The wait is over.  It is that time of year, when the Italian gran fondo calendar is finalized and season long series are announced. 

One of the first to roll out is the Nalini Road Series, 10 gran fondo races plus 1 old school wildcard event that together will determine 2022 ACSI (Association Center for Italian Sports) National Gran Fondo and Medio Fondo Champions.  

Registration for the series opens 6 December, with the first event taking place in March.

The start of the ACSI Nalini Road Series will be at Gran Fondo Leopardiana, scheduled for 27 March in Recanati, and then moving to Romagna for Gran Fondo Via del Sale on 10 April. Gran Fondo Basso Dieci Colli in Bologna on 24 April is next, while on the following weekend Granfondo Liotto will start from the heart of Vicenza on 1 May. 

On 8 May racing returns to San Benedetto del Tronto and in the middle of the month the ever popular Squali-Trek gran fondo will take place in Cattolica.  Climbing in the stunning Dolomites (likely with plenty of snow) at Gran Fondo Marcialonga on 29 May will close out the month.

A new event on the circuit is Gran Fondo BERGHEM#molamia on 12 June in Bergamo,  while the Italian Bike Festival in Rimini will stage Granfondo IBF on 12 September.  The final event will be in the Marche region at Granfondo Michele Scarponi, scheduled for 25 September in Filottrano. 

The circuit will also add a wildcard bonus event: Nova Eroica, where riders must ride historically correct vintage bikes in Buonconvento on 25 June. The race will not be counted for the individual series rankings, but will assign bonus points (maybe based on style for riding with downtube shifters, wool kit, toeclips and a hairnet?) which will be counted and could be decisive for the fight for category victories.

PHOTOS: Nalini Road Series

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