2010 Tour de France, the Spanish rider has been stripped of the title. Lampre-ISD’s Michele Scarponi, who stood on the second step in Milan last May, has been awarded the victory, and intends to defend his title in the race next month.