Giro di Sardegna facing financial crisis for the 2012 edition of the race
The 2012 version of the Giro di Sardegna will not take place because of financial issues. The event was scheduled on February 21, but it has been revealed by the organisers that they were unable to secure enough funds to hold the Sardinian stage race in
the current year.
The event started in 1958 and French rider Antonin Rolland was the first winner of the race.
Belgian cycling sensation, Eddy Merckx won the race for a maximum number of four times while Peter Sagan was the most recent winner of the event.
Sagan finished ahead of Jose Rodolfo with a lead of 3 seconds while Damiano Cunego, Michele Scarponi and Emanuele Sella occupied the next four spots during the previous version of the race. The race returned to professional cycling after 11 years in 2009.
The race organisers briefed that the local councils had not yet confirmed their financial support for the event.
Giro di Sardegna is a UCI 2.1 Europe Tour and the demise of the Italian race for the season ahead is surely a disappointment for the organiser and the cycling fans across the globe.
It was mentioned in a statement, “The contributions agreed with the local and provincial administration for 2012 had not yet been decided upon and therefore were not certain”.
The financial discrepancies are making it very difficult for the organisers and it is yet not confirmed if the event will even be held in 2013.
Although Italian state television RAI was lined up to provide the live coverage of the event, the organisers, too, were facing the brunt of the production costs.
The management stated, “We wish to highlight that RAI, in taking such a decision, is contributing to the cancellation of the event, who also noted that RAI had paid “greater attention to less important and less established events”.
The Giro di Sardegna has a history of 53 years and it has faced a few setbacks during the time. The event missed out in 1979, 1981, 1984-1995 and 1998-2008.
Only time will tell if the Italian stage race makes a comeback in next year as a number of cycling fans throughout the globe await its return.
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