Coppa San Cono

A race in the heart of the Vallo di Diano

The Coppa San Cono is the summer cycling highlight in the town of Teggiano, in the province of Salerno, located in the heart of the Vallo di Diano, in Campania. The race is organized by ASD Bike in Tour Vallo di Diano under the aegis of the Italian Cycling Federation (FCI/EPS), with its headquarters at the Dianolandia Sports Center on Via Saliconi, in the hamlet of Prato Perillo, where registration, the start, finish line, and awards ceremonies take place.

This is not a race for professionals: it is an amateur event open to a wide range of categories, from Elite Sport to senior master riders, both men and women. This format makes it one of the most popular days on the Salerno cycling calendar, with hundreds of athletes arriving from Campania and nearby Basilicata.

The 2026 circuit and the 2025 granfondo

The nature of the race can change from year to year. In 2026, on Sunday, July 19, the Coppa San Cono was held on a 7.44 km circuit repeated 10 times, for a total of 74.40 km: a compact and fast track around Prato Perillo, ideal for spectators who can follow the race lap after lap without moving.

In 2025, however, the event took the classic form of a granfondo, with a route of approximately 118 km straddling Campania and Basilicata, passing through Sala Consilina, Padula, Marsico Nuovo, Paterno, Tramutola, and Montesano sulla Marcellana. A challenging loop that traverses some of the most beautiful landscapes of the southern Apennines, between the Tanagro plain and the first slopes of the Lucanian mountains.

Regional Championship and FantaGiro Circuit

The race is never an isolated event. In 2025, the Coppa San Cono, combined with the Granfondo del Tanagro – Memorial Bruno – Di Candia, served as the sole event for the Campania FCI Amateur Road Regional Championship, awarding regional champion jerseys in eleven categories for men and women, in addition to counting as the seventh stage of the Giro dell'Arcobaleno. In 2026, the race was part of the FantaGiro Circuit, a stage trophy that brings together various amateur events in the area.

San Cono, the patron saint who gives the race its name

The name of the race is no coincidence. San Cono is the patron saint of Teggiano: born in ancient Diano at the end of the 12th century, he was a Benedictine monk at the monastery of Santa Maria di Cadossa in Montesano sulla Marcellana. His relics were moved to Teggiano in 1261, and his cult received official ecclesiastical recognition in 1871. Devotion to the saint, celebrated on June 3 and on other occasions throughout the year, remains deeply rooted in the community today and has spread to emigrant communities in South America and the United States. Naming the cycling race after him links the sport to the town's deepest identity.

How the day unfolds

• Meeting and registration early in the morning at the Dianolandia Sports Center, with the collection of timing chips.
• Technical meeting with team managers before the start.
• Mass start at 9:00 AM, when the Vallo di Diano sun is still gentle.
• Refreshments and awards at midday, with prizes for the top three overall and the top three in each category.

The atmosphere is the typical Italian one of amateur village races: families on the roadside, volunteers at roundabouts, pasta feasts after the finish line, and cheerful awards ceremonies that last until the early afternoon.

Teggiano and the Vallo di Diano beyond the race

Those arriving for the Coppa San Cono find much more than just a race. Teggiano is one of the best-preserved medieval villages in Campania, perched on a hill overlooking the entire valley, featuring the Macchiaroli Castle, the Cathedral of Santa Maria Maggiore, and a maze of stone alleys. A few kilometers away is the Certosa di San Lorenzo in Padula, a UNESCO World Heritage site and one of the largest monastic complexes in Europe, while the Cilento, Vallo di Diano and Alburni National Park stretches all around. For a cyclist, it is a perfect weekend: racing on Sunday morning, exploring villages and enjoying local cuisine the rest of the time.