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technical info
The route is essentially flat in the first half but features some noteworthy asperities in the second. Departing from Rho, the route crosses the upper Po Valley through the rice-fields area, touching on the towns of Magenta, Novara and Vercelli before heading into the Canavese area. The first climbs of the day are located in Cossano Canavese and San Martino Canavese. After leaving Rivarolo Canavese, the first passage into Salassa marks the start of a 44-km circuit with two climbs of around 4 km each. These are the climb from Rivara to Prascorsano, with gradients of around 9% in the first part then easing up in the second and, after Cuorgnè, the Colleretto Castelnuovo climb, which is a little smoother. The last climb is located at about 18 km from the finish line. The usual urban obstacles such as roundabouts, traffic islands and raised crossings will be met in the towns crossed. The last 10 km are pretty much flat all the way to the finish in Salassa.
Last kilometres
Last 5 km flat and almost straight on very wide roads with a few roundabouts. The final straight is 800 m long, 8 m wide, on asphalt.
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Host city:
Rho
Overview
From the ancient Romans to the Milan Innovation District.
Located at the doorstep of Milan, Rho boasts a rich past and moves toward a future based on science and technology innovation. The first settlements date back to the second century B.C. The area is first mentioned as vico raudo in a document written in 846 A.D. In 1004 Henry II the emperor gave Rho the title of Borgo (town). After years of looting and dominations, substantial recovery took place during the episcopate of Carlo Borromeo: in 1584 the miraculous shedding of tears of a painting portraying Our Lady of Sorrows led to the construction of a shrine, around which various settlements gradually developed. In the following centuries, the estate of Villa Scheibler, which was already well-known, was dedicated to the breeding of hunting dogs and thoroughbred horses. In 1665 Villa Burba Cornaggia Medici was completed with a vast rural complex around it.
In the 20th century the agricultural economy gave way to the industrial economy, although old mills can still be found today. In 1858 the railway station was inaugurated, followed by the opening of the Milan-Rho-Gallarate tramline in 1880. Since 1878 Salumificio Citterio has contributed to Rho’s reputation in the world. In 1929 the Circolo Monumento ai Caduti Hospital was built, while the Palazzo Comunale was erected in front of Palazzo Banfi Visconti two years later.
Food
Rho’s cooking is inspired by the tradition of Milan and Lombardia: risotto with ossobuco, cassoeula, classic cutlet, castagnaccio and delicious desserts as oss de mord. Salame Milano is one of the favorite cold cuts of Citterio. Years ago a local sweet, called “Rhosetta”, was created. Traditional cooking is the favourite in Rho, but the themed dessert created at the end of 2022 for the birth of the new Civic Theater has already met the taste of Rho’s citizens.
Points of interest
Rho has always been a reference point for the surrounding area.
The external exhibition center of Fiera Milano (2005) and the Universal Expo 2015 found a home here: today Mind is being prepared on that area, containing a large hospital, the Human Technopole research center, the scientific faculties of Milan University, company headquarters and innovation centers.
The old factories, such as the Muggiani cotton mill, have found a new life.
In 2022 the Teatro Civico Roberto de Silva was built on the site of an old perfume factory.
Villa Burba, home of the Town Library, hosts prestigious exhibitions.
Every district has equipped parks and in front of the Milan underground station “Rho Fiera”, Piazza Costellazione was born, designed by the Brera Academy of Fine Arts. It is a mosaic of 250,000 blue ceramic tiles signed by Expo visitors and even by the Dalai Lama, a guest of the city in 2016.
Salassa
Overview
Salassa, a typical village in Canavese area in Piedmont, extends over an area of 4.96 square km on the right bank of the Orco River, known since ancient times as “L’Eva d’or” (golden water) for the golden particles carried on its water. The etymology of the name Salassa is closely linked to the origins of the village. The 1800s historian and writer, A. Bertolotti, writes in Passeggiate nel Canavese: “The name of this village leads us to believe that it is a trace left by the earliest peoples, of whom we have memory, such as the inhabitants of Canavese, namely the Salassi.” Other authors argue that Salassa come from “Sala” a word of Lombard origin. There are many wuoven theories, but beyond the historiographical debate, it is certain that in the 16th century, the era of the oldest documents in the municipal archive, Salassa was a small agricultural village dependent on the Counts of Valperga, along with the current municipality of San Ponso Canavese. In thats documents, it was called “Salacia” or “Salatia”, transformated into “Salazza” in the 1700s century and gradually became Salassa. The village developed around the fortified enclosure dated back to the 13th century, in which stands the so-called “torrazzo”. The Salassa enclosure preserves a cylindrical tower about 25 meters high with a squared base, made of rounded river stones from the Orco river.
Currently, Salassa has just over 1800 inhabitants, and it’s part of the Metropolitan Area of Turin, which is 35 km away. It’s located at 349 m above sea level close to the pre-alpine reliefs and mountains of one of the oldest national park in Italy, the Gran Paradiso National Park. The green countryside surrounds the inhabited center on all sides and is crossed by a plurality of dirt roads, ideal for walks and bike rides in the nature. The economic development of the village has always been based on hot forging activities, but in recent years, there has been a growing interest in a back to agriculture, expecially viticulture.
Local Cusine
The typical sweet of Salassa, canestrelli, dates back to families who prepared them on Sundays’s meals and family times. It is a thin waffle made of cornflour, butter, eggs, and sugar, cooked between two iron slabs on which the initials of the family were engraved along with other symbols and designs. Another recipe from the simple yet flavorful cuisine that cannot be missing is “panini with anchovies in green sauce” (anciuè in Piedmontese dialect). The tables in Salassa also feature various typical Canavese dishes, such as tomini al verde, peppers in bagna cauda, and salampatata.
Points of interest
The village roads offer picturesque views characterized by small churches, mainly in baroque style, and late medieval remains. Christian worship and religion have traditionally marked the calendar of activities for the inhabitants of Salassa. The six churches present in the Salassa territory in just 5 square kilometers confirm the deep attachment of the village to faith, also evidenced by an episode in one of them: the Sanctuary of Our Lady of the Boschetto. An apparition of the Virgin occurred in the 1600s and was documented by a notary in Cuorgnè. The church was built on an existing pillar since the 1500s, now incorporated into the altar, from which it takes its name. It was renovated several times: expanded in the 1700s, in 1820, the bell tower and two altars were added. It is through religious ceremonies in various churches, organized by different confraternities, that the people gathered. Therefore, within the ecclesiastical sphere, prominent figures are found. In fact, there were numerous priests native to Salassa who played important roles in Piedmont and beyond the ocean from the late 1800s. Monsignor Tomaso Bianchetta, born in 1869 and died in 1941, cared for and built the new church of the Holy Annunciation in 1934. Subsequently, his nephew, Canon Tommaso Bianchetta, served as the curate of the Turin Cathedral. Finally, the theologian Pietro Bianchetta, born in 1887, decided to leave for America as a missionary of the Pious Society of St. Charles and became the parish priest of St. Michael’s Church in Chicago.
Photos Milano-Torino 2024
Milano-Torino presented by Crédit Agricole 2024 | Best Of
13/03/2024
