GIRO REGIONI CYCLOCROSS, GALLIPOLI CROWNS THE PINK-BLUE JERSEYS

CYCLOCROSS | 23/12/2024 | 08:06
A storm-like atmosphere was expected, one capable of turning everything upside down. And so it was. Not the weather, of course, which was clement by calming the wind during the night and offering sunshine and clear skies, but the entire competitive aspect of the final stage of the 2024 Giro delle Regioni Cyclocross saw major shake-ups in the general classification, bordering on the mathematically possible.

At the Caroli Hotels Ecoresort Le Sirenè, the sixth and final stage of the Giro Regioni Cyclocross was held yesterday, the 18th annual circuit organized by ASD Romano Scotti. With the patronage of the Municipality of Gallipoli and the great support of the Caroli Hotels group, a new challenge was won, bringing the caravan to pedal through the wonders of the Natural Park of Torre di Sant'Andrea and Punta Pizzo Coastline for the season's highlight event, which was exceptionally worth double points for the assignment of the coveted pink-blue jerseys.

With the direction of ASD Romano Scotti, which took care of every organizational detail with its staff, under the watchful eyes of the main sponsor Selle SMP, present with patron Schiavon, the renewed Lecce and Puglia committees of the Italian Cycling Federation (with Sergio Quarta, Mariangela Palazzo and Marco Castellano present), the 6th Caroli Hotels Grand Prix - City of Gallipoli welcomed participants from every region of Italy for a final challenge between grass and sand, brushing the crystal-clear waters of the Ionian Sea before launching at full speed towards a jersey whose colors symbolize an entire season. While those over 12 raced for the jersey, the under-12s were guaranteed fun thanks to the simultaneous short track for young promotional riders organized by Leo Constructions.

Gallipoli is written and reads as wind, sand, water, grass, and soft terrain, all components of the track designed by ASD Romano Scotti for the title contenders, in a compendium of all the characteristics of a good cross rider, "At the Ecoresort Le Sirenè we staged the 6th Caroli Hotels Grand Prix, sponsored by the Municipality of Gallipoli at the end of a long and articulated authorization process, during which the municipal administration was always by the side of ASD Romano Scotti" - explains Fausto Scotti, president of the organizing committee - "Once again, a precious challenge carried forward with tenacity over the years by the ASD Romano Scotti family has been won, and we are proud to have offered this scenario for the final competitive challenge of our circuit. We are honored by participation from all over Italy and wish to congratulate everyone who faced such a challenging transfer, honoring the name of my father, Mauro, and Giancarlo. We're not stopping now, we're all in for the youth national championships in Follonica, with many communications coming soon and for which accreditations are already open".

THE RACES. MANY SURPRISES, EQUALLY MANY CONFIRMATIONS

Antonio Folcarelli (RM Folcarelli GM Sport) had no rivals in the open race, well defended by his teammate Simone Vari. The two from Lazio knew the Gallipoli track very well, having always been protagonists in previous editions, so Folcarelli's pink stood out against the crystalline blue of the Ionian Sea, and Vari's orange transformed into a beautiful white, conquering the white jersey for the best Under-23 athlete at the finish line. An excellent Andrea Ricca from Cycling Café completed the podium.

Among the women, with a podium deprived of the two classification leaders, an extraordinary Emma Franceschini (Jam's Bike Team Buja) stood out, taming the sand with the lightness and class of champions and able to celebrate a well-deserved white jersey as the best young rider, snatched from Giorgia Pellizotti's shoulders. Behind Franceschini, an honorable position for Brenda Zavarella (Race Mountain Folcarelli), followed at a short distance by Ilenia Matilde Fulgido (Valnoce), the latter a protagonist of an excellent race start in the lead before being slowed down by a fall due to contact with another rider.

In the youth categories, the star of Oscar Carrer (Fusion Bike) shines, who in his penultimate outing with the Italian junior champion jersey made the tricolor splendid on the picturesque Gallipoli scenario, completely overturning the tables: his success at the Caroli Hotels finish line earned him a pink-blue jersey conquered at the last moment. On an all-Puglia podium, Luciano Schettini (Fusion Bike) and Daniele Losacco (Kalos) join him for the final stage.

