#TotA Day 1: The action restarts from Cles

The wait is over. After the teams’ presentation in Cles, the Tour of the Alps peloton is ready to start its adventure in this 45th edition. Things get immediately interesting in stage 1, 160,9 km from Cles to Primiero/San Martino di Castrozza, entirely run in Trentino.

The course will take the riders through the apple orchards of the Valley home to the Melinda Consortium, and then continue in the outskirts of Trento and into the Valsugana to take on the Brocon Pass. The Gobbera pass will set up the finale, with a short circuit and a double kick up the steep Molaren climb producing the ideal springboard for those daring riders eyeing the first green jersey.

DISPOSITION

Meeting Place: 9,00, Cles, Piazza Granda
Start: 11.20, Cles, Intersezione Via Diaz
Finish: 15:15, Primiero, Viale Piave
Intermediate Sprint: Pergine Valsugana, km 55,6
KOM: Passo Brocon (2a cat., km 116,4); Passo Gobbera (3a cat., km 137,3)

THE STARTING CITY: CLES. The main town of the Val di Non, Cles has bound its name to cycling in several ways through the years. 1988 World Champion Maurizio Fondriest hails from here, as does recent track World Champion Letizia Paternoster, and Cles was home of the Trofeo Melinda for over two decades, in addition to hosting the Tour of the Alps and the former Giro del Trentino several times.

ON THE ROAD: History, culture, environment, and well-being are the cornerstones of Trento’sreality: from the prestigious University to the MUSE Science Museum, from the charming mountains that surround the city, to the trees and parks that wrap around the beautiful historical center and Piazza Duomo. In recent months, Trento hosted a hugely successful edition of the UEC European Road Cycling Championships, and now awaits the UCI Gran Fondo World Championships in September 2022.

THE STAGE TASTE: The Tosèla di Primiero is a fresh cheese (a curd, actually) traditional from the Primiero area, made from freshly drawn milk to preserve all of the fragrance of the herbs of the mountain pastures. Tradition wants it cut in slices about one finger thick, lightly fried in butter.

DON'T MISS: The Pale di San Martino is the largest mountainous group of the Dolomites soaring majestically above the surrounding territory. The peaks make a round crown around a 50-square-km wide plateau, characterized by calcareous rock and the Alpine flowers: cinquefoils, rampion bellflowers, yellow alpine poppies, saxifrages, gentian and edelweiss.

THE FINISH: PRIMIERO/S. MARTINO DI CASTROZZA. Primiero/San Martino di Castrozza is an ideal Alpine destination thanks to the appeal of the Pale di San Martino and to its well-known touristic tradition. Here, visitors can feel the warm welcome of local inhabitants and enjoy unforgettable panoramic views in this unique corner of Trentino, dominated by magic landscapes.

TRAFFIC CLOSURES

For Stage 1, on Monday April 18, Cles - Primiero/S. Martino di Castrozza, the competent authority has also ordered a traffic ban for motor vehicles only, in both directions, one hour earlier than the times indicated in the official timetables, on the downhill stretch of the SP79 from Passo Brocon to Canal San Bovo, as well as a parking ban for all vehicles on the steep downhill stretches.

TV DISTRIBUTION

Every day, 90 minutes of Live broadcast will characterize 2022 Tour of the Alps, from 2.00 pm CET to 3.30 pm CET

TV: Eurosport 1 (Europe, Eastern Europe, East Asia, USA, Canada, South America, Central America, the Pacific Area and the Indian Subcontinent), RaiSport (Italy, San Marino, Vatican City), Equipe TV (France), TV2 (Denmark). Austrian ORF will provide coverage of the event every evening in its news programmes.

LIVE STREAMING: Eurosport Player, GCN – Global Cycling Network, Repubblica.it, Tuttobiciweb.it, Federciclismo.it, PMG Sport.

SIDE EVENTS: 

Primiero/S. Martino di Castrozza

• TotA welcome with an exhibition of a Krampus group
• Official presentation of the Primiero/S. Martino di Castrozza sports events
• Presentation of local products and activities related to the dairy world
• Quiz moment and activities related to the bike
• DEBRA Moment with the testimonial Anna Mei: bike route with the primary school children who ride with an Azzurri jersey and a butterfly-shaped paperflag
• Exhibition of Alpina Bike Vintage

WEATHER FORECAST: The riders will found beautiful weather conditions for their first Tour of the Alps effort for the year. Bright sun is expected at the finish in Primiero/San Martino di Castrozza, with temperatures peaking at 13°.

#TOTA 2022 PROGRAMME

Monday, April 18 - Stage 1: Cles – Primiero/S. Martino di Castrozza, 160.9 Km
Tuesday, April 19 – Stage 2: Primiero/S. Martino di Castrozza – Lana, 154.1 Km
Wednesday, April 20 – Stage 3: Lana – Niederdorf/Villabassa, 154.6 Km
Thursday, April 21 – Stage 4: Niederdorf/Villabassa – Kals am Grossglockner, 142.4 Km
Friday, April 22 – Stage 5: Lienz – Lienz, 114.5 Km