EASTER IN GABICCE MARE
INTERNATIONAL BICYCLE TOURING WEEK BY THE SEA

The International Bicycle Touring Week by the Sea is a sports event that has been held in Gabicce Mare for no fewer than twenty-two years, making it one of Italy's most important tourist events for lovers of bicycle riding. The event is also a fixture on the calendar of the International Bicycling Union. Almost a thousand riders take part, accompanied by family members and friends. The participants, who arrive from all over Italy and Europe, meet each year in Gabicce Mare to ride together on the area's most charming roads, passing through and visiting the loveliest towns and villages of the inland portion of the Marche region.

The Bicycle Touring Week is traditionally given a police escort of motorcycle highway patrolmen from start to finish, and its overall organizational approach is patterned on that of the "Giro d'Italia" professional bicycle race. Every morning the riders meet in front of the "Palazzo del Turismo" (Tourist Center), with departure scheduled for 9:00 am; along every leg, the Mayor of the town or village hosting the day's ride welcomes the touring cyclists and offers refreshments. The daily return to Gabicce Mare is scheduled for roughly 1:30 pm. During the Bicycle Touring Week, various festivities will be organized for the participants, their family members and for all vacationing tourists, featuring evenings rich in music, dancing and the tasting of local traditional products. As usual, coverage from television and specialized periodicals will guarantee attention and publicity. For the 8th year in a row the event is being sponsored by the daily sports newspaper "Gazzetta dello Sport".

Participating organizations include Mic Shimano, Selle Italia and Mapei. Every year Mapei guarantees the presence of a major professional bicycle racer for one evening during the Bicycle Touring Week : the special guest for the 18th year of the event was Andrea Tafi, while Rinaldo Nocentini appeared in 1999, Nicola Chisini in 2000, Franco Ballerini in 2001, and Luca Shinto and Gian Paolo Cheula in 2002. The week gets underway on April 19th, with an organized welcome in the evening, and it concludes at 8:30 pm on Friday 25th April at the "Cinema Teatro Astra" in Gabicce Mare with the presentation of awards to the individual cycle-touring associations. Following the awards ceremony, the "International Week" will continue with a delightful cycle-touring ride on Saturday 26th, pause and refreshments in Mombaroccio. At the end of the return trip, the 5 most numerous societies will receive a fine prize.

- CRASH HELMET: MUST BE WORN.
- PARTICIPATION: only members of Federations or Sports Club can take part in this event. The touring cyclists are required to produce a permission as well as a declaration of the currency of the insurance and especially of third parties liability insurance coverage for Italy and abroad. It is possible to obtain the membership card from the "Associazione Sportiva Gabicce Mare Vacanze" upon supply of the birth certificate and the certificate of health issued by the family doctor, a passport-size photograph, and Euro 29.00. 
- REGISTRATIONS: must be sent to the organization or to the hotel-owner/keeper or you can apply for membership admission directly to the secretariat on Friday, 18 April 2003 from 14:00 to 19:00 hours and from 20:30 to 23:00 hours.
- REQUIRED INFORMATION: the complete name of the sports club, zip code, address, affiliation, phone number, name and surname of the entrant, address, phone number, membership card number with the club President's signature. If you are not a club member, please write only "INDIVIDUAL REGISTRATION" instead of the club information, and, as indicated above, fill in the form with your personal information and do not forget to sign it. 
- SIGNATURE: by signing the entry form the club President declares that the entrants are members of the club, and therefore they have a card. The entrant agrees to his/her personal information being used in compliance with the provisions of the Privacy Law No. 675 of 31/12/1996. This is true for the individual registrations as well. 
- ENTRY FEE: the entry fee to the Bicycle Touring Week for the athletes who stay in the hotels in Gabicce Mare for at least seven days is Euro 30.00. This amount includes the technical assistance, medical care, refreshments/supplies, and souvenir. It is possible to participate in the daily touring rides by paying Euro 6.00 (souvenir not included). The entry fee for the touring cyclists who do not stay in the hotels in Gabicce Mare is Euro 50.00, and the daily entry fee is Euro 10.00 (souvenir not included). The touring cyclists must personally stamp the attendance booklet every morning one hour before departure.
- BICYCLE TOURING EVENT: car with the sign "Inizio manifestazione cicloturistica" (Start of the bicycle touring event), car with the sign "Fine manifestazione cicloturistica" (End of the bicycle touring event).
- MEDICAL SERVICE: includes two ambulances with doctor and registered nurses.
- ESCORT CARS: only those providing services and bearing a special pass shall be permitted.
- AWARDS CEREMONY: the first 40 clubs with at least 5 touring cyclists taking part in all the seven stages will be given awards. Also receiving prizes will be the first ten youngest touring cyclists and the first ten oldest participants, plus the club with the most lady entrants, and, for each country, the club that comes from furthest away.
- RULES: The "Associazione e Cooperativa Albergatori" and the "Associazione Sportiva Gabicce Mare Vacanze" refuse to accept responsibility, either for themselves or their colleagues/organization staff, for any accidents or damage which may occur to people or things before, during and after the event or as a result of the same. All touring cyclists must fully comply with the road regulations.
- IMPORTANT: please note that the event is not a "true" competitive race, the "International Bicycle Touring Week" is a bicycle touring meeting, with the start and finish in a group, escorted by the Traffic Police. The speed limit is 25 km/h. The program may be modified during the week for reasons beyond the organizers' control. Should changes be made, they will be communicated the morning before departure.

Only members of cyclist association that participate at the Bicycle Touring Week are admitted at the agonistic races. Participants are divided into the following categories:
15-18 years
19-27 years
28-32 years
33-39 years
40-47 years
48-55 years
56-62 years
63-70 years
Women

For each agonistic competition points will be awarded as follows:
1st classified 10 points
2nd classified 9 points
3rd classified 8 points
4th classified 7 points
5th classified 6 points
For the individual prize awarding results will be calculated adding the points of the agonistic laps; cups will be awarded to the 1st up to the 5th classified.
In case of parity it will be considered as follows:
1. participation at all the agonistic competitions;
2. victories;
3. highest score obtained in the last race.
Each agonistic competition costs Euro 9 per person.

  Hotel SAN MARCO

Management : Family A. Serra

Via Leopardi, 5 - 61011 Gabicce Mare (PU) 

Tel. +39 0541 950805 - Fax +39 0541 954162
E-mail : info@sanmarcohotel.com