Giro d’Abruzzo, Enrico Zanoncello wins the Vasto-Pescara stage.
Enrico Zanoncello (VF Group-Bardiani CSF-Faizanè) won the first stage of the Giro d’Abruzzo Credit Agricole, the 160 kilometer Vasto-Pescara, in a sprint. They took second and third place respectively Matteo Malucelli (JCL Team Ukyo) and Spanish Manuel Penalver (Team Polti Kometa).
“I’m very happy – the comment of the 26 year old from Verona from Isola della Scala – I was aiming for this stage and it ended with a very hard fought sprint. Fiorelli led me on Malucelli’s wheel and I managed to pass him at the right time. It is my first victory as a professional in Europe and especially in Italy. I hope that this success convinces my team to take me to the Giro d’Italia.” Zanoncello is also the first Maglia Azzurra leader of the general classification. Tomorrow the second of the four scheduled stages, the 161 kilometer Alanno-Magliano de’ Marsi.
The Giro d’Abruzzo, 4 stages for 659 km: the “miniature” pink race begins
PATH.
The four stages manage to offer almost the entire panorama of cycling specialties. The race touches all the provinces of the Abruzzo region with the first stage from the province of Chieti to that of Pescara, the second from Pescara to L’Aquila, the third from L’Aquila to Teramo and the fourth from Teramo to L’Aquila to finish in the regional capital a few days after the proclamation as Italian Capital of Culture 2026. The stages are linked with a crescendo of difficulty, but without ever proposing extreme difficulties.
Slightly choppy first stage (Vasto – Pescara) with a flat finish which, most likely, will end with a compact group sprint along the avenues of Pescara.
Second stage (Alanno – Magliano de’ Marsi) more undulating, even if with the perfectly flat crossing of the Fucino, which at the end presents some bumps that will skim the group before the final sprint with narrow ranks.
Third real mountain stage (Pratola Peligna – Prati di Tivo) with Monte Sirente starting and, after the L’Aquila plain, we enter the eighth stage of the Giro d’Italia climbing Croce Abbio (west side of the Passo della Capannelle which however cannot be reached) and the final climb to Prati di Tivo.
Last stage (Montorio al Vomano – L’Aquila) very moving with a lot of altitude difference, but without any very difficult climbs. Forca di Penne and Castel del Monte are climbed, both climbs with gradients around 4/5% which a few months later will also be covered by the Giro Women 2024.
THE IL GIRO D’ABRUZZO CRÉDIT AGRICOLE SHIRTS:
Leader jerseys are designed and handmade by PISSEI:
-Maglia Azzurra, leader of the General Classification, sponsored by the Abruzzo Region;
-Ciclamino jersey, leader of the Points Classification, sponsored by Agenzia Ice with the madeinitaly.gov.it brand;
-Maglia Verde, leader of the Mountain Grand Prix, sponsored by Enel;
-Maglia Bianca, leader of the Youth Ranking, born after 01/01/1999, sponsored by Crédit Agricole
THE TEAMS OF IL GIRO D’ABRUZZO CRÉDIT AGRICOLE:
ASTANA QAZAQSTAN TEAM
UAE TEAM EMIRATES
BINGOAL WB
CORRATEC VINI FANTINI
ISRAEL – PREMIER TECH
DTT-UNIBET
TEAM POLTI – KOMETA
TUDOR PRO CYCLING TEAM
VF GROUP-BARDIANI CSF-FAIZANÈ
BELTRAMI TSA THREE COLLI
BIESSE – CARRERA
CTF VICTORIOUS
EPRONEX – HUNGARY CYCLING TEAM
GENERAL STORE – ESSEGIBI – F.LLI CURIA
JCL TEAM UKYO
MG.K VIS COLOR FOR PEACE
PETROLIKE
TEAM MBH BANK COLPACK BALLAN CSB
TEAM TECHNIPES #INEMILIAROMAGNA
UM TOOLS MOKAMBO COFFEE
WINES MONZON – SAVINI DUE – OMZ
ZALF EUROMOBIL FIOR
