The city of Verona is ready to get back on track with a brand-new Class-1 event in April 2020. Andora kicks off with the opening round, followed by Nals, Verona, Pineto, and La Thuile for the 2020 season of Italy’s most relevant international XC circuit

The 2020 Mountain Bike season is just around the corner. The Olympic year is ready to set high expectations for the Cross Country specialists. The Olympic competition in Tokyo embodies a dream for the strongest athletes in the World: in fact, riders will face the new season with the goal of gaining points and consideration for the five-rings race, and the Internazionali d’Italia Series‘ races are set to provide premium opportunities for conquering them.

The circuit, organized by CM Outdoor Events in cooperation with the Italian Cycling Federation, endures with its ambitious project of development and promotion of the Mountain Bike movement. After the positive feedback received during the 2019 edition, Internazionali d’Italia Series unveiled a 2020 calendar similar to the one of last year with a unique exception: a new stage to be held in one of Italy’s most important city centers.

Internazionali d’Italia Series returns to the city of Verona, with a new event, Trofeo Città di Verona, organized by CM Outdoor Events in collaboration with the Municipality of Verona. The appointment scheduled for 18 to 19 April will host the Internazionali d’Italia Series’ races (C1 category) on Saturday, while on Sunday amateurs and youngsters’ races will be disputed.

Andora (Savona) will lead the way into the season. After an excellent debut in 2019, Andora moved up to the C1 category willing to increase the technical level of the event, to be held on 7 to 8 March in the land of the Italian National Team Manager, Mirko Celestino.

Same as last year, the second stage is scheduled in South Tyrol (4 to 5 April) with the oldest race on the Italian calendar, the Marlene Südtirol Sunshine Race. The Nals‘ event celebrates its 20th anniversary with the confirmation of the HC category, as well as the organization of the Italian round of the UCI Junior Series, the World Cup for the Junior categories. Year in, year out, the best riders worldwide prove their strengths on an old-school track, characterized by the long Nightingale ascent.

After the stage in Verona, the circuit will repeat its stay in Abruzzo (Central Italy) for the Aprutium Race (May 2-3). Last year, the event organized by Cerrano MTB saw a spectacular head-to-head between Gerhard Kerschbaumer and Stephane Tempier. Thanks to the win conquered in Pineto, the Italian rider lauched his GC comeback, to be eventually finalized in the last round in La Thuile.

Another can’t-miss stage is La Thuile, ready to host Internazionali d’Italia Series’ final round for the second edition in a row, from the 13th to the 14th of June. The UCI C1 appointment has collected big appreciation in its debut thanks to the challenging track. In 2019, Gerhard Kerschbaumer and Evie Richards crushed the competition, and this year, the OC wants to confirm the success in terms of engagements and participation.

Shimano and Northwave are supporting the circuit as main sponsors. Northwave will endorse the leaders’ jerseys: Open, U23, and Junior (men and women).

THE CALENDAR

March 7-8 | Andora MTB Race | Andora | C1
April 4-5 | Marlene Südtirol Sunshine Race | Nals | HC
April 18-19 | Trofeo Città di Verona | Verona | C1
May 2-3 | Aprutium Race | Pineto | C2
June 13-14 | La Thuile MTB | La Thuile | C1

QUOTES

“We are always pursuing to raise the bar year from the moment we are organizing the circuit together with the support of the Italian Cycling Federation,” CM Outdoor Events’ Luca Carton and Michele Mondini explain.

“The comeback of a big city like Verona in our calendar matches with our aim to bring spectators to the Cross Country: the ‘Formula One’ of the Mountain Bike. For this reason, we assumed the responsibility of a new event, organized thanks to significant territorial support, starting by the Municipality of Verona. The goal is to host a top-notch event in a big city to enhance the growth of the movement“.

“Meanwhile, we are gratified to confirm the four stages of last year. After the good results of their first editions, Andora and La Thuile manifested continuity. Nals is ready to celebrate its 20th anniversary, while Pineto represents a great opportunity for the Centre and the South of Italy“.

“With the support of our advisors, we are developing an ambitious communication plan to increase awareness, aiming to improve what we already achieved last year. The vision is supported by our main partners, Shimano and Northwave, that believe in our project based on quality in every organizational sector“.