4th Settimana Ciclistica Internazionale Coppi-Bartali - 2.3

Italy, March 24-28, 2004

2003 results Stage List Preview Start List Past winners

The Stages

Stage 1a - March 24: Riccione-Riccione, 84.8 km
Stage 1b - March 24: Misano-Misano TTT, 10.7 km
Stage 2 - March 25: Riccione-Faenza, 206.9 km
Stage 3 - March 26: Finale Emilia-Scandiano, 175.5 km
Stage 4 - March 27: Casalgrande-Pavullo, 156.5 km
Stage 5 - March 28: Castellarano-Sassuolo, 170.3 km

Preview

Settimana Internazionale Coppi & Bartali

The principal Italian riders will be in action in the Settimana Internazionale Coppi & Bartali, which runs from Wednesday, March 24 through Sunday, March 28. The five day race includes a short morning stage plus a team time trial on the first day, followed by four fairly demanding road stages. Stage 2 includes two times up Monte Trebbio, while the 950m Monte Mulino features in stage 4. Stage 5 includes two times up Montebabbio and three times up Via Fazzano, a nasty 2 km climb averaging 18%. The race totals 808 km over six stages, including a split stage on the first day.

Saeco will be present with Mirko Celestino and Gilberto Simoni, while Alessandro Petacchi (Fassa Bortolo) will be looking to add to his win tally this year, despite a very mountainous parcours. Other top riders include Giuliano Figueras (Panaria), Pietro Caucchioli (Alessio-Bianchi), Michele Scarponi (Domina Vacanze), Lorenzo Bernucci and Yaroslav Popovych (Landbouwkrediet-Colnago), Ivan Quaranta (Formaggi Pinzolo) and Pavel Tonkov (Vini Caldirola).

The Settimana Coppi & Bartali will remember Marco Pantani, who rode the race in 2003 with the number 145 on his back and finished second in a stage. The organisers will not be issuing this number to any rider, and at the start of the race in Riccione will release 145 white doves.

Start list

Coming!

Past winners

2003 Mirko Celestino (Ita) Team Saeco  
2002 Francesco Casagrande (Ita) Fassa Bortolo
2001 Ruslan Ivanov (Mda) Alessio  

Past winners by Mario Stiehl, www.world-of-cycling.com