With two stages to go before the end of the Corsa Rosa category, the Milanese team confirms its leading role on the national circuits
Cyclocross is a discipline that in Italy, compared to Northern Europe, still doesn't enjoy the same media attention as other forms of cycling, especially road cycling. Yet when thinking of World Tour talents, we can't forget Van Der Poel and Van Aert. Well, how can we forget that these champions blossomed on the dirt tracks of cross country, elbowing their way out of the mud?
This tells us how crucial multidisciplinary expertise is for a cyclist. It shows us how a young person, through cyclocross, can develop skills that will also help them on the road, making them a more complete rider.
This is why it's important to look at what's happening within our home-grown cross-country movement, and why Ursus has for several years decided to support the most representative Italian team, Selle Italia Guerciotti Elite, currently a protagonist in the Giro d'Italia in its category.
DISCOVER THE WHEELS OF THE SELLE ITALIA GUERCIOTTI ELITE TEAM
Giro d'Italia Cyclocross: Excitement abounds for the Selle Italia Guerciotti Elite team.
The Giro d'Italia cyclocross race has reached its fifth of seven stages. Starting on October 4th in Jesolo (Venice), the convoy moved week by week to Corridonia (Macerata), Ladispoli (Rome), Osoppo (Udine), and Gallipoli (Lecce). The Selle Italia Guerciotti Elite team put in a battle from day one: national champion Jakob Dorigoni defeated Cristian Cominelli in the men's open category, while teammates Gaia Realini and Francesca Baroni (wearing the Italian national team jersey) narrowly missed out on victory in the women's open category, losing to Sara Casasola.
The duels seen at the premiere would be repeated later, forming the leitmotif of this spectacular Giro. In the men's race, Dorigoni initially held off his rival, also winning in Corridonia and Ladispoli, before relinquishing the Maglia Rosa in Friuli following a mechanical failure that relegated him to seventeenth place at the finish. The Selle Italia Guerciotti Elite Italian rider responded promptly before the break, nibbling a few points away from the usual Cominelli in a photo finish in Gallipoli. This return to victory keeps the promising South Tyrolean rider's hopes alive ahead of the final two challenging Giro d'Italia events in Ferentino (FR) and Sant'Elpidio a Mare (FN).
The battle is even more open in the women's race. The Selle Italia Guerciotti Elite team, with their passes and counter-passes at the top of the general classification, are battling for the Maglia Rosa point by point. Italian champion Francesca Baroni , third in Jesolo, regained her lead, leaving her only second place in Corridonia. Baroni won again in Ladispoli and Osoppo, but rookie Realini managed to stay close to the top spots. This allowed her to once again snatch La Rosa from Baroni, overtaking her both at the finish line in Gallipoli and in the general classification thanks to a final sprint full of grit and power. In short, both of the fearsome women from the yellow-and-black team remain in contention for the overall victory: the final two stages will tell us who will prevail.
SELLE ITALIA GUERCIOTTI ELITE, TALENTS IN THE FOOTBALL TEAM
The 2020 Giro d'Italia is bringing great satisfaction to the team led by Alessandro Guerciotti, but it's important to emphasize that the Milanese squad is no stranger to impressive results. Indeed, the yellow-and-black team's commitment to the Italian cyclo-cross movement shouldn't be overlooked , a commitment that has helped uncover diamonds in the rough over the years, such as Vito di Tano (former world champion and current team technical director), Daniele Pontoni, Marco Aurelio Fontana, Alice Maria Arzuffi, and Gioele Bertolini.
CYCLOCROSS IN ITALY, NUMBERS INCREASING
As mentioned, the Giro d'Italia cyclocross is a traveling event considered an outsider in the collective imagination of Italian cycling enthusiasts. However, something seems to be changing with this edition. The desire for cycling is immense, and the numbers prove it.
An example? The Osoppo stage, broadcast by RAI on October 30th, was the most-watched program on Raisport's schedule for the day. Meanwhile, in Corridonia, despite concerns about the spread of the Covid-19 epidemic, 900 people registered for the competitions. The organization of this event deserves praise, demonstrating genuine adherence to anti-contagion safety regulations.
IN CONCLUSION
In short: cyclocross appeals to Italians. True, we haven't yet reached the level of attention it has attracted in Belgium and the Netherlands (where it's a national sport), but the path is paved for many young people. Today, they have a better chance to improve and have fun in complete safety, battling through the mud to become the Van Der Poels of tomorrow.
