Friday 23rd and Sunday 25th of June, these the #OrangeBlue calendar of National Championships. Friday 23rd the individual time trial in Italy and Japan, while in Romania will be yet time for the road race. On Sunday the road race of the Italian and of the Japanese Championship. All the #OrangeBlue riders will be in race, except for Masakazu Ito, injured.
23-25 June, National Championships.
In the week of the National Championships, the NIPPO Vini Fantini riders will be involved in 3 countries: Italy, Japan and Romania. In all countries they will be in competition both for the time trial and for the road race.
THE ITALIAN CHAMPIONSHIPS
On Friday 23rd of June the time trial challenge that will involve 3 riders of the NIPPO Vini Fantini:
Alan Marangoni, Riccardo Stacchiotti e Giacomo Berlato.
The start will be from the 4.00 p.m. until the 6.00 pm, from Ciriè to Caluso for 38,3km in total.
Sunday 25th of June will be time for the Road Race, to wear the jersey that was of Giacomo Nizzolo during the last year. In 2017 the road will be the one of the Gran Piemonte, organized by RCS Sport. Official start from Asti around 12.00, finish-line around 6.00 pm in Ivrea at the end of 236km, with a final circuit of 21.3 km to ride 4 times. The last 2 km of climbing (La Serra) have an average of 10% and a maximum of 15 %. After the climb only the descent and a final sprint.
A long way, strong and selective open to many different scenarios, as told by Mario Manzoni:
“A good itinerary, for a wonderful race. We will use all the experience of Damiano Cunego for these kind of races and the experience of Ivan Santaromita, that knows how to win an Italian Championship. We will have Marco Canola with a strong motivation, Iuri Filosi with the desire to attack. But first of all we have to be good to manage the race untile the final circuit where for sure there will be a strong selection. We have different options for the final and the the riders are all 100% motivated and focused on the race.”
The NIPPO Vini Fantini will be at the start with 11 Italian riders, among them also the 2013 National Champion Ivan Santaromita:
Marco Canola, Damiano Cunego, Iuri Filosi, Ivan Santaromita, Pierpaolo De Negri, Alan Marangoni, Riccardo Stacchiotti, Alessandro Bisolti, Giacomo Berlato, Nicolas Marini.
DS: Mario Manzoni.
JAPANESE NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS:
Same program and agenda for the Japanese Championship, with good ambitions of the NIPPO Vini Fantini riders.
On Friday 23rd of June, the time trial, with only Marino Kobayashi involved among #OrangeBlue.
The Under23 ITT & road National Champion will try to double also among PRO.
On Sunday 25th of June the road race with all the Japanese riders of the team involved, except for Masakazu Ito, injured since last May during the Tour of Japan.
The NIPPO Vini Fantini line-up for the Japanese National Championships:
Marino Kobayashi, Kazushige Kuboki, Hideto Nakane, Kohei Uchima, Yuma Koishi.
DS: Shinichi Fukushima.
NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS ROMANIA:
Same schedule, but with inverted challenges in Romania. On Friday 23rd the road race and on Sunday the time trial. Eduard Grosu will be back after the injury, but the National Championship will be his first race since more than one month ago. Not easy for him, racing alone, but his determination can give him a good chance to battle for the final victory.