The Emilia Romagna regional championship for the junior women category will be held this Sunday in Gossolengo. The competition, promoted by BFT Burzoni Vo2 Team Pink in collaboration with G.S. Podenzano, will also be valid as the second and final stage of the "Due Giorni del Ducato" which will have its first stage on Saturday in Bianconese, in the Parma province.

The cycling event, combined with the fifth edition of the Trofeo Città di Gossolengo and also the Trofeo Alberto Biondi and the Memorial Rino Andrina, was presented yesterday in the council chamber of the Municipality of Gossolengo.

Mayor Andrea Balestrieri opened the series of institutional speeches, welcoming those present and emphasizing the importance of the event for the city and the territory involved in the race. He also stated: "The Municipal Administration is proud to support youth sports activities by collaborating with an experienced organization and many volunteers, figures essential for the success of the event".

Vice Mayor Pericle Mazzari echoed the mayor's sentiments, recalling how since the first edition, the citizens and associations of Gossolengo have been involved in the event and participate with enthusiasm.

Representing the Italian Cycling Federation were provincial vice president Guido Davoli and regional councilor Milena Cavani. The director of the Emilia-Romagna committee, responsible for the women's sector, praised the organizing organization and thanked the authorities of Gossolengo for their support, setting the appointment for Sunday when the athletes will compete sportingly on a very demanding course.

The floor then passed to Stefano Solari, team manager of the organizing organization, who defined the  "5th Trofeo Città di Gossolengo" as "a classic of the Junior Women category that allows athletes to race in the province of Piacenza, a territory that lends itself well to cycling and has an important cycling tradition".

Then, presenting the course, made more selective compared to previous editions, Solari declared: "We have added a second climb. This request came somewhat from the girls but also from technical commissioner Marco Velo who, in anticipation of appointments with European championships and the world championship that this year will have very demanding courses, asked us to prepare a track that serves as a testing ground for the athletes".

Solari also emphasized that Sunday in Gossolengo the best formations from the national landscape and also some foreign teams are expected. Furthermore, looking to the future of the event, the Emilian manager hoped that "the race could acquire ever greater importance and take a further step forward, perhaps with a somewhat more international scope".

As written, the Piacenza event will also be decisive in determining the results of the "Challenge del Ducato" which will have its first act tomorrow, Saturday, in Bianconese. The leaders of the final standings will wear the distinctive jerseys. The winner of the overall classification will wear the yellow BFT Burzoni jersey; the best athlete born in 2009 will wear the white Zena Office jersey; the green jersey with the Tre Colli company logo will be worn by the best climber and finally, whoever  leads in the Sprint Classification will wear the red Bussolati Asfalti jersey.

TECHNICAL DETAILS – The official start will be given at 9:30 AM from the center of Gossolengo. Subsequently the caravan will pass through Tuna, Gazzola, Rivalta, return to Gossolengo and then repeat part of the previous route and head towards the climb that will lead to the Momeliano GPM and subsequently, taking the climb from the opposite side, to the descent of the Castello di Rezzanello GPM. Once the second and final climb for climbers is tackled, the route will head back towards Gossolengo. The total distance will be 84 kilometers.