Giro del Belvedere and Gran Premio Palio del Recioto: prestigious double commitment in Italy for the U23 team
18 April: 83º Giro del Belvedere
19 April: 59º Gran Premio Palio del Recioto
Double commitment in Italy, a double commitment full of history and prestige. The U23 structure of the Contador Foundation faces two of the most important races of the international U23 calendar, two appointments that complete the poker of aces of tradition and renown together with the already celebrated Trofeo Città di San Vendemiano and Trofeo Piva.
On Monday 18, in the province of Treviso, comes a new edition of the Giro del Belvedere, a race in which the team was already present last year. The following day, Tuesday 19, in the province of Verona, the Gran Premio Palio del Recioto returns to the calendar after a two-year break due to the COVID-19. Two days of intense competition in Veneto; the first day in the province of Treviso, the second in the province of Verona. “Two very famous international races in Italy”, says Dario Andriotto.
The team led by Rafa Díaz Justo and Dario Andriotto will be travelling with a group of five riders made up of Andrea Montoli, Davide Piganzoli, Gabriele Raccagni, Javi Serrano and Fernando Tercero. Sebastiano Minoia and Manuel Oioli, in the case of Belvedere, and Minoia himself together with Raccagni, for Palio del Recioto, are the riders in reserve in case of any eventuality.
83º Giro del Belvedere
Villa di Villa – Villa di Villa (166,2 km)
Andrea Montoli, Davide Piganzoli, Gabriele Raccagni, Javi Serrano and Fernando Tercero will take part in this race. A quintet of many riders to compete in a demanding race.
Dario Andriotto explains the route: “It’s not an easy race to interpret, although it’s usually the climb to Montaner that decides it. It’s a tough climb, about three kilometres with gradients of up to 15%, which is crowned, descends and leaves you in front of the finish line. It is done twice. The Giro del Belvedere always has many contenders. A bunch sprint of four or five riders is not uncommon, but it can also happen like in 2021, when Juan Ayuso proved to be the strongest, went off on his own and arrived solo”.
59º Gran Premio Palio del Recioto
Negrar – Negrar (151 km)
For this edition, the first since 2019, the organisers of the Valpolicella BEST are proposing teams of four riders, which will allow them to have 44 formations on the start line. Such a large number of riders will make the race a little more uncertain. For the Gran Premio Palio del Recioto the EOLO-KOMETA Cycling Team U23 will ride with Andrea Montoli, Davide Piganzoli, Javi Serrano and Fernando Tercero.
“Palio del Recioto is a very different race from Belvedere. It is really hard, with a not easy climb on the circuit and a longer one for the final part. I would say that it is a race, as well as difficult, for people who are very good uphill riders”, Andriotto contextualises. “For 2022, it will be the first time that the teams will be made up of four riders. This makes the race a bit difficult to control. It has its strange side. We’ll have to see how to shape the tactics. In the end it’s almost like a test of individual riders. I think we have good riders, very strong riders, for this race if they are well and have a good day”.
