Sardinia as a springboard to Tokyo. Tomorrow 14 July the start with the Alghero-Sassari and then headed south
SASSARI. Sardinia as a springboard to Tokyo, the ups and downs of the island’s roads as a test in a very hot phase of the season. The professional cycling caravan returns to color the streets of Sardinia, with an event that promises to be spectacular: with the “Italian Cycling Week – On the roads of Sardinia”, from tomorrow to Sunday we will breathe the air of the great stage races again, four years after the passage of the centenary Giro d’Italia and ten years after the most recent edition of the Giro di Sardegna. There is no shortage of big names, above all Elia Viviani, gold medalist at Rio 2016, who will be the standard-bearer of the Italian team in Tokyo.
The synergies. The event, organized by Great Events, Natura Srl and GS Emilia, with the support of the Sardinia Region and the Province of Sassari, was presented yesterday morning in the Sala Angioy of the Palazzo della Provincia, in the presence of a parade of institutional representatives of all territories involved. Tangible sign of a union of intentions that led the private sector (the “vision” of Carmelo Mereu and Federico Soro) to put on the plate an important idea to use sport as a vehicle for promoting the territory. An assist captured by public administrators, in a crucial phase of the post-covid recovery.
The race. Five stages, four main cities involved (Alghero, Sassari, Oristano and Cagliari), on a route 860 kilometers long that will touch many centers, especially inland. It starts tomorrow with the Alghero-Sassari, a 155 kilometer long fraction, and continues with the Sassari-Oristano, 185 kilometers, scheduled for Thursday. On Friday the riders will start from Oristano and will arrive in Cagliari after 181 kilometers. From that moment on, the streets of the south of the island will be the backdrop to the race, with two stages with arrival and finish line in the capital: on Friday (168 km) the ascent to the Campidano and the detour into the Gerrei up to Armungia, before descend to the south. On Sunday the final stage, 170 kilometers, still starting from Cagliari: this time the group will make a stop towards Sulcis Iglesiente, will go as far as Carbonia and then head straight towards the final finish line, located in Viale Diaz.
Towards Tokyo. In conjunction with the week that closes the Tour de France, and on the eve of the Tokyo Olympics, fans from all over Sardinia and tourists on the island have the opportunity to admire live some of the champions who will be protagonists in Japan. There are 21 teams at the start (“but many more – the organizers explained – are those who had expressed an interest in participating”), with 7 athletes at the start for each team. Present, among others, Uae Team Emirates, Bora-Hansgrohe, Israel Start-Up Nation, Bahrain Victorius, Movistar, Vini Zabu ‘, Gazprom-Rusvelo, Androni Giocattoli-Sidermec, Euskaltel-Euskadi and Amore & Vita. A caravan that brings with it about three thousand people, including technical staff and professionals.
Place e outsider. The most awaited team is undoubtedly the Italian national team of technical commissioner Davide Cassani, who lines up as mentioned Elia Viviani, blue flag bearer at the Olympic Games, Filippo Ganna, who aims for a heavy medal in Tokyo, Damiano Caruso, protagonist of the recent Giro d ‘ Italy, as well as Michele Scartezzini, Simone Consonni, Alberto Bettiol and Gianni Moscon. Enrico Battaglin, Giovanni Visconti, the timeless Davide Rebellin and Diego Ulissi, De Marchi and Cimolai of the Israel team, the Swiss Mader, the emerging Aleotti, Alex Dowsett, the German Pascal Ackermann, the Spanish Gonzales and Azurmendi should also be followed closely. . © breaking latest news