Can a short-course triathlete master the chaos of the Romagna hills? That is the question lingering in the Cesenatico air as defending champion Alessio Crociani prepares to protect his throne this Sunday. After last year's masterclass, where he stopped the clock at a blistering 3:36:15, the Italian arrives looking to prove his victory was no fluke. However, the Middle Distance course is notorious for punishing overconfidence.
The bike leg is the true judge of this race. These 90 kilometers hide a textbook leg-breaker: after a flat and fast start, triathletes enter a labyrinth of climbs through Montiano and Roncofreddo with 900 meters of elevation gain. While that figure might not scare a pure climber, on a TT bike, staying in the aero bars and managing drafting (strictly prohibited and marshaled), it becomes a terrain where many will burn their matches too early. Anyone who doesn't save a bit of gas for the transition will face a true ordeal during the final 21 kilometers.
In the women's field, Hungary's Gabriella Zelinka returns with bib number one after her dominant 2025 victory. Her ability to handle the Adriatic heat and humidity will be key, especially during the run: a completely flat circuit along the seafront that, while allowing for blistering paces, offers zero protection from the sun. This is where the dreaded wall appears—not due to the incline, but because of the cumulative fatigue from a bike course that demands constant surges.
The event kicks off Saturday with the Triathlon Sprint, a 25.75 km race that will serve as a barometer for the sea conditions. Forecasts suggest calm waters, favoring pure swimmers looking to exit in the lead pack and avoid traffic in T1. For Swim Bike specialists, the challenge will be to squeeze every watt out of those 900 meters of climbing before racking the bike, while the Team Relay promises tactical battles between local clubs who know every pothole on these historic roads, recently featured in the Tour de France.