Giro

A giro (/ˈdʒaɪəroʊ/, /ˈdʒɪroʊ/, /ˈʒɪroʊ/, /ˈdʒɪəroʊ/, or /ˈʒɪəroʊ/), or giro transfer, is a payment transfer from one bank account to another bank account and instigated by the payer, not the payee. Giros are primarily a European phenomenon; although electronic payment systems such as the Automated Clearing House exist in the United States and Canada, it is not possible to perform third party transfers with them.

In the United Kingdom and in other countries the term giro may refer to a specific system once operated by the post office. In the UK, the giro service was originally known as National Giro. In due course "giro" was adopted by the public and the press as a shorthand term for the girocheque, which was a cheque and not a credit transfer.

The use of both cheques and paper giros is now in decline in many countries in favour of electronic payments, which are thought to be faster, cheaper and safer due to the reduced risk of fraud.

Etymology

The word "giro" is borrowed from Dutch "giro" and/or German "giro", which are both from Italian "giro" meaning "circulation of money". The Italian term comes via Latin "gyrus" meaning "gyre" from the Greek "gyros" meaning "circle". It often stands for general interbank recurring order.

Giro d'Italia

The Giro d'Italia (Italian pronunciation: [ˈdʒiːro diˈtaːlja]; English: Tour of Italy) is an annual stage race bicycle race primarily held in Italy, while also occasionally passing through nearby countries. The race was first organized in 1909 to increase sales of the newspaper La Gazzetta dello Sport; however it is currently run by RCS Sport. The race has been held annually since its first edition in 1909, except when it was stopped for the two world wars. As the Giro gained prominence and popularity the race was lengthened, and the peloton expanded from primarily Italian participation to riders from all over the world. The Giro is a UCI World Tour event, which means that the teams that compete in the race are mostly UCI Proteams, with the exception of the teams that the organizers can invite.

Along with the Tour de France and Vuelta a España, the Giro makes up cycling's prestigious three-week-long Grand Tours. The Giro is usually held during late May and early June. While the route changes each year, the format of the race stays the same, with the appearance of at least two time trials, and a passage through the mountains of the Alps, including the Dolomites. Like the other Grand Tours, the modern editions of the Giro d'Italia normally consist of 21 day-long segments (stages) over a 23-day period that includes 2 rest days.

Italy

Coordinates: 43°N 12°E / 43°N 12°E / 43; 12

Italy (ⁱ/ˈɪtəli/; Italian: Italia [iˈtaːlja]), officially the Italian Republic (Italian: Repubblica Italiana), is a unitary parliamentary republic in Europe. Italy covers an area of 301,338 km² (116,347 sq mi) and has a largely Mediterranean and temperate climate; due to its shape, it is often referred to in Italy as lo Stivale (the Boot). With 61 million inhabitants, it is the 4th most populous EU member state. Located in the heart of the Mediterranean Sea, Italy shares open land borders with France, Switzerland, Austria, Slovenia, San Marino and Vatican City.

Since ancient times, Greeks, Etruscans and Celts have inhabited the south, centre and north of the Italian Peninsula respectively. Rome ultimately emerged as the dominant power, conquering much of the ancient world and becoming the leading cultural, political, and religious centre of Western civilisation. The legacy of the Roman Empire is widespread and can be observed in the global distribution of civilian law, Republican governments, Christianity and the latin script.

Tom Dumoulin

Tom Dumoulin (born 11 November 1990) is a Dutch professional road bicycle racer for UCI ProTeam Team Giant-Alpecin.

Professional career

Early career

Dumoulin was born in Maastricht, and grew up in the city near the Maas Boulevard, which used to host the finish of the Amstel Gold Race. Originally his ambition was to study medicine and become a doctor, however after not being offered a place at medical school he opted to pursue cycle racing for a year. He first made an impact in 2010, when he competed at the Grand Prix of Portugal, part of the UCI Under 23 Nations' Cup – Dumoulin won the race's opening time trial, despite never having ridden a time trial bicycle before, and went on to win the race overall. Later that year he won a time trial stage of the Girobio. He was due to ride for Cervélo TestTeam in 2011, however the team disbanded at the end of the 2010 season.

Giant Shimano (2012–)

After riding for the Rabobank Development Team in 2011, Dumoulin turned professional with the Dutch Giant-Shimano team in 2012. In June 2014 Dumoulin won the Dutch National Time Trial Championships. In September 2014 he came in second place at the Grand Prix Cycliste de Québec after surging ahead on the last climb but being passed by Simon Gerrans. Later that month he took a bronze medal in the UCI World Time Trial Championships, placing third behind Bradley Wiggins and Tony Martin in Ponferrada.