by InTrieste
For one day during the Giro d’Italia, the race’s iconic pink jersey will carry a message of remembrance rather than regional promotion.
Organizers and officials in the northeastern Italian region of Friuli Venezia Giulia announced that during Saturday’s 20th stage, from Gemona del Friuli to Piancavallo, the slogan usually displayed on the leader’s jersey, “Io sono Friuli Venezia Giulia” (“I Am Friuli Venezia Giulia”), will be replaced with the words: “Il Friuli ringrazia e non dimentica” (“Friuli Gives Thanks and Does Not Forget”).
The special edition jersey marks the 50th anniversary of the devastating 1976 earthquake that struck Friuli, killing nearly 1,000 people and leaving tens of thousands homeless. The phrase became closely associated with the region’s reconstruction effort and remains a powerful symbol of resilience for many residents.
“This is a unique and extraordinary pink jersey,” said Massimiliano Fedriga, president of the Friuli Venezia Giulia region. “It carries profound meaning not only for Friuli Venezia Giulia but for the entire country.”
The stage will begin in Gemona del Friuli, one of the towns most heavily affected by the earthquake and often cited as a symbol of the region’s recovery. Riders will finish in Piancavallo, a mountain climb with a long history in Italian cycling.
According to regional officials, the commemorative jersey will be worn by the race leader at the start of the stage in Gemona and presented again during ceremonies at the finish in Piancavallo. The standard “Io sono Friuli Venezia Giulia” branding will return afterward and will appear on the final race leader’s jersey when the Giro concludes in Rome.
Fedriga said the decision reflected a desire to prioritize remembrance over tourism promotion, despite the visibility the Giro has brought to the region through its sponsorship agreement with the race.
The initiative was developed in cooperation with race organizers at RCS Sport, who, regional officials said, welcomed the proposal.
The Giro d’Italia, one of cycling’s three Grand Tours, has long served as a showcase not only for elite competition but also for the landscapes, history and communities of the regions it traverses. This year’s penultimate stage will add another dimension to that tradition, turning one of the race’s most recognizable symbols into a tribute to a defining chapter in Friuli’s modern history.
For residents of the region, officials said, the gesture is intended as a public expression of gratitude — to the volunteers, institutions and ordinary citizens who helped rebuild Friuli after the earthquake — and as a reminder of an event whose legacy remains deeply woven into local identity.
