2024 will be a magical year for Bologna as the capital of Emilia-Romagna gears up for 12 months of major sporting events, with cycling taking the spotlight.
After the much-anticipated Tour de France stage finish on June 30th, the fat wheels of Mountain Biking will also have their moment under the Two Towers. Indeed, on Monday, September 2nd, 2024, the official start of the sixth edition of the Appenninica MTB Stage Race, the most important Italian MTB stage race, will be given in Bologna, where the event’s maiden edition had already taken the start back in 2019.
The Madonna di San Luca hill, the iconic setting of the Appenninica time trial in 2019 and of this year’s Tour de France finish, is set to welcome Italy’s most prestigious MTB stage event opening act once again in 2024.
On Monday, September 2nd, the stage race on the the Emilia-Romagna Apennines’ trails will kick off from the Meloncello Arch, facing the famous San Luca ascent. Curiously, the Giro d’Italia opening time trial had taken place on this climb in 2019, few months before the Appenninica’s debut: this time, it will be the Tour de France paving the way to the Sanctuary for the MTB stage race.
On the eve day, September 1st, will see Bologna brimming with the Appenninica MTB Stage Race’s essence as the city center becomes the hub for the pre-race fervor. Right after the start of stage 1, the race will head towards the heart of the Emilia-Romagna Apennines through the famous “ Via degli Dei”, the historic hiking trail connecting Bologna to Florence, crossed by thousands of trekking enthusiasts every year.
“In a year that will go down in history for the Tour de France passing, we are proud to welcome the Appenninica MTB Stage Race, an event that brings athletes and fans from around the world to our Apennines, and on a consistent growing curve. Not only does the city host a significant sporting event, but this symbolically strengthens the bond with the surrounding territory, reinforcing our commitment to a tourism strategy that benefits the broader metropolitan landscape,” says Mattia Santori, President of the Bologna-Modena Tourism Territory.
“Another significant sporting event will spotlight Bologna in this milestone year for cycling and cycle-tourism in 2024, with numerous biking initiatives, several of them related to the Tour de France’s passage. As usual, the city and the whole area will be ready to welcome the riders and everybody who will seize this opportunity to explore our region”, says Roberta Li Calzi, Bologna’s Councilor for Sport and Budget.
“Returning to Bologna for the 2024 Appenninica MTB Stage Race start is a privilege. The city, a symbol of Emilia-Romagna’s heart, reaffirms its affinity for cycling and elite sporting events. For us, featuring in a program that includes the Tour de France is a further reason for pride”, say the organizers of Appenninica MTB Stage Race Milena Bettocchi and Beppe Salerno.