Veneto Classic in Bassano del Grappa, the Italian cycling season ends

The 2023 Italian professional season, opened by the Laigueglia Trophy on March 1st, ends today with the third edition of the Veneto Classic, which is part of the Ride the Dreamland by Credit Agricole project, created by Filippo Pozzato. Departure from Mel (Belluno), one of the most beautiful villages in Italy, and conclusion in Piazza della Libertà in Bassano del Grappa after 195 kilometres.

PATH The race is challenging: it starts with four laps of the Rosina circuit, the iconic climb of the Vicenza area (2.1 km at 6.5%), 12.6 kilometers long. So, with 60 km to go until the end, here is the Muro della Tisa ring in Colceresa, a cobbled sector of 330 meters at 15.2%, which was brought to the fore by Pozzato for the first time on the occasion of the Italian Championships of 2020. 12.4 km long, this circuit will have to be repeated 3 times in its entirety, but the climb once more, since it will have to be overcome before entering the ring. Finally the last difficulty, the Wall of Diesel Farm, the wine tailor’s shop, 1300 meters of dirt road with an average gradient of 10.9%, 10 km from the finish line, before heading towards Bassano del Grappa. The other two editions were won by Samuele Battistella (2021) and the Swiss Marc Hirschi (2022).

PARTY The Muro della Tisa is the place where the Veneto Classic will assert its most party soul: along the cliff a special area will be set up where you can drink Pedavena beer and eat a You&Meat hamburger – accompanied by a DJ set to warm you up even more the environment more. There is also a giant screen to follow the entire race.

DEPARTURES 20 teams and 131 riders at the start. Among these, Hirschi (winner in 2022), Formolo, Trentin, Battistella (first in 2021), the tricolor Velasco, Zana, Calzoni, Vendrame, Mozzato, Frigo, Mozzato, Pozzovivo, Fuglsang, Matthews, Christen, Piganzoli, Albanese, Gavazzi , Oldani, Covili, Tobias Johannessen, Cosnefroy, Godon (first at the Giro del Veneto), Conci, Florian Vermeersch (first at the Serenissima Gravel).

WITHDRAW Last race of the career for the Paduan Liam Bertazzo, 31 years old, one of the pillars of Ganna’s team pursuit quartet: he won gold at the 2021 Roubaix World Championships in the quartet, and at the 2013 European Championships in the American with Viviani and in 2018 in quartet. Bertazzo is called Liam because his parents were fans of the Irishman Liam Brady, Juventus’ gentleman champion. Last race instead with Astana for a gregarious exemplary like Manuele Boaro, 36 years old, from Vicenza from Bassano del Grappa, professional since 2011 and very loyal to champions like Contador, Sagan, Basso and Nibali. Boaro has yet to decide whether to continue with another team or remain in cycling in another role.