A strange challenge today in the heart of the city of Biella where on the occasion of the "Circuito Città di Biella" an unusual relay race in mixed couples for men and women was held for the organization of the Amici Corsa Pettinengo Group.
The competition, by invitation, starting at 4pm included eight laps of the 800m circuit in the historic center of Biella starting in Via Duomo for a total of 6,4km and the man/woman combinations were drawn by lot.
The challenge saw both Antonella Palmisano and Massimo Stano returning to the race after the Padua parade.
Fate decided these combinations for the two Olympic champions of Sapporo:
- Antonella Palmisano (last season 5.000m in 21:00.0h and 10km in 41:28) together with Giacomo Brandi (capable of 5km in 20:49 and 10km in 40:56)
- Massimo Stano (this year 5.000m in 20:46.01 and 10.000m in 39:52.2h) together with the U20 Anita Laiolo (capable of a 26:16 on 5km and a 48:38.58 on 10,000m)
The other most interesting pairs:
- Stefano Chiesa (this year on 10km 40:41) together with Nicole Colombi (this year on 5.000m 22:00.75 and on 10.000m 45:21.69)
- Riccardo Orsoni (this year on 5.000m 20:05.31 and on 10.000m 42:11.76) together with Rosetta La Delfa (this year on 5.000m 23:23.67 and on 10km 48:02)
- Federico Tontodonati (this year on 5.000m 19:07.64 and on 10km 40:07) together with Vittoria Di Dato (this year on 5.000m 24:32.68 and on 10km 48:45.17)
- Juriy Micheletti (this year on 5.000m 19:53.24 and on 10km 41:09) together with Federica Curiazzi (this year on 5.000m 22:27.90 and 10.000m 45:38.01)
From a promotional point of view, the solution proposed by the organizers was a huge success to which the presence of the two Olympic champions certainly contributed.
Antonella Palmisano does hold a grudge against us, but Massimo Stano was the star of the day, dispensing walking lessons to young people, plenty of autographs and taking the relay test almost like an advertising spot on walking rather than a real race.
Stano seemed to be more than an Olympic champion the famous singer who in a concert gets off the stage and goes to shake the hands of the hundreds of exciting fans to be beside him onn the red carpet.
If anyone still had doubts about the media value of an Olympic title, this day in Biella will erase all doubts: even race walking is fully among the Italian days to remember in 2021.
But the race is the race.
On the finish line, the success (26:19) is for Stefano Chiesa and Nicole Colombi, both of the Carabinieri team, who take off around the middle of the race in front of the pair composed of Riccardo Orsoni and the master champion Rosetta La Delfa (27:04).
In third place Antonella Palmisano closes, who in her last fraction regains ground for the couple formed with Giacomo Brandi (27:06), while Massimo Stano finishes ninth together with the U20 Anita Laiolo (28:28).
Who knows how happy the winners will have been to have left the two Olympic champions behind them for a day.
(Photos by Carlo Bolla - biellaedintorni.it)