International Week of Coppi and Bartali kicks off today

The Italian town of Riccione will host the departure and first stage of the International Week of Coppi and Bartali – UniCredit Bank Trophy.

There will be 142 participants in the race, which will see the debut of the Challenge UniCredit Banca squad as well as the Italian Championship team.

Among those expected to start are Francesco Gavazzi (Lampre – Farnese), who is having a good start to his season; Riccardo Riccò (Ceramica Flaminia) on his return to racing and Giovanni Visconti (ISD – Blacks) recent winner of Classical Sarda.

Among the 18 teams are also other riders of particular interest: the young Damiano Caruso (De Rosa – Stac Plastic), the sprinters Alberto Loddo (Androni – Diquigiovanni), Yuri Metlushenko (Amore & Vita – Conad), Francisco Ventoso (Carmiooro — NGC) and Mattia Gavazzi (Colnago – CSF), the Dane Michael Rasmussen (Miche) and many others.

From tomorrow you can follow the race live online at  the website of the Sports Group Emilia (www.gsemilia.it) as well as find all the information related to the race.

The Stages:

March 23rd:

Stage 1 / 1st half-stage: Riccione-Riccione (81.2 km – departure at 9.45)

Stage 1 / 2nd half-stage: Riccione-Cattolica (team time trial, 15.6 km, 1st departure at 15.00)

March 24th:

Stage 2: San Lazzaro di Savena – Faenza (175.1 km – departure at 11.30)

March 25th:

Stage 3: Pavullo – Pavullo (185.3 km – departure at 10.45)

March 26th:

Stage 4: Rovigo – Finale Emilia (183.8 km – departure at 12.00)

March 27th:

Stage 5: Fiorano Modenese – Sassuolo (178.3 – departure at 11.15)

Tags: Alberto Loddo, Amore & Vita, Androni - Diquigiovanni, Ceramica Flaminia, colnago, de rosa, Francesco Gavazzi, Giovanni Visconti, Lampre, mattia Gavazzi, michael rasmussen, Stage 2, stage 3, stage 4, stage 5