TOMORROW'S STAGE
Stage 12 – Noale - Bibione – 182km
The stage course is perfectly flat and runs almost entirely along wide and straight roads. Initially, the route follows the Riviera del Brenta, then it enters the province of Treviso along trunk roads. There are roundabouts, kerbs, speed bumps and traffic dividers in urban areas, especially in Mestre, Treviso and Portogruaro. The route finally reaches Bibione, where an 8km circuit is to be covered twice.
Final kms
The final 8km circuit, to be ridden twice, features 14 bends and long straight stretches, on mostly wide and well-surfaced roads. The home straight is 300m long, on a 7.5-m wide asphalt road.
POINTS OF INTEREST
NOALE – km 0
This lively town has retained a large heritage of its Roman past. Major religious buildings include the ancient church of SS. Felice e Fortunato – housing a wonderful altar by architect and sculptor Jacopo Tatti, known as Jacopo Sansovino (Florence 1486-Venice 1570) – and the imposing Chiesa dell’Assunta.
The Aprilia Company was founded here in 1945. It began as a bicycle manufacturer before changing to motorcycle production.
SANTA MARIA DI SALA – km 5
The outstanding Villa Farsetti, with its large gardens is not to be missed. Santa Maria Di Sala is the birthplace of Antonio “Toni” Bevilacqua (1918-1972), a professional cyclist with an outstanding record including two World Pursuit Championships, the 1951 Paris-Roubaix, the 1950 Italian Road Championships, and 11 Giro stages.
DOLO – km 19 and MIRA – km 23
Dolo, at the heart of the “Riviera del Brenta”, is in an area rich with waterways and dotted with stately Venetian villas. Major sights include the 16-century Duomo and ancient watermills. This area is renowned for shoe manufacturing, and an interesting theme museum was established in the town of Stra at Villa Foscarini Rossi.
Dolo was home to Endrio Leoni (1968), a top-quality sprinter who won three stages and one half-stage at the Giro d’Italia, as well as one stage at the Vuelta a España during his decade as a pro.
Next on the stage route is Mira, a populous town lying halfway between Padua and Venice. Villa Foscari (also known as “la Malcontenta”), designed by Palladio, along with Villa Widmann and many others, are the main sights. The city hosted the finish of stage 12 (Mantova-Mira) in 1989 – the first of Mario Cipollini’s 42 record-breaking Giro stage wins.
MESTRE – km 36
The route enters the territory of the Metropolitan City of Venice through Mestre. The conurbation was united to that of Venice in 1926, and a 4km long road and railway bridge, Ponte della Libertà, was inaugurated in 1933 to connect mainland Venice to its islands.
The “city of the Lagoon” is unique, brimming with architectural, historic and environmental splendour.
Mestre is rich in monuments and architectural landmarks, including the 18-century parish church of San Lorenzo, Palazzo Podestarile (the City Hall), Teatro Toniolo and the clock tower (Torre dell’Orologio).
MOGLIANO VENETO – km 44
The birthplace of the engraver and architect Giovan Battista Piranesi (1720- 1778; soprano and actress Toti Dal Monte (1893-1975); and of the writer Giuseppe Berto (1914-1978).
TREVISO – km 67
The lively, “cycling enthusiast” city has often been featured in the Giro route. Brimming with architectural splendour, monuments and culinary delights, Treviso stands in the middle of the Venetian Plain, an area rich of water resources: its many karst springs are called fontanassi. With its religious and monastic tradition, Treviso has many religious buildings, including the Church of Saint Francis (that was built following the settlement of a group of Franciscan friars sent by Saint Francis himself). It houses the tombs of one of Dante Alighieri’s sons and of Francesco Petrarca’s daughter.
The story of Giovanni Pinarello (1922-2014), native to Catena di Villorba, where he started working as a manufacturer, will be forever linked to Treviso.
MASERADA SUL PIAVE – km 79 and ORMELLE (intermediate sprint) – km 95
Maserada sul Piave and the historic bridge spanning the Piave River evoke the era of WWI.
ODERZO (feed zone) – km 102
Known as Opitergium under the Roman Empire, the town has a lovely historical district, with Gothic houses, nice porticoes and finely decorated Renaissance mansions.
MOTTA DI LIVENZA – km 111
A former river port, this town’s major sights include the Duomo and the Madonna dei Miracoli Sanctuary.
PORTOGRUARO (intermediate sprint) – km 131
After briefly touching the province of Pordenone (Friuli-Venezia-Giulia) in Case Consonni, the route runs past Annone Veneto and Portogruaro and goes back to the province of Venice. The heart of Portogruaro is composed of lovely Venetian-style mansions, and surrounded by a moat.
Portogruaro is the seat of the oldest shipyard in the world, producing wooden boats. Founded in Chioggia in 1438, it has been directed by 18 generations of the Camuffo family.
SAN MICHELE AL TAGLIAMENTO – km 144 and BIBIONE (1st pass km 166, 2nd pass km 174, finish km 182)
The route heads for the finish in Bibione, a major seaside resort belonging to the municipality of San Michele al Tagliamento. The city and the northern part of its wide municipal territory are mainly a farming area, while to the south are a large beach and peaceful pine forests.
Bibione has already been featured multiple times in the Giro d’Italia route. It was finish city in 1971 (with victory going to Patrick Sercu); in 1981 (won by Guido Bontempi in the opening half-stage, whereas Hoonved-Bottecchia was victorious in the team time trial that afternoon); in 1994 (Jan Svorada); and in 2000 the Colombian Victor Hugo Pena ranked first in the individual time trial starting in Lignano.