On Sunday 4 September the Italian Cycling Federation (FCI) held their amateur gran fondo national championships at Gran Fondo del Dragone on a demanding 120 kilometer “climbers” course through the Dolomites, including a short gravel sector.
43 year-old American Fortunato Ferrara, who narrowly missed finishing on the podium at the GFNY World Gran Fondo Championships in May, almost pulled off a huge upset, winning the FCI Gran Fondo National Championships from a field top Italian riders.
Ferrara solo attacked early, built a two minute lead and won two KOM prizes (Vena d’Oro and Sant’Anna) before the Italians started to think the unthinkable and organized themselves in earnest to chase the American down. Eventually they caught him while descending Tambre, making a lead group of six young Italians and one middle age American.
On the final Valmorel/Nevegal climb, 30 year-old former professional rider Manuel Senni, who raced for pro teams BMS and Bardiani, attacked, blowing the group apart to claim overall victory, the top podium step and an Italian Tricolore national championship jersey. The ASD Gruppo Ciclistico Borello team rider crossed the finish line solo in 3:34:34, with Rossano Mauti next at 3:35:21 and Marco Provera, who just finished serving a one year doping ban, taking third place in 3:35:32.
Ferrara crossed the finish line in fourth place overall and won his age category by almost nine minutes, but as an American was not eligible for an Italian national title and Tricilore jersey.
| 1 | SENNI MANUEL ITA, ASD GRUPPO CICLISTICO BORELLO | 3:34:34 |
| 2 | MAUTI ROSSANO ITA, AP07 TEAM-CICLI ROSSI | 3:35:21 |
| 3 | PROVERA MARCO ITA, VIVO-MG.K VIS-DAL COLLE | 3:35:32 |
| 4 | FERRARA FORTUNATO USA, ZIA VELO | 3:35:45 |
| 5 | CINI FABIO ITA, ASD CAPITANI MINUTERIE METALLICHE | 3:35:49 |
| 6 | BONGIORNO FRANCESCO MANUEL ITA, VIVO-MG.K VIS-DAL COLLE | 3:37:22 |
| 7 | BIANCHI FILIPPO ITA, A.S.D. GARDA SCOTT MATERGIA | 3:38:31 |
| 8 | ELETTRICO TOMMASO ITA, SYSTEM CARS-COEDIL | 3:38:37 |
| 9 | CHIESA LUCA ITA, VIVO-MG.K VIS-DAL COLLE | 3:40:45 |
| 10 | TIZIANI RAPHAEL ITA, TEAM MENTECORPO BY BIEMME | 3:43:15 |
The women’s competition came down to a three rider sprint, with Sara Mazzorana fastest in the final 200 meters to win the championship and a prized Tricolore jersey. Martina Trevisiol finished one second behind Mazzorana, with Michela Bergozza two seconds behind to take third place.
| 1 | MAZZORANA SARA ITA, TEAM CINGOLANI | 4:01:56 |
| 2 | TREVISIOL MARTINA ITA, TEAM ASNAGHI GRANFONDO | 4:01:57 |
| 3 | BERGOZZA MICHELA GIUSEPPINA ITA, ASD SCATENATI | 4:01:58 |
| 4 | GORINI MICHELA ITA, TEAM FAUSTO COPPI FERMIGNANO | 4:06:59 |
| 5 | PASSUTI SONIA ITA, TEAM BASSO BUZZOLAN | 4:11:25 |
| 6 | ISONNI LUISA ITA, BOARIO A.S.D. | 4:16:36 |
| 7 | DE CESARE LISA ITA, HIGHROAD TEAM | 4:16:40 |
| 8 | DE MARCHI SABRINA ITA, RODMAN AZIMUT SQUADRA CORSE ASD | 4:19:35 |
| 9 | MAPELLI FEDERICA ITA, US BORMIESE | 4:21:33 |
| 10 | CADORIN ANNA ITA, ALPILATTE B.R.PNEU.ZANE’ | 4:22:40 |
In total, 13 Italian Tricolore national championship titles and jerseys were awarded to various age/gender categories.
Complete Gran Fondo del Dragone results HERE.
Photos: Gran Fondo del Dragone
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