Cursoriam in Pompei

Cursoriam in Pompei: the bicycle takes center stage

Cursoriam in Pompei is a cycling event reserved for the Giovanissimi category, held in the city of Pompei, in the Metropolitan City of Naples, Campania. Originally launched as a promotional race for the youngest cyclists, it has evolved over just a few seasons into a true festival dedicated to cycling: the fourth edition took place in the spring of 2026, following the 2025 event.

The headquarters is the Parco del Bambino, a green space on Via Aldo Moro that transforms for a full day into a small sports village. Starting grids, barriers, cycling club gazebos, play areas, and information points all coexist just a few minutes' walk from the Sanctuary and the Archaeological Park, in one of Italy's most visited cities.

A real race on a city circuit

The competitive heart of the day is a road race included in the Italian Cycling Federation calendar, which also counts towards the regional circuit in Campania. The track is an urban loop of about one kilometer, completely closed to traffic, which young athletes repeat a number of times depending on their age category: starting from three laps for the youngest G1 riders up to eighteen laps for the G6 category.

It is a format specifically designed for the participants' age: a short course, always under the watchful eyes of parents and coaches, with close-quarters sprinting and a crowd following the race from the sidelines. For many children in Campania, this is their first racing experience with a number on their back, a stopwatch, and a podium.

Skill courses and activities for non-racers

However, Cursoriam is not just for registered athletes. Alongside the race, a technical skill course is set up inside the Parco del Bambino, open to all children and teenagers who do not have a federation license: slaloms, narrow passages, and balance and braking exercises to be tackled on their own bikes under the guidance of the organizing club's coaches.

The program is rounded out by games, reading sessions, and environmental workshops designed to encourage young people to think about conscious bike use and urban quality of life. A simple way to turn a Sunday of sport into a small outdoor lesson.

Sport, environment, and road safety

The event has a clear educational soul: to spread the culture of the bicycle as an eco-friendly mode of transport, a tool for social growth, and a sustainable lifestyle for children and adolescents. Hence the focus on sustainable mobility and road safety, aimed primarily at families, and the decision to close a city artery for a few hours, returning it to the children.

• Promoting daily bicycle use in urban areas
• Environmental awareness through games and reading
• Road safety education for the youngest
• Inclusion: free activities even for those who do not practice competitive cycling

Who is behind Cursoriam

The event is promoted by ASD Team Bike Vesuvio ETS, a cycling club from the Vesuvius area, in collaboration with the Italian Cycling Federation and its Campania Regional Committee, and with the patronage of the Municipality of Pompei. Schools, amateur sports associations, and local entities contribute to the success of the day, forming a network that unites environmental education, road safety, and social inclusion through sport.

Pompei, between archaeology and Sunday bike rides

At the foot of Mount Vesuvius, Pompei is known worldwide for its excavations and the Sanctuary of the Blessed Virgin of the Rosary, a pilgrimage destination. Cursoriam, however, shows another side of the city: that of a community that, for one Sunday, closes a street to traffic and hands it over to children on bicycles. For those arriving from out of town, the day can easily be combined with a visit to the archaeological area, just a short distance from the Parco del Bambino.

Why it's worth attending

• A federal race that is free for the public, suitable for the whole family
• A compact city circuit, perfect for following the race up close
• Skill courses and activities open even to children without a license
• An opportunity to combine sport, environmental education, and a visit to Pompei