A chromatic guide to the Giro d'Italia 2019 Knowing the colors of the shirts are essential to understanding the tactics in the most important bicycle race in Italy
The first week of the 102th edition of Giro d'Italia has already finished and in addition to the sporting show offered by cyclists surrounded by the landscape visions offered by the most beautiful country in the world (this year they start from Bologna and after more than 3500 km they arrive in Verona, on June 2nd), there is always glance given to the beautiful colors of the jerseys worn by the riders, 176 divided into 22 different teams.
The Rosa race has a color range that goes far beyond the color of its main jersey and has over the years assigned other "colors" to the winners of the other rankings parallel to the general classification: the blue, white, cyclamen and, for a while, the legendary black jersey. In addition to a historical meaning, recognizing the colors of the various formations is fundamental for understanding the running logic: this guide, besides explaining the origins and anecdotes related to the jerseys, will help you to identify and better understand how the professionals compete by following the precise group movements.
ROSA
The Pink is the main color of the race, but if you think it has always been this way you are wrong: the Giro was born in 1909 but only in 1931 was the Pink Jersey introduced. It was the journalist Armando Cougnet, the first organizer and creator of the race, who had the idea of setting up the leader's jersey to allow the public to identify him. Already at the Tour de France the leader wore the yellow jersey and, taking inspiration from there, it was decided to use the pink that was already the color of the pages of the Gazzetta dello Sport, which has always been the organizer of the race.
The shade of pink has never been the same over the years: the first was of rose-color and was worn by Learco Guerra who in 1931 won the Milan-Mantua stage, made of raw wool, with a high neck and weighed about 3 ounces.
Synthetic fibers appeared only in the seventies and for two years the Maglia Rosa has been produced by Castelli Cycling, a leading brand in cycling clothing that has also collaborated with Supreme. Becoming ever lighter and more technical, the latest innovation was presented this year with Intimissimi: the collaboration with the underwear brand is the first internal sponsor, present under the zip and visible only in a loose shirt in direct contact with the athlete, recalling the slogan "experience the emotion on your skin".
NERO
There are cyclists who, from the first stage, are waiting for nothing but to arrive in the mountains to be able to play the final victory, and others who stop step by step in the final part of the group. Often it is the younger ones or those who have to do the "dirty jobs" for the team, like going to the flagship to get water bottles and food supplies by shuttling between the car and their teammates.
From 1946 to 1951 it was decided to assign the black jersey, worn by the latter in the overall standings to celebrate and respect the effort made by everyone during the race.
Black was not chosen to indicate the "black sheep", but derives from a football team. This shirt was inspired by Giuseppe Ticozzelli, a footballer who in 1920 decided to participate in the Giro as an independent, wearing the Casale shirt, the team he was playing for, which was in fact black.
Disappearing from the Giro d'Italia just 5 years after its introduction because it soon became too popular: the cyclists were fighting to finish last and win, in addition to an economic prize, a real symbol loved by the fans. These are the only ones that still today consider the "virtual black jersey" while the organization, to remember this historical tradition, introduced only for the 2008 edition the "black number" brought on by the last in the standings.
