APELDOORN – First day of racing at the European Track Cycling Championships opened today in Apeldoorn, Holland, and a medal already virtually won by the Italian expedition thanks to the women’s pursuit.
In the qualifications the quartet composed of Elisa Balsamo, Vittoria Guazzini, Martina Fidanza and Letizia Paternoster acquired the right to run for gold tomorrow, from 7.30 pm. The Azzurre set the best time in the afternoon (4’15″180) and reached France in the first round, who were immediately left with three players due to a mechanical problem. Tomorrow against Great Britain they will try to improve on last year’s placing in Switzerland .
In the men’s event, the orphaned blue train of Filippo Ganna and Manlio Moro (two protagonists of last year’s gold) set the third time in qualifying (3’52”940). Losing in the first round against Great Britain (3’48″524), Jonathan Milan, Davide Boscaro, Francesco Lamon and Simone Consonni, with 3’51″062 reached the final for the bronze against Germany (3’51″337 ) in turn defeated by Denmark (3’44″993).
The Italian speed sector is still growing. The Sprint Team formed by Daniele Napolitano, Mattia Predomo and Matteo Bianchi lowered the Italian record twice. In the morning he covered the three laps of the track in 43″733 (seventh fastest). The trio improved further in the evening (43″497), climbing one more position to finish in sixth place. A placement which allows them to collect precious points from an Olympic ranking perspective.
Scartezzini, in the Elimination, does not find the right rhythm and finishes in 11th place.
THE AZZURRI COMPETING TOMORROW – In addition to the aforementioned quartets, the program includes the men’s Madison, with the Scartezzini-Consonni couple and the women’s Scratch, with Martina Fidanza. Matteo Bianchi is competing in the KM.
In the SprintCyclingAgency photos, above, the women’s quartet at the start; below: the light blue Team Sprint
