Washington, D.C. (February, 26, 2010) -- The Washington Convention and Sports Authority sponsored a reception Thursday evening hosted at the architecturally striking Embassy of Italy in support of Washington, D.C.'s bid to hold two stages of the 2012 Giro d'Italia. The event's theme was History Is Made But Once. Bringing the 2012 Giro d'Italia to Washington, D.C.


"The reception was a huge step towards bringing the 2012 Giro d'Italia to the Nation's Capital," said Mark Sommers, chair of the US stage working group. "We look forward to finalizing the bid and making this historic event a reality."


More than 150 people gathered for presentations and videos about proposed first US stages of a European grand cycling tour. The evening's speakers included Gregory O'Dell, President of the Washington Convention and Sports Authority, Washington, D.C. Mayor Adrian M. Fenty, H.E. Ambassador Giulio Terzi, Ambassador of Italy to the US, Giro d'Italia Race Director Angelo Zomegnan, and Sommers. Famed Italian bicycle builder Ernesto Colnago was on hand to present a personalized Colnago bicycle to Mayor Fenty.


Two US stages are contemplated--a Saturday individual time trial and a Sunday circuit road race. Both stages would be held in the Nation's Capital. These are the only US stages contemplated for the 2012 Giro d'Italia. While the courses for the two stages have not been finalized, the routes can be expected to include Washington's iconic and best-known monuments, memorials, buildings, and statues, including those of particular significance to Italians and Italian Americans, such the Watergate Complex, Memorial Bridge, Embassy of Italy, and U.S. Capitol Building.


While staging this grand-scale international sports event will bring significant economic impact and further push professional cycling into mainstream sport, it will also help drive current social trends to use cycling as a means to increase overall health and fitness for all ages and all demographics (including First Lady Michelle Obama's initiatives against childhood obesity), relieve traffic congestion and intra-city travel through bike lanes and public bike rental programs, and reduce metropolitan and regional carbon footprints.


Contact:
Robin Morton, g4 Productions
2012 Giro d'Italia Working Group
rmorton@g4events.com