Tour de France start in Florence: little enthusiasm despite tradition

Florence is more likely to endure the start of the Tour de France than to burst into enthusiasm. There are few decorative elements in yellow, the traditional color of the Tour, to be found in the cityscape. For the Renaissance jewel in Tuscany, the Grand Départ of the world’s largest cycling race seems to be just another tourist event.

At least Mark Cavendish was delighted. “What a spectacle,” the sprint veteran shouted to the fans in Italian at the team presentation. Of course, the 39-year-old was celebrated by those present, out of respect for his career and his attempt to leave Eddy Merckx behind. The two currently share the record for most stage wins in the Tour, with 34 victories each. Behind Cavendish rose the famous dome of Florence Cathedral, designed by the Florentine architect Filippo Brunelleschi.

He is aptly credited with inventing the crane – without which the broadcast of the Tour’s stage finals would seem unthinkable these days. However, the space in front of the stage on the Piazzale Michelangelo, with its great view of the city, was only half full for the team presentation. No comparison with the ecstatic crowds in Copenhagen’s Tivoli at the Grand Départ two years ago.

And if the Danish fans hadn’t turned up at the start of the tour with flags waving and loud voices booming, it would have been a very subdued opening event. The Slovenian fans were also present in large numbers. The composition of the crowd perfectly reflected the favorite situation on this tour, Jonas Vingegaard against Tadej Pogacar.

There were only a few people in the crowd wearing the classic Tour paraphernalia such as yellow, green and polka dot jerseys. This may be because many local fans turned up on their bikes and proudly wore their sports club jerseys. Tuscany is a core region for cycling. Here, people still cycle even at the age of 80 and don’t just wave and drink from the folding chairs next to their camper vans.

At the Giro, the stage towns bloom in pink – the Tour is lacking

Because the usual hats and clapping boards from sponsors were also missing, one must assume that there were supply shortages of the memorabilia or problems with distribution. The Giro d’Italia usually mobilizes the local clubs and associations very well, so that the stage towns literally bloom in pink. Now, with the Tour, things are going wrong.

This fits in with the picture that the city is rather indifferent to the Grand Départ. Florence survived the plague and the intrigues of the Medici dynasty. The city was the stage for Savonarola’s reform sermons. For decades, the city has tolerated the masses of tourists with equanimity – mainly because it fills its own coffers.

The city expects additional revenue of 30 million euros from tour travelers and an increased advertising value of 65 million euros due to the worldwide television broadcasts. “The tour is an invaluable showcase. Thanks to it, people not only talk about cycling, but also about art, culture and our cuisine,” says Francesco Bechi, president of the city’s hoteliers association.

However, he does not see the greatest effects in Florence itself. “The end of June is always high season for us. But the tour also means that accommodation within a 50-kilometer radius is in high demand,” he said. Many tour tourists are therefore likely to live outside the city. And the business owners in the city center do not have to rely on the tour to attract customers. Here, a stopover town seems bigger than the tour itself. That is also an experience.