33rd Giro del Trentino, April 22-25

The four stage Giro del Trentino, an important race in riders' preparations leading up to the Giro d'Italia, will be held April 22nd to the 25th.

The official presentation was held in Trento on April 6th. It was announced that this year there will be a special award issued in the name of Enzo Moser for the most combative rider. Enzo Moser was the first winner, in 1962, of the Giro del Trentino.

Lance Armstrong had originally planned to race the event but is now questionable due to his accident. Nevertheless, as Francesco Moser said at the presentation "The 33rd edition of the Giro del Trentino will be the most difficult ever; it's a shame that Lance Armstrong may not be here but Basso and Simoni will serve a delicious 'antipasto' to the Giro d'Italia."

The first stage, an individual time trial will begin in Torbole/Riva del Garda at the northern end of Lake Garda.

Also of interest is the fact that the Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol is an autonomous region in northern Italy. The region is comprised of two provinces: the autonomous provinces of Trento (or Trentino) and Bolzano (or Alto Adige/Südtirol). As an autonmous region it has the the right of elaborating its own laws in a wide number of domains and to carry out relative administrative functions. In 1972, the autonomous framework was futher expanded to include autonomy of political address, legislative autonomy, administrative autonomy, and autonomy in financial institutions. The provincial capitals alternate biennially as the site of the regional parliament. The result of all this, coupled with language and cultural differences, is that you might easily forget you are in Italy, especially in the Alto Adige. A subject area worth studying further if you are interested in Italy.

Photos: location of Trento and Bolzano provinces; Francesco Moser, 2nd left, at the presentation; a RAI cameraman covering the race in 2008; a very special Polizia car was used to proceed the riders along the route

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