Cycle Sardinia – the Giro

Alghero went pink for the start of the Giro

It's only a bike race. Yes, 180-odd skinny guys pedalling like mad for 3500 km. 

But that having been said, watching the build-up and start of the Giro d'Italia, it is easy to see that it is so much more than the guys on the bikes. Let alone the fact that the whole palaver has to move around the country with a new start and finish almost daily.

30 Police Motorcycles ready for the start - which one caused the crash on the Blockhaus climb?

Without a doubt, it is a feat of organisation. Getting all the bikes, riders, support teams, cars, motorcycles in the right place at the right time. Joe Public, meanwhile, is free to wander among it all. That’s impressive.

The police have rustled up 30 motorcyclists, umpteen cars and vans. Flocks of senior Carabinieri strut their stuff with medals and gold braid prominently displayed.

The caravan of sponsors which leads the cyclists

Then the sponsors with their village of small stalls, and their caravan of cars and vans which lead the cyclists. The mountains of give-aways for the fans along the route. The huge stage and presentation on the eve of the start. Photographers, broadcasters, tv camera crews, tall thin girls to promote everything from detergent to coffee.

All around the town, dozens of bikes sprayed and wrapped pink are parked. Pink is the colour of the Gazette sporting newspaper which founded the event. Pink is the colour of Giro's "yellow" jersey. Pink geraniums brighten every window box and bike carrier. The town and surrounding roads are spruced up and in the pink.

And along the route, the Giro will take, roads have been resurfaces, potholes filled and roadside rubbish collected. 

On the eve of the start, a big show celebrating the 100th Giro

And in the midst of it all, people with bikes; young, middle-aged, old and ancient people, electro bikes, racing, touring, kids, hybrid, chopper, BMX and plain old knockabout everday unloved bikes with their riders came to watch, dream, oggle, envy, photograph, gasp, gape, and most of all, love the atmosphere all created by the simple bicycle.

They're off - Lukas Pöstlberger (centre) who won the first stage

Everyone was in the mood

Nairo Quintana - will he win?