The Slovenian champion Primoz Roglic, here in the pink jersey
Cycling Stars Criterium presented. We also work to hire two stars like Ganna and Sagan. Before the event of the professionals also youth competitions and old glories
the big names in cycling are back in the center of Belluno for a big party on two wheels. After a year of absence, on Monday 13 September the capital will host the second edition of Cycling Stars Criterium, the event with some of the main protagonists of two wheels at the start. Starting with the Slovenian Primoz Roglic, double winner of the Vuelta a España, who will be the star of the day.
The initiative was presented yesterday in the setting of Ca’del Poggio and is part of a wider program, that of Veneto Cycling Promotion, a cycling and tourism promotion project conceived by Alessandro Ballan, world champion in 2008 and winner of the Giro delle Fiandre in 2007, with the support of the Veneto Region and the Province of Belluno.
The protagonists of Cycling Stars Criterium will be professionals and former professionals but also young people. The program, in fact, foresees at 16 the kermesse reserved for G4, G5, G6, Esordienti, Donna Esordienti and Donne Allieve, at 19 the show event reserved for former professionals and at 20 the grand finale with prof. The heart of the event will be Piazza dei martiri.
«Last year due to Covid-19 we were unable to give life to our circuit, this year we are back with a renewed and ambitious formula. Unfortunately, only in recent days we have had the confirmation that we can play it and in recent weeks we are working day and night to define every detail », explained the organizer Enrico Bonsembiante. «Belluno is a square full of passion that will light up already in the afternoon with the competitions of the youngest».
«Veneto Cycling Promotion was born because after I finished my cycling career I accompanied many cycling enthusiasts in different parts of the world to ride in the various Bike Academies. I think the time has come to promote the territory I know and love the most, my home, the Veneto. For this reason, together with a trained and professional staff, last July we started the first Veneto Bike Academy on the roads of the Belluno Dolomites and the Prosecco Hills », says Alessandro Ballan. “Our project will continue with the Cycling Stars Criterium scheduled the day after the European Championships in Trento, and then with another Bike Academy to be held from 24 to 26 October next”.
In the front row, the vice-presidents of the Veneto FCI Regional Committee, Lillo Zussa and Alessandro Spiniella, together with Enrico De Bona, of Pian Longhi Sport, Food and Wellness, also applauded the development of Veneto Cycling Promotion.
Fundamental support from the Veneto Region and the Province of Belluno, represented by the President Roberto Padrin.
“We strongly believe in this project for the promotion of our territory which has always been suited to welcome those who love two wheels with open arms,” said the head of Palazzo Piloni. «Belluno awaits the great protagonists of world cycling and two-wheel fans both on the occasion of the Criterium, which already gave us an extraordinary day of celebration two years ago.
THE OTHER BIG
Two years ago Giulio Ciccone, Elia Viviani and Vincenzo Nibali were protagonists. This year, Primoz Roglic has already confirmed, but there may be other stars of the first magnitude. Starting with the Slovakian Peter Sagan, three times world champion, and the Olympic champion Filippo Ganna. The match should also include the Vicenza-based Enrico Battaglin, the Trentino, former European champion Matteo Trentin, the European champion Giacomo Nizzolo, the tricolor Sonny Colbrelli and the young Piedmontese Matteo Sobrero. The race from the former should see, among others, Davide Cassani and Alessandro Bertolini
.