A luxury weekend in Veneto for the amateur category. On Saturday there is the 44th Zane-Monte Cengio, a classic climbing race in the Vicenza area. Sunday is all set in Corte di Piove di Sacco, in the province of Padua, for the 10th Memorial Alfredo Fornasiero and Gold Medal of the Fornasiero brothers: Alfredo, Vito, Remo and Renzo, a race held on Sunday reserved for Elite and Under 23 categories. The race is called Gran Premio Circuiti dei Casoni and from this year also Giro della Saccisica, the ten municipalities that gravitate around Piove di Sacco. The etymology of the name Saccisica derives mainly from the morphology of the territory and from the Latin term saccus (sack, inlet), combined with a local suffix: the main center is obviously Piove di Sacco.

This year's route will be divided into two circuits: the first, initial one, called Giro della Saccisica, entirely flat and will touch all ten municipalities in the area between the provinces of Padua especially and Venice. The start will be given at Corte di Piove di Sacco at 1:35 PM, followed by a transfer of 3.3 kilometers to reach via Pave in Campolongo Maggiore, where, at the headquarters of Colorificio Gottardo, the official start will be given at 1:45 PM. The transfer will be made because from the unofficial start there is the crossing of a level crossing.

The route will touch the following municipalities of the Saccisica: Sant'Angelo di Piove di Sacco, Saonara, Legnaro, Polverara, Brugine, Piove di Sacco, Pontelongo, Correzzola, Codevigo, Arzergrande and return to Corte di Piove di Sacco of 56.3 kilometers. Upon passing under the finish line banner, the second circuit will begin, called Circuito dei Casoni, to be repeated 7 times. Also entirely flat, but characterized by a gravel section, and which, through the localities of Corte, Beverare and Sampieri will lead the athletes to the final finish line after covering a total of 169 kilometers.

The race is dedicated to the four Fornasiero brothers. Alfredo was the first of the four brothers. He had been an amateur cyclist and winner of several races, had served as sports director for his son Walter and last in the series for his nephew Giovanni who is also the president of Asd Alfredo Fornasiero.

Remo was a professional. He won prestigious races as an amateur, one of which was the Astico-Brenta. After turning professional, he won a stage at the Giro d'Italia.

Vito spent his life training cyclists, he was a technically expert, engaging and determined sports director. He led the teams he followed to spectacular results, bringing several athletes to professionalism. Unforgettable "bell-ringer" at the Velodromo Monti in Padua.

Renzo, a valid and expert race judge, participated as an "arbiter" in hundreds of events of all categories bringing competence, professionalism, balance and mediation even in particular race situations.

The event is also called Gran Premio Circuito dei Casoni, a race tied to the territory, revealing the rural vocation of the place by crossing emblematic buildings such as the Casone Rosso (inhabited until the 1990s) and the Casone di via Ramei called Casone Bianco which houses the museum of popular culture and rural civilization.

It is also the gravel race "not particularly difficult, but which can make the selection" says the president of Asd Giovanni Fornasiero who organizes the race, son of Walter, also an amateur athlete: "in fact the race has almost never arrived in a group".

For four years the competition has been reserved for elite amateurs and under 23, but in 2017 it started with the youth category for five years alternated by four seasons from juniors, except for the unfortunate 2020 due to Covid when almost no regional events were held.

There are 190 registered riders in a race that assumes increasingly greater prestige in the national calendar each year. In addition to the Ukrainian national team there is the Vc Medrisio, an Australian team and the Lokomotiv Manas team from Kyrgyzstan. Spotlights on the fast finishers and the home favorites of Padovani Polo Cherry Bank, Solme Olmo Arvedi, Biesse Carrera Premac, inEmiliaRomagna Cycling Team, Beltrami, Rime Drali, Ecoteck Gallina, Campana Imballaggi Morbiato Trentino, Unione Ciclisti Trevigiani, Hopplà, Gragnano, Sissio Team, Vitalacar, Vc Avezzano, Rostese, Good Shop, VPT WhySport, Valcavasia, Bologna Academy and Gaiaplast.

Last year it was won by Luca Cretti from Brescia of Colpack, who preceded Marco Manenti from Bergamo (eight victories in 2025): both have turned professional: Cretti with MBH Bank CSB Telecom Fort and Manenti with Bardiani CSF 7 Saber. One of Manenti's sports directors is Mirco Rossato, who races almost at home: he is from Pozzonovo (Pd). A good third place went to Stefano Leali this year with Biesse-Carrera-Premac.

"It is a demanding event - says Bruno Coccato, former regional president of Veneto - married to Adriana Fornasiero, sister of Walter, daughter of Alfredo - we have involved two provinces Padua and Venice which have given full cooperation as all the municipalities for the success of the event. The organizational machine includes 14 technical motorcycles, two cars and eight State Police motorcycles, 150 volunteers who will oversee the route, six radio cars at crucial points of the route. Plus from this year the race can be seen via streaming on Extraciclismo in the last hour and a half and at the same time a big screen will be set up in the square in Corte, where the finish line is located". Sunday there will be fun not only for the spectacle of the race.