Great success for the first edition of the Gran Fondo Sorrento: 300 cycling enthusiasts pedaled with the great champions on the roads of the two coastlines
A beautiful day of sport was experienced today between the two coastlines. The morning rain did not stop the enthusiasm of the about 300 fans who found themselves at the starting tapes of the first edition of the Gran Fondo Sorrento, a sports event that sees among the main promoters the municipal administration, led by Mayor Massimo Coppola, who granted patronage to the event, and the Sorrento Foundation, with CEO Alfonso Iaccarino. The organization was overseen by the Asd Brixia Team chaired by former professional Stefano Guerrini.
On the panoramic roads of the two coastlines, the cycling enthusiasts had the opportunity to pedal elbow to elbow with great champions like the winner of the Paris-Roubaix, Sonny Colbrelli, to whom the event is dedicated. World champion Gianni Bugno and former professional Enrico Zaina (winner of three stages of the Giro d'Italia) also participated.
After the departure from Corso Italia in Sorrento, the participants traveled to the north part of the Sorrento peninsula up to Castellammare di Stabia, passing through Vico Equense. Then route to Gragnano to cross the Agerola tunnel and reach Furore and enter the Amalfi Coast. At this point, once back on the sea, the great spectacle for the eyes opened up by still pedaling on the Amalfi Coast, this time from its south side crossing Praiano and then Positano. Another climb up to Picco Sant'Angelo and finally descent towards Sant'Agata sui due Golfi then heading towards Sorrento with deviation of the routes.
Those who chose the short one continued straight and in a few hundred meters reached the finish line, for a total of 87.7 kilometers. The long route, on the other hand, involved turning towards Massa Lubrense and making the entire tour of the tip of the peninsula, admiring the silhouette of Capri up close. A new climb to Marciano for the last timed stretch, which led again to Sant'Agata sui due Golfi to repeat the final descent. The total kilometers in this case were 110.9.
A varied route, in short, characterized by many ups and downs. The ranking was drawn up taking into account only the sum of the times marked on the timed climbs: the "Agerola" climb from Gragnano to Agerola, the climb of the "Coast" from Positano to San Pietro hill, the climb "Picco Sant'Angelo" from Colli di San Pietro (Anas house) to Picco Sant'Angelo and the climb "Nastro d'Oro" (long route only). On the highest step of the men's podium, Felice Giangregorio of the Asd DaMa Project Benevento climbed, who completed the 4 tests in a total time of 48'39''. Behind him Francesco Ceccarelli of the Rocca Bike who closed in 49'25'' and Raffaele Cinque of the Asd Team Ciclismo Sorrentino with a time of 50'14''. In the women's field, the victory went to Lidia Principe of the B.Bike Cycling Team who finished the 4 timed sections in 1h03'23''. In second place Elena Sorlini of the Garda Scott Matetgia Asd in 1h26'53''. The short route saw Davide Messina of the Asd DaMa Project Benevento prevail followed by Giancarlo Maresca of the Asd Cycling Explores and Bonaventura Aquila of the Asd Movicoast Sport e Turismo. The women's podium of the medium fondo saw in order Elena Faleschini of the Asd Polisportiva Fortezzaland Como, Annalisa Albanese of the Asd Eco Evolution Bike and Vanessa Ronci of the U.C. Pretrignano Asd. Up for grabs for the winners was also a weekend for two people in Sorrento offered by Federalberghi, while Alfonso Iaccarino offered (one for the first woman of the Gran Fondo and one by drawing among the participants) two dinners in his restaurant Don Alfonso 1890.
But congratulations go to everyone, athletes and simple fans, who participated in the first Gran Fondo Sorrento representing all the Italian regions with a prevalence of the center-south with 70% of registrants compared to those from the center-north who represented the other 30%. Some also came from abroad, particularly from the United Kingdom, Switzerland United States