POLINI ITALIAN CUP: FINAL ACT IN CERVESINA

The Polini Italian Cup returned to the Tazio Nuvolari circuit in Cervesina for the final stage of the season. It was a day of celebration with the crowning of the 2023 champions on a challenging track that was difficult to interpret, where the plays of trails added excitement to all the races. Once again, there was plenty of action: in the morning, a session of free practice and two official qualifications, followed in the afternoon by two races that crowned the best drivers of this 19th edition of the Polini Italian Cup.

SCOOTER 100 BIG EVOLUTION OPEN

At Cervesina’s Tazio Nuvolari circuit, the Scooter 100 Big Evolution Open category exceeds 170 km/h with lap times below 1’30”. This is the only category that doesn’t see a title fight, as the Spanish rider Ignacio Roman has already been crowned champion with a race to spare in Ortona. Roman also leaves his mark in Cervesina. In Race 1, it’s a four-way battle between Spain and Italy: on one side, we have Roman and Jose Requena, and on the other, Nico Morelli and Birtele. While it may seem like “Made in Italy” has the upper hand in the early laps, in the end, after numerous overtakes and position changes, the Spaniards emerge victorious, with Roman taking yet another win.

Race 2 is also a nail-biter, with constant lead changes right up to the very end. There are four absolute protagonists, and unlike before, there should be a podium with four steps instead of three. This time, Team Polini’s rider Matteo Tiraferri doesn’t back down, and with a super close finish at the photo finish, he secures the victory with a margin of 11 thousandths of a second over Roman, 8 hundredths over Requena, and 2 hundredths over Morelli.
Day’s podium: Roman, Requena, Tiraferri
Championship podium: 1. Roman with 219 points; 2. Requena 135; 3. Birtele 132

SCOOTER 70 AMATORI

The championship is still open for the Scooter 70 Amatori category, which at the end of the two races of the day crowns the 2023 champion. In Race 1, poleman Michele Galullo gets off to a good start but relinquishes the lead to Lorenzo Leonardi after a few corners. Yuri Belotti slides off early in the race, while Galullo regains the lead. It’s a race filled with overtakes and battles right up to the last second. Marco Caddeo is in the lead coming out of the final corner, but under the checkered flag, Galullo wins by a whisker, 80 thousandths of a second ahead of Caddeo and Leonardi.

Race 2 bears the signature of Canali, the undisputed leader of the race. More than 6 seconds behind, there’s a four-way battle involving Leonardo Mansi, Marco Caddeo, Davide Armanio, and Filippo Mantovani. Unfortunately for Galullo, who won Race 1, he slips back in this second race and falls to the rear while in second place. Thanks to a fourth-place finish in the first race and a well-deserved victory in the second, Canali is crowned champion. Leonardi loses the title even before the start, as he is forced to retire due to a technical issue during the alignment lap.
Day’s podium: Canali, Caddeo, Mansi
Championship podium: 1. Canali with 164 points; 2. Leonardi 162; 3. Caddeo 127

SCOOTER 70 SUPERSPORT

“Open competition also reigns in the 70 Supersport category, where the top three consisting of Luca Sculco, Matteo Sauro, and Christian Cimatti are separated by just a few points. In Race 1, a compact and colorful group of riders battles it out for all 8 laps. It’s a constant exchange of positions, with all the riders very close together, although Sauro, Daniele Rossi, Davide De Carolis, and Sculco have a slight edge. Rossi and Sauro take turns leading each lap, but in the end, Rossi comes out on top, always in a close finish. De Carolis secures the third spot on the podium. Sculco, the championship leader, is sidelined due to technical issues.”

In Race 2, it’s De Carolis who leads the colorful pack of the 60 Supersport category from halfway through the race. Fabio Ciotola makes a strong comeback from the rear, securing an impressive victory under the checkered flag, narrowly beating De Carolis in a close finish. Daniele Rossi finishes third.

Sauro clinches the championship with a second-place finish in Race 1 and a calculated 7th-place finish in Race 2.

Day’s podium: Rossi, De Carolis, Ciotola
Championship podium: 1. Sauro with 147 points; 2. Sculco 126; 3. Belardinelli 121

SCOOTER 70 EVOLUTION

“The title is up for grabs with Slovenian Marko Mihael and Simone Lanzilao of Italy separated by just 2 points.

The first race is a showdown between Slovenia and Italy: positions are constantly changing with a quartet comprising the two Mihael brothers and their compatriot Luca Koren, in a battle against Andrea Casagrande. In the end, Marko Mihael wins deservedly, with Casagrande still putting on a strong performance, narrowly beating Koren and Martin Mihael. It was a quieter performance, however, for Simone Lanzilao and Team Polini’s Yulien Vitali.”

“Race 2 was dominated by the Slovenians, with Koren winning ahead of the two brothers, Martin and Marko Mihael. For Marko, it’s enough: arriving in Cervesina as the leader, he confirms his season at the top and secures the championship. In the title fight, Lanzilao not only loses the victory but also the silver medal to Koren.

Day’s podium: Koren, Marko Mihael, Martin Mihael
Championship podium: 1. Marko Mihael with 191 points; 2. Koren 166; 3. Lanzilao 148”