Bais and Palmisano fastest at the Granfondo Internazionale Alé La Merckx
Andrea Bais from Trentino (team Sildom Garda) took men's victory in the Granfondo while Maria Elena Palmisano from Lecce was fastest in the women's race
Tomaz Cefuta (ASD Flamme Rouge) was fastest in the Mediofondo and Giulia Medri (Bikeconcept Team ASD) for the women.
The 16th edition of the Granfondo Internazionale Alé La Merck last weekend in Verona, with the victory in the long route of Andrea Bais from Trentino and Maria Elena Palmisano from Lecce.
The event, which is one of the best-loved and most spectacular in north-eastern Italy and one of the Greats in Europe, saw several novelties this year, starting with the Expo village, located for the first time in the history of the race in the famous Piazza Bra, right in front of the Arena.
Large crowds of spectators and cycling enthusiasts arrived in Verona from all over the world. The furthest even from Sri Lanka.
1,580 registered participants and over 1,260 starters, this morning met under the famous clock overlooking Corso Porta Nuova.
At the start many celebrities from the world of cycling, including several representatives of the World Tour teams of which Alé, main sponsor of the event, is a partner. From the cyclamen jersey of the Giro d'Italia 2023 Jonathan Milan (team Bahrain Victorious) - who for the occasion sported a custom Alé cyclamen livery - to the reigning Italian champion Filippo Zana (team Jayco Alula), to the New Zealand rider Laurence Pithie (Groupama FDJ) up to Sonny Colbrelli, Adriano Malori and many others.
Photo: Jonathan Milan (team Bahrain Victorious)
Great satisfaction shines through in the words of Alessia Piccolo, CEO of APG, to which Alé belongs, and organiser of the Veronese international granfondo. "The Alé La Merckx granfondo is an event that involves a lot of passion, commitment and hard work throughout the year, but it is rewarded by the enormous recognition that the many fans give us with their presence. I want to thank the City of Verona from the bottom of my heart and once again for its great support and the incredible opportunity of being able to welcome the almost 2,000 fans, including cyclists and their families, to the splendid Piazza Bra."
Starting at 7.45am, the Alé La Merckx international granfondo included two routes: a long one of 138km and 3230m of altitude difference, and a medium one of 84km and 1640m of altitude difference.
New in 2023 was the change of course for the main circuit. Compared to the old one, in fact, the cyclists diverted the ride from Erbezzo towards Bosco Chiesanuova, heading towards the Branchetto Pass.
Here they faced a series of climbs, descents, and false slopes, until the last stretch about 2km from the summit, with a maximum gradient of 11%. After the Branchetto Pass, the Cima Coppi of the Granfondo (KOM), the circuit proceeded towards Velo Veronese, Roverè Veronese, and Cerro Veronese. Near Grezzana the route then reconnected with the traditional circuit.
The finish line, as is tradition for both the mediofondo and the granfondo, was always set on the famous Torricelle climb.
How it Happened
Starting at 7.45 a.m., the cyclists set off in a group in good time to Via Colombo from where, at precisely 7.51 a.m., the actual start (km 0) of the chrono was given.
After 8 km, at Parona, the tussle already began and a group of around 9 men broke away from the rest.
Among them was Andrea Bais (team Sildom Garda - bib no. 314), who tried to break away together with Enrico Ferrian (GCD Cage-Moveya VC Silvana - bib no. 346)
Near Gargagnago, after 15 km of the race, the escapees had a 1' 25" lead over the rest of the group.
With 20 km from the start, near Mazzurega, the escapees were reduced to six, with Bais and Ferrian always in the lead.
The cyclists proceeded in succession until the climb of Sant'Anna d'Alfaedo, at the end of which was the junction where the riders had to choose whether to continue on the medium route or turn left towards Erbezzo and continue on the long route.
It was on this very technical and steep descent that Andrea Bais decided to launch the attack that would lead him to win the granfondo solo.
