Cycling Festival next Sunday in Ponticino with Pieri Aligi

Arezzo, July 16, 2025 – Cycling will be celebrated next Sunday in Ponticino with the Pieri Aligi , featuring three races: first-year Rookies, second-year Rookies, and Juniors. The races are organized by Pedale Toscano Ponticino, a historic youth club that celebrates its 60th anniversary in 2025. The occasion will honor Pieri Aligi, the club's sports director for many years, who sadly passed away too soon. The Ottavio Cincinelli memorial is also up for grabs. Currently, 59 first-year Rookies are registered, starting at 9:30 a.m., 73 second-year Rookies are scheduled to start at 11:30 a.m., and 84 Juniors are scheduled to start this afternoon at 3:30 p.m.

The thirteen-year-old beginners will cover 33 kilometers, the fourteen-year-olds will do 50, and the students 67.

Worth noting is Niccolò Iacopi, who rides with Pedale Toscano Ponticino and is the second-year Tuscan Rookie champion, having won the title at the end of June in Pieve Fosciana. We'll be particularly keen to win on our home roads, even though there will be plenty of competition.

Here's a rough outline of the route for the Allievi category, 15- and 16-year-olds. Departure from Ponticino at 3:30 PM, then Poggio Bagnoli, Badia Agnano, Ambra, Badia Agnano, Poggio Bagnoli, Ponticino, Laterina, Montalto, Poggio Bagnoli, Ponticino, Laterina, then another climb to Montalto, Poggio Bagnoli, and the finish in Ponticino after 67 km at around 5:10 and 5:20 PM.

In introducing this beautiful day of cycling, it's only right to also spare a thought for Lido Francini, who passed away last Monday. Before becoming sports director, he had been a good rider in the youth categories, beginning his racing career in the late 1960s with Pedale Toscano Ponticino, winning several races.