Giro d'Italia Giro d'Italia 2025 Stage 21: Roma – Roma, 143 km

[Samu Cuenca]

Okay, I'm assuming that's for the Pope.
(Francis, not Leo, who's very much alive.)

Maybe it's for an imaginary one? A pope fiction if you will. I haven't been watching, so I have no idea.

 

[RedheadDane]

I didn't catch who they were talking about, I was just hoping it wasn't one of the riders who had somehow died overnight. :/

Or some (other) major tragedy in the area.

(Apologies to Catholics, but I don't really consider an 88-year-old guy dying a tragedy. Sad, yes, but not a tragedy.)

 

[Potomac]

Maybe it's for an imaginary one? A pope fiction if you will. I haven't been watching, so I have no idea.

Pope fiction? That's a bold statement.

 

[Boehmand]

This is pretty cool - has the Pope actually greeted the riders like this before?

 

[RedheadDane]

And there's the living Pope.

 

[Tricycle Rider]

His shirt, is Matt Stephens a Bayern München fan?

 

[Boehmand]

The Pope has a pretty cool house

 

[noob]

Eurosport tablau saying giro while showing tennis

 

[Boehmand]

Quintana getting a little extra love from the Pope

 

[Samu Cuenca]

Why were those guys on the far right and far left of the Pope wearing the special Lotto kit?

 

[Lui98]

This is pretty cool - has the Pope actually greeted the riders like this before?

It did, actually. I remember Paul the Sixth in 1973 (which was documented in Løth doc about the Giro "Stars and Watercarriers") , but I think that it happened also some other time.

 

[RedheadDane]

He did actually. I remember Paul the Sixth in 1973, but I think that it happened also some other time.

So, not every Pope gets the chance to greet the riders of the Giro d'Italia.

Anyway; @Armchair Cyclist, @red_flanders, @Cookster15. Can any of you guys sticky this?

 

[Tricycle Rider]

And there's the living Pope.

He has a strange accent for an American dude...

 

[Boehmand]

Why were those guys on the far right and far left of the Pope wearing the special Lotto kit?

Assuming you know, but for those who don't:

The Papal Swiss Guard while dressing for ceremony are actually a highly trained elite police/security/intelligence/military unit.

 

[noob]

Del Toro awkwardness never bores me

 

[Boehmand]

It did, actually. I remember Paul the Sixth in 1973 (which was documented in Løth doc about the Giro "Stars and Watercarriers" , but I think that it happened also some other time.

Haven't watched that since I was a kid, so completely forgot - thanks!

 

[FjPavels]

Eurosport tablau saying giro while showing tennis

So far you only missed an old american dude talking 🤣

 

[Tricycle Rider]

Quintana getting a little extra love from the Pope

Well then, first Pope I'll actually have to like for a change. 🤣

 

[Boehmand]

Well then, first Pope I'll actually have to like for a change. 🤣

Clearly wasn't planned, but Quintana wasn't going to pass up the opportunity, so when everyone else rode off, he rode over to the Pope to have words (probably a benediction) - for a faithful Catholic like him it's the chance of a lifetime

 

[Libertine Seguros]

Guys I know we're in Roma but why is Claudio Ranieri meeting the riders pre-race?

 

[Samu Cuenca]

So, not every Pope gets the chance to greet the riders of the Giro d'Italia.

No, but the riders that raced the Annual Holy Saturday CC in Belize this year did get to meet this guy: https://firstcycling.com/rider.php?r=14476

 

[Boehmand]

"Remember that time we rode our bikes around in the Vatican?"

 

[Boehmand]

Guys I know we're in Roma but why is Claudio Ranieri meeting the riders pre-race?

Maybe it's just 2 birds with 1 stone - and today is "sports day in Rome" for the Pope?

 

[Boehmand]

No, but the riders that raced the Annual Holy Saturday CC in Belize this year did get to meet this guy: https://firstcycling.com/rider.php?r=14476

You really had to dig for that one

 

[Potomac]

I prefer Gothic architecture when it comes to churches.