Cycling, Ligurian Mengarelli scores big in the Giuliano Baronti GP

Lamporecchio, 2 March 2025 – Great number and splendid success by detachment for the Ligurian from Savona Matteo Mengarelli in the third edition of the Gran Premio Giuliano Baronti. Wearing the Team F.lli Giorgi jersey, the seventeen-year-old winner detached his seven breakaway companions on the hardest and most demanding section of the climb of San Baronto from the Lamporecchio side, and won the mountain grand prix with an 8-second advantage over a quartet that remained in pursuit. On the descent he flew with lucidity, increasing his advantage to 14 seconds, which he finally defended in the three flat kilometres before arriving as the winner on the straight of via Amendola in Cerbaia di Lamporecchio in front of the Neri Sottoli factory.

"I didn't think I could do it - said Mengarelli - I tried to push uphill and when I was alone I said I'll try to persist. I'm very happy with the success in this first race, really beautiful and well organized". Second place behind the magnificent winner also complimented by the Italian CT Dino Salvoldi, the excellent Rossetto and third the Russian Prosandeev of the Spanish team PC Baix Ebre Tortosa who had an excellent collective performance and always very lively in the race. Morlino and Scottoni also did not do badly. It was a magnificent day of sport and cycling in the unforgettable memory of Giuliano Baronti. A large crowd despite the freezing and strong north wind, a perfect and impeccable organization at all times with a great deployment of resources and personnel. From up there Giuliano Baronti must have been happy and content and that's what his sons Alessio and Stefano and all their invaluable collaborators wanted. 188 athletes from 30 teams took part in the race that also remembered Pietro Marradini. Nothing to report in the first 30 km then the Russian Boldyver broke away, a few more skirmishes but at the 55th kilometre they were all together again.

The decisive breakaway was born after 78 kilometers with Minestrini as protagonists, Boldyrev again, Rossetto, Prosandeev and Popov caught by Scottoni, Morlino and Mengarelli. The eight increased their advantage over the group where there was no agreement and the advantage reached 3 minutes. The group reacted in the final but it was too late while the eight leaders battled on the climb of San Baronto until Mengarelli's attack that offered him the possibility of imposing himself after ten exciting final kilometers. Among the guests of the Gp Giuliano Baronti, the vice president of the FCI Saverio Metti with the councilor Laura Puccetti, the president of the regional CONI Simone Cardullo, the president of the Regional Committee Tuscany Luca Menichetti with the vice Micheli, the councilors Diolaiuti and Fogli, the president of the CP of Pistoia Alessandro Becherucci, and other exponents of cycling and not. A magnificent party and from now on Alessio and Stefano Baronti, together with Team Franco Ballerini who organized the race, will meet on the first Sunday of March 2026 for another edition of a race that cannot be missed, valid also this year as the first test of the Gran Premio Nazionale FWR Rino Baron. ORDER OF ARRIVAL: 1)Matteo Mengarelli (Team F.lli Giorgi) km 130, in 3h13'16”, average km 40,359; 2)Matteo Rossetto (Borgo Molino Vigna Fiorita) at 14”; 3)Yaroslav Prosandeev (Pc Baix Ebre Tortosa); 4)Luca Morlino (GB Team Pool Cantù) at 16”; 5)Pietro Scottoni (Team Vangi Il PIrata); 6)Mark Popov (Pc Baix Ebre Tortosa) at 52”; 7)Riccardo Del Cucina (Casano Stabbia) at 1'26”; 8)Luciano Gaggioli (Pol. Monsummanese) at 1'29”; 9)Giuseppe Sciarra (Team Franco Ballerini Lucchini Energy) at 1'34”; 10)Lorenzo Dalle Crode (Borgo Molino Vigna Fiorita) at 1'35”.