On Sunday I’ll be on a plane to my second UCI 2.1 of the season. This time in an equally new and unknown location. If you hadn’t guessed it by the namesake, I’ll be racing in Sicily for Il Giro Di Sicilia on Tuesday 11th April until Friday 14th April. Each stage can be found on GCN+ from 13:00 BST for the closing eighty or so kilometres of each stage.
History
Il Giro di Sicilia has had 24 editions since 1907, with several periods of hiatus during that time. Most recently a 42 year break from 1977 until its 2019 reboot. Prior to 2019 the race was classed as the equivalent of an elite national, with the race being upgraded to UCI 2.1 status for the revival of the race. The 2023 edition is listed as the 5th edition* under this modern guise which has already attracted some of the biggest competitors in World Cycling. Previous winners, since 2019, include Brandon McNulty, Vincenzo Nibali and Damiano Caruso. I did say an illustrious list didn’t I despite the young nature of the race.
*As Listed on ProCyclingStats
The 5th Edition
The 5th edition of Il Giro Di Sicilia has attracted yet another stacked startlist*. Under the UCI rules UCI World Tour (UWT) licensed teams are allowed to occupy no more than 50% of a 2.1 classified event. Personally, you can always identify the prestige of a 2.1 classed race by the number of UWT present on the start line.
Data powered by FirstCycling.com
For the 2023 edition the UWT will include: Bahrain Victorious, Astana Qazaqstan Team, Intermarché, Jayco AlUla & UAE Team Emirates. The Pro Team roster features, Bingoal WB of course, amongst Eolo Kometa, Green Project-Bardiani CSF, Human Powered Health, Q36.5, Corratec and Tudor Pro Cycling. To close out the field there are a number of continental teams from Italy including an Italian National team.
The Stages
Stage 1 from Marsala to Agrigento, is categorised as a rolling two star stage on the official website. At 159 km in length with 1647 m of elevation it seems a standard road stage in professional racing. Potentially on the flatter side. There is a drag and shallow climb in the first half of the stage and the second part of the stage is rounded out with a four and a half kilometre, five percent climb to the finish.
Stage 2 departing at Canicattì and arriving at Vittoria is 193 km long with 2391 m of climbing. A three star stage is a perpetually rolling excursion through the southern region of Sicily. It does have a decline in the profile in the closing kilometres. Therefore it is likely, depending on how the climbs are in reality, that this second stage is the most likely to feature the pure sprinters – and our Malucelli – at the front end of the action.
Stage 3, Enna to Termini Imerese features 150 km from the centre of Sicily to the coast. Another three star stage with a lumpy beginning and a punchy final. The majority of climbing is featured in the first half of the stage before a lengthy fifteen kilometres of descending toward the coast. Ultimately finishing up a nine hundred metre kicker with six hairpins leading up to the finish line. There are a couple steep kickers in the first handful of kilometres which could mean the sprinters are detached. But with 15 km of descending I don’t know what will happen.
“I’m excited to experience how racing in Italy compares to the place I’ve trained in for 8 years of my career”
Stage 4 will inevitably be the queen stage of the week, featuring 216 km of road which ascends a total of 4102 m. Beginning in Barcellona Pozzo Di Gotto and finishing at the foothills of Mount Etna in a town called Giarre. It will be a brute of a stage. During the stage we will climb Mount Etna once and then a second mounting of the lower slopes before a descent to the finish line.
Bingoal WB
Bingoal Wallonie Bruxelles are pitching a team with strength in depth amongst the climbers. As with any race you’ve ever heard about in Italy there will be no flat roads (except directly on the coast). At Il Giro Di Sicilia ‘23 we are bringing four quality climbers in Lennert Teugels & Alexis Guérin – winner of the 4th stage of Coppi e Bartali. Alongside them are Marco Tizza who has accrued several top 10s in the first quarter of 2023 – and Johan Meens fresh off a 9th place on GC at the Région Pays de La Loire. The other three riders include Luca de Meester – in the break at GP Denain – myself and Matteo Malucelli who achieved victory in the first stage of 2022 Il Giro di Sicilia.
Personal Thoughts
After accumulating fifteen race days in the first quarter of 2023 I feel my form has turned an upward curve in the last weeks since recovering from the disrupting period of Covid-19. I love race days as they steer the aim of what I should be targeting within my training sessions. It feels great to be in a good place before Il Giro Di Sicilia. The only time I’ve faced competition like this was at Gullegem Professional Kermesse Koerse. I’m not naive to the fact that this is going to be very very different to that race.
Like the last UCI 2.1 race I wrote about, I have no idea what to expect next week. All I know is that I’m excited. I’ve only been to Italy once for an entirely different occasion and reason. This time it is for racing a bike around places with some serious heritage. There is a vast amount of experience within the team yet again, which I will learn from with an open mind. Especially from Matteo Malucelli who, as I’ve already mentioned, will be my roommate for the race.
I’ve said to my friends that I’m excited to experience how racing in Italy compares to the place I’ve trained in for 8 years of my career. In northern Europe, the races rarely have a moment’s break. I’m not assuming the stages next week will be without this chaotic feel in nature, especially if the wind takes a turn off the mediterranean sea. In fact the last stage is going to be the hardest stage I’ll have ever ridden. But one stage at a time. There are three testing stages simply due to there being world tour competition present on the start line. I aim to take each stage in good stead preparing me as each day passes by.
The focus is on the first stage which will be a challenging day in and of itself, simply due to the abundance of unknown stimuli that I’ll experience. I’m curious, intrigued yet determined to give it a great shot. I’m feeling inspired and aspirational to try things out and really test my limits at these races. Let’s get it.
