Tirreno–Adriatico facts for kids
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| Race details | |
|---|---|
| Date | Mid March |
| Region | Central Italy |
| English name | Tyrrhenian–Adriatic |
| Local name(s) | Tirreno–Adriatico |
| Nickname(s) | La corsa dei due mari The Race of the two Seas |
| Discipline | Road |
| Competition | UCI World Tour |
| Type | Stage-race |
| Organiser | RCS Sport – Gazzetta dello Sport |
| History | |
| First edition | 1966 |
| Editions | 59 (as of 2024) |
| First winner |  Dino Zandegù (ITA) |
| Most wins |  Roger De Vlaeminck (BEL) (6 wins) |
| Most recent |  Jonas Vingegaard (DEN) |
The Tirreno–Adriatico is a famous bike race in Italy. It's often called the "Race of the Two Seas". This is because cyclists race between the Tyrrhenian Sea on the west coast and the Adriatic Sea on the east coast.
This race is a big event in road bicycle racing. It's usually held in mid-March. Many top cyclists use it to get ready for the Giro d'Italia, another major race. The Tirreno–Adriatico is part of the UCI World Tour. This is the highest level of professional men's bike races in the world.
The first race happened in 1966 and had three stages. A stage is a part of the race held on a different day. Since 2002, the race has had seven stages. The final stage always finishes in San Benedetto del Tronto, a town by the Adriatic Sea. A Belgian cyclist named Roger De Vlaeminck has won the race the most times. He won six times in a row in the 1970s!
Contents
History of the Race of the Two Seas
The Tirreno–Adriatico race started in 1966. It was created by a cycling club in Lazio, Italy. Most big Italian bike races were in Northern Italy. So, this new race was called "Tre Giorni del Sud," which means Three Days of the South.
The very first race began in Rome and ended in Pescara. It lasted three days. Dino Zandegù was the first ever winner. In 1967, the race grew to five stages. Franco Bitossi won that year.
Becoming a Key Warm-Up Race
In the 1970s, the Tirreno–Adriatico became a great warm-up race. It was perfect for cyclists getting ready for the important Milan–San Remo race. That race happened just one week later.
The Belgian rider Roger De Vlaeminck was amazing during this time. He won the race six times in a row! After him, two Italian cycling stars, Giuseppe Saronni and Francesco Moser, each won the race twice. They had a big rivalry.
From 1984 to 2001, the race got even longer. It had between six and eight stages. The route also moved more towards northern Central Italy. In the 1990s, Tony Rominger from Switzerland and Rolf Sørensen from Denmark each won the race twice.
Modern Era and World Tour Status
Since 2002, the Tirreno–Adriatico has been a seven-stage race. It starts on Italy's west coast (Tyrrhenian Sea). Then it crosses the country to finish on the east coast (Adriatic Sea).
In 2005, it joined the first UCI ProTour calendar. This was a top series of races. Later, it became part of the UCI World Tour in 2011. This means it's still one of the most important races for professional cyclists.
Today, the race often includes tough mountain stages in the Apennines. Many cyclists who compete in big races like the Tour de France use it. They test their skills early in the season. Famous winners since 2010 include Vincenzo Nibali, Cadel Evans, and Alberto Contador. Nairo Quintana from Colombia won the 50th edition in 2015 and again in 2017.
The 2020 race was delayed because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Race Route and Stages
In its early years, the Tirreno–Adriatico often started near Rome or even Naples. Since the 1990s, it usually begins in seaside towns on the Tuscan coast. This is on the Tyrrhenian Sea. Then, cyclists ride across the middle of the Italian peninsula to the Adriatic Sea.
The race lasts seven days. It has different types of stages:
- Stages for sprinters, who are very fast on flat roads.
- Stages for climbers, who are good at riding up hills.
- One or two time trials, where cyclists race against the clock alone.
- At least one uphill sprint finish for puncheurs, who are good at short, steep climbs.
Typical Race Structure
The 2015 race route is a good example of how the race is designed. It suits cyclists who are good at overall stage races. The race usually starts on a Wednesday with a short team time trial. This is where a whole team races together.
Then, there are stages for sprinters. There's also a stage that ends with a short climb to the finish line. The middle stages, usually on the weekend, are the tough mountain stages. In 2015, one Saturday stage ended with a long climb. The Sunday stage had an uphill finish with very steep parts. The Tirreno–Adriatico finishes on a Tuesday in San Benedetto del Tronto. This town is in the Marche region of Italy.
Trophy and Leader's Jersey
Since 2010, the winner of the Tirreno–Adriatico gets a special trophy. It's a large, golden trident. A trident is a three-pronged spear. It's linked to Neptune, the Roman god of the sea.
Because the race goes from one sea to another, the trophy is called the Sea Master Trophy. Before the race, divers from the Italian Coast Guard even bring the trophy up from the Tyrrhenian Sea! To match the sea theme, the leader's jersey is blue. The leader's jersey is worn by the cyclist who is winning the race overall.
