1st Concetta Vitali Memorial – Coppa Ionica Strada

A new cycling race in the heart of Cassibile

The 1st Concetta Vitali Memorial – Coppa Ionica Strada makes its debut in Cassibile, a populous district of the Municipality of Syracuse in the province of Syracuse (Sicily), on Sunday, May 24, 2026. This is a road cycling race in a criterium format: a closed city circuit to be covered multiple times, a spectacular formula that allows riders to pass by the public repeatedly, making the race engaging even for those who are not expert fans.

A criterium that awards the regional title

The first edition is not just an amateur race: it is the CSAIn Sicily Regional Championship, with the awarding of the regional champion jersey. The CSAIn Confederation (Corporate and Industrial Sports Centers) is one of the sports promotion bodies recognized in Italy, and its Sicilian branch has chosen the streets of Cassibile to put up for grabs a title that adds further prestige to the event.

The track is a 3-kilometer circuit carved out of the town center, with the start and finish area set up near the Church of San Giuseppe, in Piazza Don Antonio Saitta. To allow the race to take place safely, the Municipality of Syracuse has ordered traffic changes along Via Nazionale, Via Ernesto Campo, and Via degli Ulivi, with the right lane of Via Nazionale in the direction of Avola entirely reserved for the race.

Categories and female participation

The race is divided by age groups: starting with the Over 45s, followed by the Under 45s. A distinctive note of the event concerns female participation: all women in the race are guests of honor, a choice by the organization intended to encourage the presence of female cyclists and send a signal of openness and inclusion to two-wheeled sports in the Syracuse area.

A race born from the territory

The event is organized by the ASD Cannibale Team, a local cycling club, and is dedicated to the memory of Concetta Vitali. The criterium is part of the broader panorama of Sicilian amateur and cycle-tourism cycling which, in the spring of 2026, sees Cassibile and the Ionian coast of the province of Syracuse as protagonists of various road initiatives. The day transforms the streets of the district into a small sports stage, amidst the cheering of residents and a passion for cycling.