Youth Cycling Races Kick Off in Varese and Garfagnana, Italy

The first edition of the Varese van Vlaanderen Kids took place on 2 August in Orino, Lombardy. Organized by Società Ciclistica Orinese and the cycling club Ciclovarese, the event targets riders aged 7‑12 and is approved by the Italian Cycling Federation. Around 200 participants gathered at TopoSport at 8:30 a.m., with races starting at 10:00 a.m. The programme emphasized participation over competition, awarding all young cyclists and offering a special prize to the largest amateur group. A parallel cyclotourist rally provided race packs to amateur riders from across the province, and a follow‑up gathering was scheduled for 8 August at Campo dei Fiori.

On the same weekend, the 11th Gran Premio della Garfagnana junior race was held on 8 August in the Garfagnana region of Tuscany. Organized by ASD Sillicagnana, the national‑level competition attracted youth teams from around the world and traversed several comuni, including San Romano, Pieve Fosciana and Castelnuovo di Garfagnana. Local officials Raffaella Mariani, Quinto Rocchiccioli and bank representative Pietro Salatti highlighted the event’s role in promoting regional tourism and supporting young talent. The race started at 14:25 and concluded around 17:30, with average speeds of 36‑40 km/h.