Sports passion, love for the mountains and team spirit are few of the common traits of Tour of the Alps and the Italian National Alpini Association (ANA), now together after sealing a collaboration agreement for the 44th edition of the Euro-regional cycling stage race scheduled from April 20th to 24th on the roads of Tirol, South-Tyrol and Trentino.
Constantly collaborating to events of many disciplines – including skiing, hiking, shooting, MTB, and the “Alpiniadi”, the Alpini summer and winter Olympics held every two years – the Alpini’s feeling for sports is well documented. The Alpini’s association will bring to the Tour of the Alps its valuable contribution for the roads’ safety, but also the enthusiasm and humanity of its associates, with the involvement of the local nucleus of the areas where the race takes place.
“We are proud of this new collaboration, giving further prominence to the Tour of the Alps and its values – Giacomo Santini, the President of G.S. Alto Garda, explained -. The mountains, the Alps in particular, unite us, and we hope that this synergy can produce remarkable results for a long time.”
“Now in its second century of history, the Italian National Association of the Alpini has helped to establish the foundations of our Country with memory, solidarity, love for the environment and the mountains – Sebastiano Favero, the President of ANA, said -. Among the shared goals among the almost 350.000 members, there’s the promotion of sports, involvement and sharing, as a way to valorize and enhance the people and the nature. We are looking forward to collaborate to an event like the Tour of the Alps, that merges sports and territory, cycling and mountains”.
The ANA was born in 1919, celebrating its centenary just last year. Its mission is to keep alive and pass the Alpini’s traditions, defend its characteristics and tell their history and gestures. Values as love of Country, friendship and solidarity, the Association brought its contribution in critical circumstances in areas like Vajont, Friuli, Irpinia, Valtellina, Armenia, Albania, Valle d’Aosta, Molise, Abruzzo, Po Valley, and central Italy.
The ANA has almost 350,000 members with 80 units in Italy, 30 around the World and 8 autonomous groups, five of whose in Canada and the remaining in Colombia, Slovakia and Austria.
THE STAGES
Monday, April 20th: Brixen/Bressanone – Innsbruck, 142,8 Km
Elevation gain: 1950 m. Difficulty: **
Tuesday, April 21st: Innsbruck – Feichten im Kaunertal, 121,5 Km
Elevation gain: 2640 m. Difficulty: ***
Wednesday, April 22nd: Imst – Naturns/Naturno, 158,7 Km
Elevation gain: 2290 m. Difficulty: ***
Thursday, April 23rd: Naturns/Naturno – Valle del Chiese/Pieve di Bono, 168,6 Km
Elevation gain: 3880 m. Difficulty: ****
Friday, April 24th: Valle del Chiese/Idroland – Riva del Garda, 120,9 Km
Elevation gain: 2230 m. Difficulty: ***