List of Overall Winners
| Year | Winner | Stages | Distance (km) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1966 | Dino Zandegù (ITA) |
3 | 604 |
| 1967 | Franco Bitossi (ITA) |
5 | 1,068 |
| 1968 | Claudio Michelotto (ITA) |
5 | 1,037 |
| 1969 | Carlo Chiappano (ITA) |
5 | 946 |
| 1970 | Antoon Houbrechts (BEL) |
5 | 913 |
| 1971 | Italo Zilioli (ITA) |
5 | 985 |
| 1972 | Roger De Vlaeminck (BEL) |
5 | 884 |
| 1973 | Roger De Vlaeminck (BEL) |
5 | 582 |
| 1974 | Roger De Vlaeminck (BEL) |
5 | 781 |
| 1975 | Roger De Vlaeminck (BEL) |
5 | 816 |
| 1976 | Roger De Vlaeminck (BEL) |
5 | 882 |
| 1977 | Roger De Vlaeminck (BEL) |
5 | 809 |
| 1978 | Giuseppe Saronni (ITA) |
5 | 864 |
| 1979 |  Knut Knudsen (NOR) |
5 | 916 |
| 1980 | Francesco Moser (ITA) |
5 | 814 |
| 1981 | Francesco Moser (ITA) |
5 | 835 |
| 1982 | Giuseppe Saronni (ITA) |
5 | 820 |
| 1983 | Roberto Visentini (ITA) |
5 | 857 |
| 1984 |  Tommy Prim (SWE) |
6 | 1,043 |
| 1985 |  Joop Zoetemelk (NED) |
6 | 1,011 |
| 1986 | Luciano Rabottini (ITA) |
6 | 981 |
| 1987 | Rolf Sørensen (DEN) |
6 | 936 |
| 1988 |  Erich Mächler (SUI) |
6 | 930 |
| 1989 | Tony Rominger (SUI) |
7 | 1,071 |
| 1990 | Tony Rominger (SUI) |
8 | 1,041 |
| 1991 |  Herminio Díaz-Zabala (ESP) |
8 | 1,317 |
| 1992 | Rolf Sørensen (DEN) |
8 | 1,166 |
| 1993 | Maurizio Fondriest (ITA) |
8 | 1,431 |
| 1994 | Giorgio Furlan (ITA) |
8 | 1,316 |
| 1995 | Stefano Colagé (ITA) |
8 | 1,422 |
| 1996 | Francesco Casagrande (ITA) |
8 | 1,370 |
| 1997 | Roberto Petito (ITA) |
8 | 1,162 |
| 1998 | Rolf Järmann (SUI) |
8 | 1,437 |
| 1999 | Michele Bartoli (ITA) |
8 | 1,412 |
| 2000 | Abraham Olano (ESP) |
8 | 1,249 |
| 2001 | Davide Rebellin (ITA) |
8 | 1,155 |
| 2002 | Erik Dekker (NED) |
7 | 1,049 |
| 2003 | Filippo Pozzato (ITA) |
7 | 1,235 |
| 2004 | Paolo Bettini (ITA) |
7 | 1,228 |
| 2005 | Óscar Freire (ESP) |
7 | 1,214 |
| 2006 | Thomas Dekker (NED) |
7 | 1,108 |
| 2007 |  Andreas Klöden (GER) |
7 | 1,097 |
| 2008 | Fabian Cancellara (SUI) |
7 | 1,122 |
| 2009 | Michele Scarponi (ITA) |
7 | 1,095 |
| 2010 | Stefano Garzelli (ITA) |
7 | 1,229 |
| 2011 |  Cadel Evans (AUS) |
7 | 1,075 |
| 2012 | Vincenzo Nibali (ITA) |
7 | 1,063 |
| 2013 | Vincenzo Nibali (ITA) |
7 | 1,060 |
| 2014 | Alberto Contador (ESP) |
7 | 1,034 |
| 2015 |  Nairo Quintana (COL) |
7 | 1,006 |
| 2016 | Greg Van Avermaet (BEL) |
6 | 851 |
| 2017 | Nairo Quintana (COL) |
7 | 1,030.7 |
| 2018 |  Michał Kwiatkowski (POL) |
7 | 992.5 |
| 2019 |  Primož Roglič (SLO) |
7 | 1,048.5 |
| 2020 |  Simon Yates (GBR) |
8 | 1,138.1 |
| 2021 | Tadej Pogačar (SLO) |
7 | 1,104.1 |
| 2022 | Tadej Pogačar (SLO) |
7 | 1,133.9 |
| 2023 | Primož Roglič (SLO) |
7 | 1,170.5 |
| 2024 | Jonas Vingegaard (DEN) |
7 | 1,119.0 |
Cyclists with Multiple Wins
| Wins | Rider | Editions |
|---|---|---|
| 6 | Roger De Vlaeminck (BEL) |
1972, 1973, 1974, 1975, 1976, 1977 |
| 2 | Giuseppe Saronni (ITA) |
1978, 1982 |
| Francesco Moser (ITA) |
1980, 1981 | |
| Rolf Sørensen (DEN) |
1987, 1992 | |
| Tony Rominger (SUI) |
1989, 1990 | |
| Vincenzo Nibali (ITA) |
2012, 2013 | |
| Nairo Quintana (COL) |
2015, 2017 | |
| Primož Roglič (SLO) |
2019, 2023 | |
| Tadej Pogačar (SLO) |
2021, 2022 |
Wins by Country
| Wins | Country |
|---|---|
| 24 | Italy |
| 8 | Belgium |
| 5 |  Switzerland |
| 4 | Slovenia Spain |
| 3 | Denmark Netherlands |
| 2 | Colombia |
| 1 | Australia Germany Great Britain Norway Poland Sweden |
See also
In Spanish: Tirreno-Adriático para niños
