Double race this week-end with the Memorial Pantani and the Trofeo Matteotti in this week-end for the NIPPO Vini Fantini Europa Ovini team. Both races will be very important for the Ciclismo Cup, but the second one have a strong relevance for the team with 2 of the 3 main sponsors coming from the Abruzzo region.
After the wonderful victory of Juan Josè Lobato at the Coppa Sabatini, it is already time to get back on the road with two prestigious Italian events between Emilia Romagna and Abruzzo. Saturday, September 22 will be the Memorial Pantani, while Sunday, September 23 will be on stage the Trofeo Matteotti, with the usual route but with a new September date. For the athletes of NIPPO Vini Fantini Europa Ovini it will be a very important appointment, with 2 of the 3 title sponsors of the team strongly linked to Abruzzo.
THE LINE-UP.
At the start of both events 7 athletes. 5 Italians with Ivan Santaromita, a key figure for the hard roads of the Memorial Pantani and Marco Canola, the leader announced for the Trofeo Matteotti. With them Marco Tizza, in great condition, Simone Ponzi and Nicola Bagioli. A Spanish, the former Coppa Sabatini winner Juan Josè Lobato and a Japanese Sho Hatsuyama, who will play an important role as a team man.
This is the complete line-up, valid for both events: Marco Canola, Juan Jose Lobato, Ivan Santaromita, Marco Tizza, Simone Ponzi, Nicola Bagioli, Sho Hatsuayama.
THE DECLARATION.
The Sports Director in this race will be Mario Manzoni, that just won as DS the Coppa Sabatini managing very well the race from the team car: “Two very important events for us, but with different characteristics. At the Memorial Pantani the Italian national team has a very competitive line-up preparing the world championship. Hard road at the beginning where you must resist the hard race and stay in play for the final km. We will try to use the great condition of some of our athletes like Ivan Santaromita very strong on these kind ofroutes and Marco Tizza who rode two high-level races. With them, Simone Ponzi and Nicola Bagioli will be among our top men depending on the race. Sho Hatsuyama is an excellent support for the team and Marco Canola, will be mainly focused on Trofeo Matteotti but also important in Memorial Pantani with his winning attitude. Juan Josè Lobato, winner of Coppa Sabatini, will be focused mainly on the Trofeo Matteotti. On Sunday will obviously be our most important race of this period, with a route that is more suitable for us, but above all very important, being the home race in Abruzzo for many of our sponsors we want to do very well.”
RACE AND TV INFO.
The Memorial Pantani will take place this Saturday as usual on the streets of Cesenatico. There will be 3 climbs on Montevecchio, but with the last detachment placed more than 60 km from the finish line. Departure at 11.30, arrival expected between 4.00pm and 4.30pm.
The Trofeo Matteotti that as usual will develop on the 15km circuit that will see the GPM of Montesilvano Colle protagonist of possible attacks especially in the final rounds.
Unfortunately no live broadcast for the two races, but highlights will be broadcasted by Rai and on the Facebook page of the team thanks to PMG sport. Saturday the synthesis of the Panatani Memorial will be broadcast on Raisport at 20.50 while the synthesis of the Trofeo Matteotti will be broadcast at 19.10 on Raisport.