Cycling: 29 Martiri junior cup cancelled from Vaiano to Figline

by Antonio Mannori Prato, 3 July 2025 - The date of the race should have been Sunday 21 September, but the 61st Coppa 29 Martiri, which for 4 years was reserved for juniors after being held for amateurs for many years, will not be held. The organizers met at the Circolo 29 Martiri in Figline and decided to cancel the race, hoping that it can return to the calendar in 2026. A significant loss, but the race has significant costs and this time the fundamental support of the institutions is missing and the sponsors are missing. Massimo Becchi, president of the Asd 29 Martiri and the organizing committee, announced this and among the main reasons, certainly the administration of the Municipality of Prato after the resignation of the mayor Ilaria Bugetti, and the lack of sponsors. The classic and historic competition won in 2024 by Mattia Ballerini from Campi, current Tuscan junior champion, was not only a sporting event but also celebrated the memory of the Resistance every year, with the homage to the Monument to the Fallen in Vaiano where the race started, and to the plaque of the Martyrs of Figline di Prato. In the last editions the finish line had been moved from Figline to the Hill of Prato near Schignano after having covered the tough climb of the “Svolte” in the last few kilometers. The organizers of the Vaiano Bike company have also announced that the youth race on the Vaiano circuit, which was the preview of the junior race scheduled to start in the early afternoon, will not take place on the morning of Sunday 21 September. A painful decision, we hope it is only for this year.