The second event of the most important Italian Cross Country circuit also recorded numbers never seen before, both in terms of the presence of athletes and the public
The conditions were all there, with full hotels throughout the area and the organization which in the days preceding the event found itself forced to expand the camper areas and team zones to meet the many requests arriving from all over Europe.
The weekend of competitions then confirmed expectations, with the 2nd stage of the Internazionali d’Italia Series in Esanatoglia which recorded numbers of athletes and spectators never seen before in this area, with 40% more registered participants compared to last year.
On Saturday 30 March, inside the international cross-track “Gina Libani Repetti” in Esanatoglia, the big races took place with victories by Cameron Orr among the Elite men and Sofie Pedersen among the Elite women.
The following day, Sunday 31 March, was the great moment of the youth categories Esordienti, Allievi and Giovanissimi, for a total of over 430 kids who walked the track of the Marche village.
Two days of sport, celebration and valorisation of the territory, as he says with great pride Rossano Mazzieri, coordinator of the Esanatoglia stage Of Internazionali d’Italia Series: “I dreamed of something like this, but seeing it with your own eyes is something else entirely. We have been preparing this event for a year, and today we are very happy to be able to say that – together with the Internazionali d’Italia Series – we have won the challenge of including Esanatoglia in the circuit, bringing the great MTB to Central Italy. We worked together with the municipal administration to renew the track, raise the level of competitions in the area and this is the result, incredible numbers with many attendances also arriving from Southern Italy. This shows that when energies are combined, great events can be achieved even where until recently it was unthinkable. What can I say, today is a day of celebration for us because Esanatoglia has become the reference point for Cross Country in Central-Southern Italy.”
Among the many authorities also present Francesco Acquaroli, President of the Marche Region: “As the Marche Region, we believe that sport is a great vehicle for enhancing our territory, making it known and appreciated, with its uncontaminated nature and its unique landscapes. It is important for us to continue on this path. For this reason I would like once again to thank in particular the administration of Esanatoglia, the organizers and all the companies that participated in this beautiful event.”
He is echoed by the Extraordinary Commissioner for Earthquake ReconstructionThe Sen. Guido Castelli: “For me, as a cycling enthusiast, it is a great pride to see events of this level in the Apennines, events that not only bring top-level athletes here, but also many young people who are starting to experiment with this sport. MTB can expand the services offered by our ski resorts to guarantee constant tourism to the region, giving the possibility to live and function throughout the year.”
