The Giro and cigarettes

This years Giro is just 4 small days away. What a race it will be, this Giro is the tough, steep and brutal. What more can we wish for? At least from a spectator's view, everything look great. Rumours claim that some of the riders actually are afraid of the mountains and this years route.

The organizers of the Giro d'Italia, RCS Sport, have partnered with the Fondazione Veronesi for the Giro this year. They have established a project called La tappa della salute, or "stages for health" if you like. This is nothing new by the way, the partnership was disclosed in April. The project is to shed some light on the dangers of cigaret smoke, will emphasize the importance of correct dietary education and course educate the masses of the benefit from cycling.
The foundation will use the Giro as a stand to clearly address the problem and will do so every day in close cooperation with RCS and the Gazetta dello Sport.

Of the 60 million inhabitants, some 14 million Italians smoke. Italy was the 4th country in the world to introduce a smoking ban in public places in 2005. That will be bars, clubs, discotheques and cafés, all the places the Italians smoke. Immediately the number of heart attacks in Italy dropped significantly. 11.2% decrease in heart attacks in the population from the age of 35 to 64 years old. Cigarette consumption was down some 8% in 2006. This is great news but the country as a whole do not necessarily agree. There is a huge difference how people living in the north of Italy follow the ban to a much greater degree than those residing in the south.

Hopefully the campaign will make some smokers more aware of the dangers related to smoking. I know the riders won't smoke, those mountains do not accept those who do.