The countdown is on in Sovizzo (Vi) for the 59th Piccola San Remo - Renato Finetti Memorial which on Sunday, September 20th will bring together the best Elite-U23 riders from the national cycling scene to compete on the roads of the Berici hills.

175 REGISTERED RIDERS - There are 175 athletes making up the long list of entries, representing 27 different teams. Bib number one will be worn by Gabriel Fede (Rostese) who, along with his teammates, will be tasked with defending the title won last year by Danish rider Jaspar Lonsdale.

The spotlight will be on some of the major protagonists of the 2026 Elite-U23 season who will be looking to confirm their form on the challenging terrain that characterizes the Piccola Sanremo course. Among these are undoubtedly Tuscan Giosuè Crescioli (Gallina Lucchini), Trentino Lorenzo Mottes (Uc Trevigiani), who will be supported by promising Friuli rider Lorenzo Dalle Crode, and Piedmontese Mirko Bozzola (Padovani). Among the most anticipated starters is certainly Leonardo Volpato (Campana Imballaggi), who already finished on the podium of the Piccola Sanremo last year, and some of the riders in the best form at the moment such as Tommaso Quaglia (Padovani), second in the final standings of the Giro del Veneto, Luca Morlino (Solme Olmo) consistently among the best climbers, Lorenzo Magli (Hopplà), winner of a stage at the Giro del Veneto, British riders Jack Baldie (Solme Olmo), who won solo in Parabiago on Sunday, and Maxwell Hereward (Zappi) who triumphed on Monday at Loro Ciuffenna (Ar).

"Once again we have arrived at the eve of the Piccola Sanremo and the anticipation has become filled with emotion and hope. Our staff has worked for months to build this event and we are finally ready to experience an extraordinary day of sport and celebration in the name of cycling," said Uc Sovizzo President Gianluca Peripoli. "I want to express my gratitude from the outset to all the institutions that support us, including the Veneto Region, the municipalities starting with Sovizzo itself, and the over eighty sponsors who have renewed their trust in us with passion and whose support allows us to make all this possible. Thanks to the board of directors, starting with the two Vice-Presidents Giampaolo Tonello and Luciano Vezzaro and Secretary Tobia Tonello. Thanks also to all law enforcement and volunteers who will be deployed along the course on Sunday to ensure the safety of the competing athletes and manage external traffic. All the ingredients for an event worthy of the prestige of this race are in place, we have added the passion and goodwill that have always distinguished us, now the word passes to the road and the athletes who will be called upon to be the great protagonists."

THE JERSEYS - Once again this year there will be six jerseys, created by Saby Sport, up for grabs at the 59th Piccola Sanremo: the light blue Banca delle Terre Venete jersey will go to the winner, for the most combative rider of the day, the white Inglesina jersey will be awarded, also valid as the 3rd Liviano Tomasi Memorial. The red GT Trevisan Macchine Utensili jersey celebrating the 10th Girolamo Trevisan Memorial will go to the winner of the mountain classification on the Vigo climb, while the green jersey of the Ristorante Il Castello di Montemezzo, in memory of Lino Urbani, will reward the winner of the Cima Montemezzo passage classification. The yellow Saby Sport jersey will reward the winner of the Intermediate Sprints Classification, also valid for the 10th Dino Peripoli Memorial, and the blue Ceccato jersey will go to the youngest team in the race. The Jacopo Venzo Trophy will go to the youngest rider in the race while the winner will be awarded the Renato Finetti Memorial Trophy.

THE COURSE - The race route is confirmed as in recent years: 151.5 kilometers are scheduled. After the start, which will be given as tradition from Montecchio Maggiore at the splendid Villa Cordellina Lombardi. The only minor modification concerns the initial flat circuit which this year will measure 7.2 kilometers and will be repeated nine times touching the towns of Sovizzo, Creazzo, Altavilla Vicentina and Montecchio Maggiore. Following this, the intermediate hilly circuit of 12.2 kilometers will be tackled four times, characterized by the Vigo climb before the grand finale which will be designed on the double lap of the ring that will include Cima Montemezzo and the Vigo climb to lead the best riders of the day to the finish line on via Degli Alpini in Sovizzo. A spectacular, selective course that will serve as a true gathering point for countless cycling enthusiasts called upon to support the organizational effort of Uc Sovizzo and the performances of the best riders in the race.