Pope Leo XIV will greet the cyclists of the Giro d’Italia on Sunday during the final stage as they ride through Vatican City. The Vatican announced this on Wednesday.
The last stage of the Tour of Italy, starting and ending in Rome, is over 143 kilometers. During the ride, the riders will ride 3 kilometers between the walls of the Vatican, which, with an area of 0.44 square kilometers, is the smallest country in the world.
It is unclear where the “greeting” of the Pope will take place exactly.
With the stage through the Vatican, the Giro pays tribute to the late Pope Francis. It is the first time that the final stage goes through Vatican City. This had already been announced before the death of Francis on April 21.
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Pink jersey wearer Del Toro celebrates stage victory in Giro as a matador
Pope Leo XIV, the first pope from the United States, is a big baseball fan and a fan of the Chicago White Sox.
There are still four stages to go in the Giro. Isaac del Toro won the seventeenth stage on Wednesday and thus strengthened his lead in the general classification. He could be the first Mexican ever to win a grand tour.