Azurri blue
Posted: 07 Jul 2024 15:27
As I debate whether to add an 'azurri' blue beacon jersey to the classic scarlet, white and green... this excerpt from my favourite cycling blog 'Inrng' gives some history to the reason the Italian national football team, cycling team etc don't wear red, white and green:
'...here were again after the Giro d’Italia’s grande partenza. It’s the home of brands like Fiat and Lavazza and long time the seat of the Italian monarchy until the establishment of today’s republic in 1946. It’s this history that is of interest today because to speak of the Italian royal family is a relatively modern concept, instead for the best part of a thousand years the Casa Savoia (“House of Savoy”, at times the Duchy, Kingdom, County et cetera) ruled the north-west corner of Italy and beyond into the Alps which are now in France. The great stages of the Tour de France to come, whether on the Galibier tomorrow or the final days in the Alps and Nice were for centuries under “Italian” rule.
Today Italy is a republic but a monarchical tradition persists with the use of the colour blue. Italy’s flag is the tricolore of green, white and red but sports teams wears blue. This is the blu Savoia and the azure tone supplies the collective term azzuri, as in “blues”, for the national sports teams whether it’s football, cycling, or in general at the Olympics. It is unusual to see national athletes in different colours to the flag but happens elsewhere, look at the Dutch and their oranje which is also a nod to the royal standard.'
Excerpt from the TdF stage 3 preview:
https://inrng.com/2024/07/tour-de-franc ... /#comments
'...here were again after the Giro d’Italia’s grande partenza. It’s the home of brands like Fiat and Lavazza and long time the seat of the Italian monarchy until the establishment of today’s republic in 1946. It’s this history that is of interest today because to speak of the Italian royal family is a relatively modern concept, instead for the best part of a thousand years the Casa Savoia (“House of Savoy”, at times the Duchy, Kingdom, County et cetera) ruled the north-west corner of Italy and beyond into the Alps which are now in France. The great stages of the Tour de France to come, whether on the Galibier tomorrow or the final days in the Alps and Nice were for centuries under “Italian” rule.
Today Italy is a republic but a monarchical tradition persists with the use of the colour blue. Italy’s flag is the tricolore of green, white and red but sports teams wears blue. This is the blu Savoia and the azure tone supplies the collective term azzuri, as in “blues”, for the national sports teams whether it’s football, cycling, or in general at the Olympics. It is unusual to see national athletes in different colours to the flag but happens elsewhere, look at the Dutch and their oranje which is also a nod to the royal standard.'
Excerpt from the TdF stage 3 preview:
https://inrng.com/2024/07/tour-de-franc ... /#comments