TARANTO – Extraordinary hat-trick for Italian cyclists at the XX Mediterranean Games Of Taranto 2026. Rachel Barbieri triumphed in the women's road race in front of her teammates Martina Fidanza e Barbara Guarischi. A result that allowed the’Italy Team to reach the quota of 2500 medals achieved in the history of the event reserved for Mediterranean countries.
Italy's tactical management of the final part of the race was perfect, with the three Italians taking the lead in the final bend before the finishing straight, leaving all their opponents behind in the sprint at the end of the 77 km scheduled on the Val d'Itria city circuit. It was Fidanza who launched the sprint, masterfully paving the way for her teammates. Barbieri made the most of the situation to take the win, with Fidanza and Guarischi (winner in Oran 2022) finishing second and third respectively. The direction work of Elena Cecchini (24th at the finish line), invaluable in the final stages of the race in dictating the pace and thus keeping her compatriots in the best position for the decisive sprint for the medals. The first to be excluded from the podium were Slovenian Nika Bobnar (fourth) and Greek Argyro Milaki (fifth), who completed the top 5 behind the blue tide (source: agc)
