The Italian finished in 30:21 preceding contrymen Chiarini and Saitta. The Dutch rider clocked 37:46 with a 1:13 advantage on Italian champion Peretti slowed by a puncture. Calderon rounded out the podium

Aritzo (Italy), August 28th, 2024 – Diego Rosa (Torpado Kenda Factory) and Tessa Kortekaas (Cannondale ISB) are the first leaders of the Rally di Sardegna 2024, thanks to their success in the prologue with start and finish in Aritzo held on Wednesday, August 28th.

The 35-year-old former Italian champion covered the 12.6 km-route in 30:21 preceding another former professional, countryman Riccardo Chiarini, by 1:11. Vincenzo Saitta rounded-out an all-Italian podium, a couple of seconds behind Chiarini. The prologue took place in the wonderful natural setting of the Aritzo municipal park where the Textile stands out, a majestic limestone heel shaped by millions of years of erosion, an iconic symbol of the territory.

“It was a fun prologue. It was also very tough because of the initial climb and challenging with the fast and slippery descents. Half an hour at full throttle to start warming up the engine was just perfect. When I arrived, Yesterday, I was surrounded by a beautiful chestnut grove and today the race was also great from a scenic point of view”

“I had tested the course Yesterday. It was very demanding and not at all straightforward. You had to manage yourself well on the climbs and then handle the descents properly. I’ve just come from five days of racing in Switzerland with only three days of rest, but it seems I’ve absorbed it well. I didn’t expect to be in front in the prologue; I’m very happy” Chiarini said.

Dutch Tessa Kortekaas was the fastest in the women’s field, finishing with a time of 37:46. “The prologue was tough, starting with a hard climb for nearly 4 kilometers, nearly steep. I pushed quite hard because I knew the second part was mostly downhill. I tried to go as fast as I could downhill without taking too much riskes. In the last two kilometers I saw my competitors just in front of me and I understood I was close to win the race” Kortekaas commented

Italian champion Claudia Peretti placed second (+1:13), whilst Spanish Monica Calderon, Kortekaas’ companion in several successes this season, rounded out the podium (+2:43). “I had tested the prologue and I knew its pitfalls, from the climbs to the natural ground. Unfortunately I suffered a punctures in the early descent but I managed not to lose too much time” Peretti commented.

On Thursday, August 29th, in the first stage, the athletes will tackle 70.7 km between Desulo and Tonara (2,500-meter elevation gain) in the historic Gennargentu Mandrolisai region before returning to Desulo. The start is at 9:15 a.m.

OFFICIAL CLASSIFICATIONS

Race Results Men Prologue

1) Diego Rosa (Torpado Kenda Factory) in 30:20.99
2) Riccardo Chiarini (Cannondale ISB Sport) +1:12
3) Vincenzo Saitta (Rolling Bike Racing Team) +1:14
4) Hans Becking (Buff Megamo) +1:15
5) Marek Rauchfuss (Ceska Sporitelna – Accolade) + 1:23

Race Results Women Prologue

1) Tessa Kortekaas (Cannondale ISB Sport) in 37:45.51
2) Claudia Peretti (Olympia Factory Team) + 1:13
3) Monica Calderon (Cannondale ISB Sport) + 1:43
4) Karla Loffelmann (Ceska Sporitelna – Accolade) +2:54
5) Maria Crisina Nisi (Boscaro Racing Team) + 4:03

The Rally di Sardegna MTB is promoted by the Autonomous Region of Sardinia – Department of Tourism, Handicrafts and Commerce, and is organized by Wild Track, under the aegis of the Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) and the Italian Cycling Federation (FCI), with the support and sponsorship of the municipalities of Aritzo, Desulo and Seulo. The collaboration of the municipalities Tonara, Sadali, Seui and Gadoni, as well as the Forestas agency with its management and its territorial offices (Cagliari, Nuoro e Lanusei) played also a key role. The event is also supported by companies such as Scott, Enervit, Playcar and USE, with media partnership by Corriere dello Sport.

Photos: Diego Rosa in the action in 10th Rally di Sardegna MTB prologue. Left, in the back, Su Texile in Aritzo (Photo Antonio Caggiano); 2) Tessa Kortekaas, Women’s ranking leader (Credits Antonio Caggiano); 3) Riccardo Chiarini, runner-up among Men (Credits Antonio Caggiano); 4) Vincenzo Saitta in the action on a small bridge (Credits Nico Belillo); 5) Italian champion Claudia Peretti (Credits Antonio Caggiano); 6) Monica Calderon rounded-out the Women’s podium (Credits Antonio Caggiano); 7) A breath-taking view of the prologue course, with Ota Zima in the action (Credits Nicola Belillo).