07|14|2010 - On July 11, 2010, the Washington Convention Center and the Capital Criterium (CapCrit) held professional and amateur races, kids’ safety races, a celebrity charity ride and a lifestyle expos, all staged in support of Washington, D.C.’s bid to host two stages of the 2012 Giro d’Italia. Race Director Mark Summers was delighted by the success of the day's event and for the momentum generated to support DC's bid for the Giro.

The Giro d’Italia is held annually over three weeks during May and, like its French counterpart the Tour de France, is one of the world’s greatest sports events. It was the 2008 CapCrit that first attracted the attention of RCS Sports (the owners of the Giro) to consider Washington, D.C. as a potential site for staging the historic start of the Giro outside of Europe.

Among the many celebrities who participated in the celebrity charity ride were Mayor Adrian Fenty, Cristiano Maggipinto, First Counselor at the Italian Embassy, Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC), and DC Department of Transportation Director Gabe Klein, Miss District of Columbia USA 2010 McKensie Green, and Equitrekking host and producer Darlley Newman. Also attending the events were Italian Ambassador Giulio Terzi and Antonella Cinque, DC Mayor' mother and Italian American Jan Fenty, and Washington DC COMITES President Melo Cicala.

"Everything is on track so far as the bid is concerned," said Mark Sommers to the Washington Post. Sommers heads the group lobbying to bring the Giro here. "It's always difficult to determine when the bid will be accepted or rejected, but we're very confident that it will be accepted. I think we'll be looking for a decision probably in the fall of this year."

Updated 07/14/2010

. |CiaoAmerica.net|