Beautiful victory for Gianluca Vernassa (Argentina Bike) in the first test of Gravitalia in Spiazzi di Gromo (BG). Eleonora Farina (Mangusta Bike Team) stands out among women.
The 2015 Gravitalia National Circuit begins with Round # 1 in Spiazzi di Gromo (BG). The weather, since the morning of Saturday, has alternated light rains with some clearing, which on the whole did not affect the conditions of the ground for most of the 299 starting athletes. Things changed in the late afternoon, when the last 50 or so riders, including all the top riders, were preparing to face their qualifying heats. A heavy downpour radically worsened the conditions of the track which was almost impracticable, especially considering that the athletes went down in spite of themselves with dry tires.
The conditions turned out to be favorable for Nicola Casadei (Airoh-Axo-SantaCruz) who, having fallen among the first agonists due to the category ranking, was able to ride the track before the downpour, therefore still mostly dry. Nicola set the best time of the day stopping the clock at 4'.23 ″ .88. Gianluca Vernassa (AB Devinci Italy) marks the best time among the athletes who have covered the track now invaded by water and mud, finishing 7 ″ 73 behind Casadei. In third position Loris Revelli (AB Devinci Italy), who also went down in mud conditions, 4 seconds flat behind his teammate Vernassa.
Simone Fabbri (Tartana Bike) is the fastest in the Men Amateurs category, with more than 4 seconds ahead of his pursuer Luca Fusani (GS Pro-M). Fabrizio Dragoni (Alessi Racing Team) closes in third place, 8 ″ 54 from the best time.
In the final heat on Sunday though Gianluca Vernassa he takes back his revenge and wins in front of team mate Francesco Colombo and the Italian Champion Johannes Von Klebelsberg (Ghost). The weather is bad for everyone and after having affected the last part of Saturday's qualifying heats, the thick clouds poured out abundant rainfall for the entire duration of the final heat, which made the track particularly treacherous, preventing any predictions. The mud, mellow and compact, affected the grip in the corners and the smoothness in the flat sections.
Vernassa, the young Sanremo of the Argentina Bike Devinci Italy team, won his first overall victory in a national race in Spiazzi di Gromo, making use of the great preparation work done with the Italian national team led by his father, the coach Roberto Vernassa, and the winter training period spent in New Zealand. With a time of 4'32 ″ 27 Gianluca literally dominated Round # 1 of the 2015 Gravitalia National Circuit. Even his teammate Francesco Colombo he collected the results of the preparation carried out with the Italian national team, finishing in second place, 6 ″ 83 behind the best time of the day. The Italian Champion Johannes Von Klebelsberg (ASC Tiroler Radler Bozen) confirms his value and his consistency of results, obtaining the third position at 7 ″ 39 from Vernassa. Fourth place for the Junior Loris Revelli (AB Devinci Italy) at 9 ″ 22 and fifth position for Mario Milani (Ancillotti Doganaccia) at 11 ″ 34. Sixth place for Nicholas Casadei, winner of the qualifications.
In the Men Amateurs category, the race was particularly close, with smaller gaps than in the other categories. Fabrizio Dragoni (Alessi Racing), winner of the Gravitalia National Circuit 2014, confirms his leadership by also winning Round # 1 of the 2015 season with a time of 4'50 ″ 43. In second position the young man Michael Azzola (Four T Project) with a delay of 2 ″ 56 on the winning time. Luca Fusani (GS Pro M) closes in third position 5 ”66 behind.
Among the competitive women, on Saturday Veronika Widman (ABC Egna Neumarkt) is the fastest in the front category of 3 ″ 18 in Eleonora Farina (Mangusta Bike Team). Excellent performance for both athletes, who detach by over 30 seconds Rosaria Fuccio (Ancillotti Doganaccia), in third position. Denise Tremul (Gravity Project) dominates the Amateur Women category instead.
Sunday Eleonora Farina (Mangusta Bike) wins by finishing with an exceptional time of 5'11 ″ 96, detaching the winner of the qualifying heats Veronika Widman (ABC Egna Neumarkt) of 18 ″ 75. Third position for Rosaria Fuccio (Ancillotti Doganaccia) about 50 seconds from the best female time. In the Amateur Women category the best time is Sara Mologni (Scout NukeProof) who stops the clock at 6'59 ″ 63.
The next appointment with the national DH is May 30/31 in Frabosa Soprana (CN) for Round # 2 of the Gravitalia National Circuit 2015.
Absolute Final Classification - Gravitalia National Circuit \\ Rd # 1 - Spiazzi di Gromo
Final Categories Ranking - Gravitalia National Circuit \\ Rd # 1 - Spiazzi di Gromo
Gravitalia 2015 || RD # 1 SpiazziDiGromo from Gravity on Vimeo.
