A few days and it will be Most Serene Gravel, the first gravel race reserved for professionals. From Lido di Jesolo to Piazzola sul Brenta, in the heart of Veneto, between coast, dirt roads, riverbanks, countryside, and bell towers. It's one of the most anticipated events of Ride the Dreamland, which begin tomorrow with the Giro del Veneto. Behind this beautiful and courageous initiative are Philip Pozzato e Jonny Moletta. And it is with Jonny that we try to understand what we should expect.
On the field before the UCI
«This year Italy – says Moletta enthusiastically – In sport it was historic given how much and what we won, and it will also be historic from an organizational point of view with this first gravel event for professionals. Next year theUCI he will compete in the gravel world championships and I think that is already an excellent result."
"So what do we expect? That everything goes well! The new is scary. It scares us, the athletes, the teams... Some teams feared for the safety of their athletes and so we opted for teams made up of four riders and thus not have too large a group. Let's go there will be 60 starters and this gives us a certain peace of mind when it comes to assistance during the race and safety."
This Serenissima Gravel is an initiative in the truest sense of the word. A race that truly ushers in a new branch of cycling. A branch that hopefully will thrive. Gravel already exists, but in many other forms, including American-style (more wild and less racing). But this project truly has so much to offer, both technically and in terms of promoting the region.
"On the marketing front," Moletta explains, "a lot has been done. It's about promotion. We've had a great deal of interest from companies regarding Ride the Dreamland, and much of this interest is due to the gravel race itself. It's something original. The idea came from talking to Pozzato. We had the Giro del Veneto on Wednesday and the amateur granfondo on Saturday: we wanted to fill that gap. In Veneto, we have the right stuff in the form of riders, so we "just" got to work.
Regulation to be written
A vast and at the same time stimulating project. Because it's easy to say: "Let's organize a gravel race." But then it has to be realized, and if it's something new, there's also a significant aspect to consider: the regulation.
«After having identified a route, we needed a set of rules, which in fact did not exist for a gravel race. And so we asked for help from Massimo Ghirotto, off-road and road expert, because the very high risk was that of proposing a poor copy of a Roubaix or a Strade Bianche. Therefore, technical limitations were also needed, such as the use of gravel bikes rather than racing ones. And the key factor was to identify the minimum cross-section 35mm tires».
The regulation also covers assistance during the race, which in practice isn't there. Or rather, it's not there in the traditional way we understand it. There will be feed and technical zones, for food and drink and technical assistance, respectively. The rider must be able to provide assistance himself in the event of a puncture or mechanical failure.
"And believe me, more than a few sports directors have told us that their riders didn't know how to change tires. This way, we also want to send a different message. In the age of technology, we take a small step back to rediscover certain values." A choice that fits well with this event, we feel like adding.
The Serenissima Gravel measures 126,8 kilometers Departure from Jesolo at 12:50 on October 15th
The Serenissima Gravel measures 126,8 kilometers Departure from Jesolo at 12:50 on October 15th
Fast track
Finally, a look at the route. As mentioned, it goes from Jesolo to Piazzola sul Brenta: 126,8 kilometers of almost flat roads, but with over 80 kilometers of dirt road spread across 11 gravel sectors.
The route passes through stunning locations. Veneto has beautiful mountains and many hills, and we always tend to highlight them, even on a bike. However, the lower, coastal area is also very beautiful. In this sense, choosing Jesolo as the starting point was no coincidence. Jesolo is a bit like our “sea capital”. And the same goes for Piazzola sul Brenta. This is the crossroads of two important cycle paths: the Treviso-Ostiglia and the Brenta cycle path. Not to mention that Villa Contarini is also here, owned by the region, where the Veneto Gravel project, conceived by Roberto Polato, has already started, and which has helped us a lot."
«The process is fast – concludes Moletta – No climbs, but with plenty of embankments. There are very long straights ideal for time trialists and areas where you have to constantly relaunch. There are cycle paths and dirt roads along major rivers. And then, at the finale, the climax, we decided to introduce a circuit to be repeated three times. This way, the spectators will also be able to see the riders more clearly, not to mention that the Piazzola square is huge and will also host many exhibitors. We hope that there will be many people along the route."
