You go to the cycling national championship presentation and end up talking about the Tour de France. Not the one starting on July 5th in Lille with a highly anticipated sprint, which the Friulian Jonathan Milan hopes to win wearing the national jersey conquered 5 days earlier in Gorizia and then replace it on the podium with the first yellow jersey, but the one that, most likely, will start in 2029 from the new Mecca of world cycling, Slovenia.

We had already talked about the cross-border project months ago, but now things are getting serious for real. At the forefront of the operation is the government of the small republic that was the fastest to break away from the ashes of Yugoslavia 25 years ago. Slovenia already has well-established contacts with ASO, the company that organizes the Grande Boucle.

The plan is clear: put 15 million euros on the table to secure the grand start, in the summer when the local hero (if no others are added along the way) Tadej Pogačar will be 30 years old and who knows how many Tours in his trophy cabinet compared to the current three.

Another good news for Friuli Venezia Giulia: in the map of the three stages, there will definitely be the climb to the symbolic pass of Slovenia, Vršič, or Maistrocca if you prefer, with those cobblestone curves that make it a true icon for enthusiasts, and an abundant passage through the hills of Brda, the Collio, already tasted in 2021 and on May 24th during the Giro d'Italia.

And here comes Friuli Venezia Giulia into play. The canvas is being woven by the spokesperson of the regional president Fedriga, Edoardo Petiziol, and the project manager of the Giro stages, Paolo Urbani: the goal is to have one of the three stages or at least enter the project with abundant cross-border passages that give visibility to the region and pay homage to Ottavio Bottecchia, two-time Tour winner. Meanwhile, Slovenia is getting ahead: it will organize the 2026 Europeans. Cost: 4 million euros. Friuli Venezia Giulia had also thought about it but gave up. For now.

from Messaggero Veneto