The curtain rises today on the European Track Championships in Heusden Zolder, Belgium. First day of competition, and Italy immediately plays some important cards with a national team that blends youth and experience.

The first pedal stroke of the entire event will be taken by three young Italian women, Beatrice Bertolini, Matilde Cenci, and Siria Trevisan - 19 years old for the first, 17 for the others - who will have the opportunity to gain important experience in the Team Sprint.

Certainly more ambitious is the men's trio composed of Stefano Minuta, Daniele Napolitano, and Mattia Predomo, who aim to get as close as possible to the podium. Both specialties will award medals tonight after qualifications, first round, and finals.

In the afternoon, the pursuit quartets will also begin their journey: team coach Marco Villa fields a well-established formation in the women's field with Martina Alzini, Chiara Consonni, Martina Fidanza, and Vittoria Guazzini, while in the men's field, the Olympic champion Francesco Lamon will act as a mentor to Davide Boscaro, Nicolò Galli, and Renato Favero. For the pursuit, today is qualification, tomorrow first round and finals.

This evening, two more finals are scheduled: in the women's scratch, Martina Fidanza will hunt for another important medal, while in the men's elimination race, the captain of the Azzurri, the prophet Elia Viviani, takes to the track aiming for the title in his specialty of choice.

THE PROGRAM

13:30 Women's Team Sprint - Qualifying
13:54 Men's Team Sprint - Qualifying
14:36 Women's Team Pursuit - Qualifying
15:43 Men's Team Pursuit - Qualifying
19:00 Women's Team Sprint - First Round
19:14 Men's Team Sprint - First Round
19:28 Women's Scratch Race
19:45 Men's Elimination Race
20:18 Women's Team Sprint - Finals
20:25 Men's Team Sprint - Finals