Some places smell like home, where every time you return you feel like you had never left. For Appenninica MTB Stage Race, Fanano is one of those places, the only stage venue, along with Castelnovo ne’ Monti, to have featured in all the race’s five editions so far. The stage race in the Emilia-Romagna Apennines will pay a visit to the town in the Province of Modena again in 2023, when it will take place from September 4th to 9th.
A renowned tourist resort on the slopes of the Mount Cimone, Fanano will host the finish of the fourth stage on Thursday, September 7, running entirely through the Province of Modena from the start in Fiumalbo. The following Friday, September 8th, the fifth stage will start from Fanano, with finish in Lizzano in Belvedere.
The 62-kilometre Cimone Challenge stage, with a total elevation gain of 2350 meters, will be centered on the Mount Cimone and its ski area. After the start from Fiumalbo, the athletes will face the climb up to Pian Cavallaro and then descend to the town of Montecreto, passing by the picturesque Lake Ninfa through the paths of the Cimone bike park. The second ascent of the day will start instead from Sestola to reach Passo Serre before throwing in a long single track towards Fanano. After a first passage through the village, it will climb to Fellicarolo and enjoy a technical trail back to the finish.
On Friday, September 8th, the Appenninica Distilled stage of 61 km and 2,500 meters of elevation gain will also start from Fanano. Arriving in Vidiciatico, a hamlet of Lizzano in Belvedere, the stage perfectly concentrates Appenninica MTB Stage Race, including spectacular ridges, technical trails, dizzying views and villages standing still in time. There are two climbs of the day: the Passo del Colombino and the one leading to the Passo Croce Arcana ridge.
“We have believed in Appenninica MTB Stage Race from the very first minute. It is an event growing yearly, and that speaks many languages, giving global exposure to Fanano, Cimone and the Apennines. It is the only mountain bike event we host in Fanano and we want to support it for its excellent organization and ability to promote our area throughout the year”, says Fanano Mayor Stefano Muzzarelli.
FANANO, THE HOME OF FELICE PEDRONI
Fanano is a well-known tourist resort in the Modena Apennines, in the Mount Cimone ski area. Over the years, outdoor activities have been developed in the area in addition to winter sports, such as trekking, hiking and mountain in the warmer months. Awarded the Orange Flag for its sustainable tourism by the Italian Touring Club since 2001, the town is also rich in history and culture, with the Pieve di San Silvestro and the Church of San Giuseppe that are well worth a visit.
However, Fanano’s name is also associated with gold prospector Felice Pedroni, who made his fortune in Alaska by finding the largest gold deposit in the area. There he founded the town of Fairbanks, where most of the townspeople were dedicated to prospecting for gold.