The Italians will prepare the Games along the island roads
Giovanni Dessole
June 30, 2021
SASSARI. Seven athletes of the Italian national team will color the first edition of the “Italian cycling week – On the roads of Sardinia” blue. After Filippo Ganna, Damiano Caruso and Elia Viviani – who had already expressed their desire to run on the island in preparation for the Olympics – now the official status arrives, along with other important confirmations: Alberto Bettiol, Gianni Moscon, Giulio Ciccone, Michele Scartezzini and Simone Consonni complete the seven-color tricolor that from 14 to 18 July will race on the Sardinian roads in search of successes (obviously) and of kilometers to put on the legs in an Olympic perspective.
Of this large and titled representation of the Italian national team, made up as mentioned by some of the road riders and pistard next protagonists in Tokyo and by names that have left and will leave their mark in the recent history of the Giro d’Italia and world cycling: Caruso, second at the recent Giro d’Italia, the world champion of the time trial and individual pursuit Ganna, the Olympic gold medalist of the omnium in Rio de Janeiro 2016 and standard-bearer of the Italian delegation during the opening ceremony of the Tokyo Games.
Together with them, among those enrolled in the “Week of Sardinia”, the presence of the former Italian champion Giovanni Visconti, the Tuscan Diego Ulissi – career winner of 8 stages in the Giro d’Italia – and the Belgian Ben Hermans should also be noted. In these days, the latest confirmations related to the participation of the athletes belonging to the various teams are arriving, and there seem to be all the conditions for the newborn stage race made in Sardinia to be destined to play a role of primary importance for the Italian and international movement. Everything happens when there is very little time left for the start of this highly anticipated first edition of the event – UciI 2.1 class race – organized by Great events and Natura Srl with the technical support of Gs Emilia.
In addition to the Italian national team there are 20 officially registered teams: Uae Team Emirates, Bora – Hansgrohe, Israel Start-Up Nation, Team Bikeexchange, Bahrain Victorius, Movistar Team, Vini Zabù, Gazprom-Rusvelo, Bardiani Csf Faizanè, Delko, Eolo- Kometa Cycling Team, Androni Giocattoli – Sidermec, Uno-X Pro Cycling Team, Sport Vlaanderen – Baloise, Team Arkea – Samsic, Euskaltel – Euskadi, Amore & Vita, Work Service Marchiol Dinatek, Giotti Victoria – Savini Due and Mg.K Vis Vpm. Qhubeka-Assos is missing, Fabio Aru is missing. Departure from Alghero, passing through Sassari and Oristano and arriving in Cagliari. Five stages, an 860 km track, 21 teams at the start, 7 athletes per team, about 3000 people in tow between technical staff and family members.
An unmissable opportunity for the island, which for the entire cycling week will rise to the fore as the only competition, in addition to the historic Tour de France, approaching the five-circle challenge: the largest will in fact split between France and Sardinia, there are no alternatives. Maximum visibility, with attached Rai windows, a very high interest rate and a bright window wide open on the island, on its cities, its streets, its heritage, its history, its sea, its hinterland and its essence. All enhanced by an extraordinary sporting event imagined together with a regional institution and local institutions (Alghero, Sassari, Oristano and Cagliari), a catalyst for attention and a potential springboard towards a deseasonalization that is no longer just conceived but possible in practice.