Behind him, many of the pursuers chose the medium course, while for the long course, the following athletes took turns in several breakaways in an attempt to catch Andrea: Austrian Stefan Kirchmair (team Sildom Garda - bib. 230), Enrico Ferrian (bib. 346), the brother of Sonny Colbrelli, Tomas Colbrelli (Team Domain ASD - bib. 319), Francesco Romano (bib. 2162 - ASD team Nuova Avir) and Patrick Facchini (team Sildom Garda - bib. 486).
In the meantime, around 10:00 a.m., the middle distance was concluded, which saw a fierce sprint to the finish line, won by a few hundredths of a second by Tomaz Cefuta (ASD team Flamme Rouge - ppt. 355) with 2h 7' 3" at an average speed of 38.5 km/h, followed by Diego Venturi (team Alé Cipollini - ppt. 49) and Simone Logica (ASD Avesani).
In the women category, first place for Giulia Medri (Bikeconcept Team ASD) after 2h 20' 21" and an average speed of 34.8 km/h followed by Alessia Bortoli (ASD Capitani Minuterie Metalliche) at 10", and Micol Pizzamiglio (Highroad Team ASD) at 1' 56".
Meanwhile, in the long run, Andrea Bais increased his lead over the pursuers, taking advantage of the beautiful descent towards Erbezzo, bringing it to almost 2 minutes.
The landscape became more sparse as the Trentino athlete climbed towards the KOM of the granfondo, located at Passo del Branchetto (1582m).
At the top of the pass for Andrea, the games were now done and the athlete continued to manage the race until the finish line, which saw him win alone after 3h 49' 25" and an average speed of 36 km/h.
Behind him, his team mates, Facchini and Kirchmair, took turns containing his opponents' attempts to catch him and thus securing him a further lead.
At the foot of the Torricelle climb, the pursuers prepared for the final sprint. However, the Austrian Stefan Kirchmair (Team Sildom Garda p. 230) took off and won second place (1' 54" from Bais), followed by Francesco Romano (ASD Team Nuova Avir) who came in at 2' 01" from the Trentino athlete.
The women's race, as in the 2022 edition, was won by the Lecce teacher of the ASD Garda Scott Matergia team (bib 258) Maria Elena Palmisano, who led a race in total solitude, together with some teammates, after a breakaway that began about 10 km from the start.
Palmisano, who is in splendid form this year with several victories behind her, is a pure climber and, with her precise, cadenced pace, she climbed towards the Torricelle finish line, winning after 4h 16' 54" of racing, conducted at an average speed of 31 km/h. She was followed after 15' 34" by Giulia Portaluri (MG.K. Vis - bib 334) and after 16' 52" by Luisa Isonni (ASD Boario - bib 373).
The prize-giving ceremony this year took place in the splendid setting of Piazza Bra in front of the Arena of Verona.
Andrea Bais said afterwards, "This is my first win of the season. I really enjoyed this new long route of the Alé La Merckx and then it is always one of those races that is organised at its best. I come from Trentino, so it's almost a home race, and I always gladly return to Verona. Then, the start from Piazza Bra is beautiful and the finish on the Torricelle, however hard it is, is always spectacular. "
"Up to the routes crossroads we were a breakaway of 5-6 people, after that I was alone with Ferrian; at one point, he told me to go because he couldn't take it anymore. Fortunately there were some of my comrades behind me who helped me a bit to gain the advantage and I managed to arrive alone."
Link to 2023 Granfondo Internazionale Alé La Merck Results: https://www.winningtime.it/web/results.php?item=6001&from=all
Photo: Andrea Bais from Trentino (team Sildom Garda) took men's victory in the Granfondo
Maria Elena Palmisano said afterwards, "The Alé La Merckx is one of my favourite races, I have to say that, and this year's course was also very nice even if it was a bit different in the last part, which I liked a lot anyway. I tried to go hard right away, on the first climb, so that I could make a bit of a selection and then I went on at my own pace. I'm doubly pleased with the win because apart from the ranking position, I made a good timing. I also look at this a lot: beyond the comparison with the others, I really enjoy the challenge with myself so I'm very happy, very satisfied. Then the uphill finish for me is the top!"
"I have won a lot this year, but in the meantime I enjoy today, which was fantastic, and I also thank my teammates who are always wonderful with me."
Photo: Maria Elena Palmisano from Lecce was fastest in the women's race
