Tommaso Dati (Biesse Carrera) is the winner of the 35th edition of the “Industrie del Marble” cycling grand prix, an international invitational race, reserved for under 23s, organized by the Fausto Coppi company of Carrara. The Tuscan athlete beat Manuel Oioli (Continental Cycling) and Filippo Turconi (Group Bardiani Faizanè) in the sprint. A sporting competition that is also a celebration and the organization is working from the early hours of the day to put everything in place. At the end of the morning technical meeting between race directors and sports directors (with particular attention to safety “because there are too many accidents in cycling”), then greetings from Andrea Borghini, president of Fausto Coppi “it is a race that is gaining ever greater importance and the quality level is growing”, and the presentation of the teams.
Before the start, a minute of silence for Matteo Lorenzi, the 17-year-old cyclist from Trentino who recently died during training. Lowering the checkered flag at the start was the mayor Serena Arrighi with the sports councilor Lara Benfatto: “this event is also an important visiting card for the city” said the two administrators. Then the 143 runners representing 27 teams (each with a minimum of 4 and a maximum of 6 cyclists) battled on the 174 kilometers of a tested but always very demanding and selective route (only 68 at the finish line), under the eyes of Marino Amadori, under 23 men’s technical commissioner. Very lively race with continuous attacks: at the first crossing of the bridges of Vara (some falls on bends due to gravel) there are already the first escape attempts, at the second short lap (alternatively short laps are run up to the city center and long laps up to cave) a small group of about twenty guys moved forward, but it was on the third short lap that the group broke up while the bulk of the group began to suffer a heavy delay which by the time the 127 kilometers had passed had risen to over three minutes. The last lap (32 kilometers to the finish) begins with eight riders in the breakaway and the group at 3’20”. But on the finishing straight there is a five-man sprint, amidst the applause of the crowd. Then the awards ceremony with councilors Lara Benfatto and Elena Giuadagni, with see you next year.
Maurizio Munda
