"ROSACITTIGLIO N° 5" - ELIZABETH ARMITSTEAD IS CANDIDATE TO SUCCESS

Lizzie Armitstead from team Boels - Dolmans won yesterday the “la Ronde van Drenthe” race, the first stage of the Women UCI World Cup 2014 circuit. The British rider beat Anna Van der Breggen from Rabobank in the final sprint while the American Shelley Olds from team Ale’ - Cipollini won the group sprint 29 seconds later. First of the Italians Elisa Longo Borghini from the team Hitec Products, who qualified 16th and among the favourites of the Binda Trophy, together with Giorgia Bronzini from team Wiggle Honda, qualified just after. Armitstead had already won on the previous Sunday the Omloop Van Het Hageland race in Belgium. The Ronde van Drenthe race took place along 146,6 km, in the north of the Netherlands, an itinerary full of cobbles, a race affected by the wind and a 56m man made hill to climb. The wind was the major actor of the race especially when team Rabobank was working hard to eliminate people. At some point Armitstead, together with some other riders, was chasing a few athletes who broke away, but were then pulled back thanks also to the hard work of the World Time Trial Champion Ellen van Dijk .Lizzie Armitstead then finally attacked on the last climb with Anna Van der Breggen, silver medallist in the London 2012 Olympic Games. The British athlete then won the sprint between the two. For Armitstead 25 years old this is the first win on the world Cup Circuit. The next UCI challenge will now be in Valcuvia, on Sunday 30^th March with the Binda Trophy. Four medals will be assigned; Leader – Youngsters – Queen of the Mountain - SPRINT.

Young people are at the top of my mind

"In the last few days I have been asked two things: the first one is, "What the weather will be like on Sunday 30^th March?" I’d rather not answer, the second one is, "What have you planned for that day?" On the 30^th March you will not only witness two amazing cycling races, alongside the event there will be lots more initiatives between Cittiglio and Laveno Mobello. In the next few days the program will be revealed. We are ready for the World Cup in Cittiglio. This event has involved during the first few months of the year primary schools, local authorities, products promotion and tourism and it has given greater visibility to the natural attractions of the Province of Varese. On Saturday and Sunday the children will be playing a main role. We need to make sure that the youngsters get involved. If we want to build  a great future, they are the future, they will be the future cyclists, cycling enthusiasts and organizers. I also want to give great credit to my staff for making all of  this possible. We are an extraordinary and fantastic group kept together by a very powerful relationship. A big thank you to the authorities and the sponsors that actively and closely support us every year."

Mario Minervino

Marianne Vos and Cittiglio; next date in 2015

Marianne Vos holds Cittiglio in her heart! Despite the fact that she will not participate in this year's Trofeo Binda, the cannibal of modern female cycling talked to us about her strong link to the province of Varese to the race organised by Mario Minervino's Cycling Sport Promotion “After a season where I gave 110%, this year the Trofeo Alfredo Binda will, unfortunately, not be on my calendar. It was not an easy choice to make as I consider the Cittiglio race one of the best in the world. However, I will definitely be back again, probably next year, when I hope to reach the podium for the fourth time”. The extraordinary Dutch athlete, winner of 10 world titles, between road and cyclo-cross, as well as the London Olympics, 2012, had some of the greatest successes of her career in Varese: “I liked the Trofeo Binda from the first time I took part in it, because it passes through a beautiful part of the north of Italy and the race route is both spectacular and challenging. The organisers, Cycling Sport Promotion are ahead of their time with regard to safety, they are sensitive to environmental issues, which can be seen from their participation in the Uci Recycling project. Considering my three wins, I can only have excellent memories of the Trofeo Binda, a race that has always been close to my heart”. The leader of Rabo Liv Woman Team will have her first race of the season in Belgium in mid-April, before coming to Italy for the GiroRosa. “I will start my season on the road, probably in the second half of April at the Freccia Vallone. My main aim is to win the Ponferrada World Championships, even though I will try to do my best in every race in which I participate. I would like to perform well in the female Giro d’Italia, although the competition will be tough, as always." To finish, a comment on the future of female cycling: “Following years of requests which fell on deaf ears, several organisers of mens' races are finally becoming interested in us. This year we will have the privilege of racing in Paris before the finish of the Tour and, in 2015, the Vuelta is proposing an initiative which will involve us. Therefore, I am confident; in the next few years, our races will reach another level, maybe even inspired by the work that has been done in Cittiglio, with the Trofeo Alfredo Binda over the last few seasons”.

Download the Garmin and Google Earth guides straight away!

There are two new opportunities for those interested in cycling the roads of the Trofeo Binda, keeping an eye on a 'handlebar computer' or following the route previously studied on a home PC. The organisers of the World Cup, scheduled for Sunday, 30 March, have developed two important guides, a GPS guide for GARMIN and a GOOGLE EARTH version. Two guides which are highly appreciated by athletes, technicians and coaches, just as they will be by the cycling fans who will take to the roads of the Valcuvia to train over the next days and weeks. The Trofeo Binda, the only Italian stage of the Women's World Cup, will take place on a 123 km route, starting from Laveno Mombello (Varese) and finishing in Cittiglio (Varese). The junior race, or "Little World Cup", will follow a route of 62 km. All the other relevant information on both races can be found on the official website: www.trofeobinda.com. Meanwhile, here's the video, produced by Angelo Gaudenzi. showing the official presentation of the two competitions which took place on 22 February last: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jwWdgjrBjTM. Please also visit the site www.pedalerosa.it, which Flaviano Ossola is busy updating in the run up to the Trofeo Binda.