A similar turnaround, but this time even with equal points (150 to 150), was seen in the Second-Year Juniors category, where an unleashed Francesco Dell'Olio (Il Pirata Vangi) signed the classic stage & jersey combination after an intense battle with the already mountain bike national champion Walter Vaglio (Tugliese), a no-holds-barred battle decided only on the finish line straight in Dell'Olio's favor, who had absolute victory as the only possible result to match Cingolani at the top of the classification and, consequently, snatch the jersey. An excellent third place for Matteo Martini of GS Mosole.

Among the First-Year Juniors, the script was one often seen in other stages: Alessio Borile's (DP 66) white jersey imposed itself decisively and solo, preceding colleagues from a thousand battles like Simone Gregori (DP 66) and Pietro Bandiziol (B Team Cyclocross Project). Junior Women were in great form with the excellent performance of Matilde Carretta (GS Mosole), who broke away, even preceding the pink-blue jersey of Rachele Cafueri (DP 66), while Roberta Maria Bertesteanu arrived more delayed on the third step of the podium. A pink celebration, finally, for Marta Grassi (GS Mosole), who by winning the race reserved for junior women also secures a beautiful pink-blue jersey won on the field. Throughout the race, conducted with authority, Rebecca Ventola (2nd, Fusion Bike) and Livia Rossi (3rd, Il Pirata Vangi) were unable to disturb her.

Among the masters, the usual show by Massimo Folcarelli in category 3: the rider from Lazio, already mathematically sure of the jersey, conducted the usual race solo, while behind him a purely Puglia battle for the second step of the podium ignited, with protagonists Luigi Carrer (2nd) and Ernesto Angelini (3rd). Among the women, success for Stefania Leschiutta, proud in her pink jersey, over Cristina Eleonora Valluzzi and Emanuela Civilla.

In Category 1, a guaranteed show with Antonio Macculi, who by winning the absolute takes the pink jersey, preceding Pier Filippo Bertuzzo and Antonio Vigoroso at the finish line. Great spectacle instead in Category 2, with Alessio Fattori completing the comeback on Claudio Moronci and, by preceding him at the finish line, managing to snatch the leader's jersey at the last moment, in full point parity (164 to 164). For Moronci, the disappointment can be mitigated by the victory in the M3 category, in which he maintained a two-point advantage. On the third step of the stage podium, the Puglia rider Cosimo Cattedra. The program closes with Category 4, where with the titular pink jersey absent, Biagio Palmisano signed the stage, preceding Emilio Radesca and Marco Valentini.

LE MAGLIE

*categoria*	*leader*	*fascia di età*
MASTER FASCIA 1	Macculi Antonio	19-40 anni
MASTER FASCIA 2	Fattori Alessio	40-49 anni
MASTER FASCIA 3	Folcarelli Massimo	50-59 anni
MASTER FASCIA 4	Cottin Corrado	over 60 anni
MASTER WOMEN (tutte)	Leschiutta Stefania	over 19 anni
ESORDIENTI 2° ANNO	Carrer Oscar	13-14 anni
DONNE ESORDIENTI	Grassi Marta	13-14 anni
ALLIEVI 1° ANNO	Borile Alessio	15 anni
ALLIEVI 2° ANNO	Dell'Olio Francesco	16 anni
DONNE ALLIEVE	Cafueri Rachele	15-16 anni
JUNIORES	Serangeli Giacomo	17-18 anni
DONNE OPEN	Borello Carlotta	over 17 anni
*DONNE OPEN (maglia bianca)*	Franceschini Emma	17-18 anni
UOMINI OPEN	Folcarelli Antonio	over 19 anni
*UOMINI OPEN (maglia bianca)*	Vari Simone	19-22 anni
ELITE MASTER SPORT	Damato Giuseppe	19-29 anni
MASTER 1	Macculi Antonio	20-34 anni
MASTER 2	Bettin Nicola	35-39 anni
MASTER 3	Moronci Claudio	40-44 anni
MASTER 4	Rizzi Giuliano	45-49 anni
MASTER 5	Folcarelli Massimo	50-54 anni
MASTER 6	Ponte Marco	55-59 anni
MASTER 7	Cottin Corrado	60-64 anni
MASTER 8+	Valentini Marco	over 65 anni