Volume 11 - 2024 | https://doi.org/10.3389/fnut.2024.1353832 A “green breakthough” at the table due to consumer demand for healthy and sustainable foods which aligns with the typical Mediterranean diet has recently led to an increase in the consumption of products such as extra virgin olive oil which contributes an average of 15% of world production has seen the production of extra virgin olive oil with a value of exports that have doubled in the last 20 years the olive oil sector of the Emilia-Romagna region (Italy) could achieve greater success with consumers by proposing a product obtained through sustainable agriculture that enhances the content of bioactive compounds different agronomic variables are investigated in order to optimize the presence of bioactive components in extra virgin olive oil made from monovarietal Nostrana di Brisighella namely phenolic and positive volatile compounds thus naturally enriching this product both from health and sensory points of view The study focuses on the volatile and phenolic fractions (derivatives of hydroxytyrosol and tyrosol) of olive oil and the positive sensory attributes (fruity bitter and pungent) that are known to be associated with these molecules The phenolic content is of particular interest due to the potential to support health claims Extra virgin olive oil samples were produced from olives of the Nostrana di Brisighella cultivar; fruits were obtained through integrated pest management or organic farming and picked at four increasing indices of maturity corresponding to four successive weeks of harvesting These agronomic variables influenced the compositional and sensory characteristics of the extra virgin olive oils assessed highlighting differences that likely derive from the effect of the agronomic system used integrated pest management or organic farming aiming to guarantee a balance between sustainability and profitability considering protection of the environment and avoiding the overexploitation of natural resources The need for this modification arises from a first phase of zoning of the Nostrana di Brisighella cv where it was noted that in all the EVOOs sampled from the sites examined the total content of phenolic compounds was sufficient to allow the use of the health claim on the label Adopting an integrated approach that considers the different production stages of the olive oil supply chain is a winning strategy for obtaining high-quality while creating new opportunities for sustainable growth and protect traditional and high-value local food products (e.g. to continue along the path of characterization and valorization of Brisighella EVOOs this research focused on the study of volatile compounds and sensory attributes of several EVOO samples produced by the “Cooperativa Agricola Brisighellese” (CAB) located in Emilia-Romagna region (Italy) These olive oils were obtained from 100% Nostrana di Brisighella olives using different agronomic systems (organic farming vs integrated pest management) that were derived from olives sampled in different weeks of harvest corresponding to four distinct olive maturity indices The following standards (CAS number and purity percentage in parenthesis) were used for the analysis of volatile compounds and were purchased from Sigma-Aldrich (St ≥95%) was used as internal standard (IS) and a mixture of n-alkanes from 8 to 20 carbon atoms (~40 mg/L each in n-hexane) was used to calculate the LRI >99.5%) were used for the quantification of phenolic compounds and purchased from Sigma-Aldrich This study, the results of which were published in a dataset (18) was carried out on eight monovarietal EVOOs produced from 100% Nostrana di Brisighella a native variety of olives from orchards located in a limited area of the Emilia-Romagna region (Brisighella The olives used for this study came from olive groves that used two different agronomic systems (integrated pest management and organic farming) The oils were in line with what is defined by the product specification for the Brisighella DOP The olive harvest was carried out during the 2022/23 olive oil campaign which began on 10 October and ended on 15 November 2022 This period of time was divided into four weeks: the 1st from the 15th to the 22nd of October the 2nd from the 23rd to the 29th of October the 3rd from the 30th of October to the 5th of November and finally the 4th from the 6th to 12th of November in order to obtain olives with four different maturity index (MI) coming from integrated pest management (A) and organic farming (B) The monovarietal oil samples were produced on the same day of harvest at a local olive oil mill in Brisighella all under the same technological conditions The oils were bottled in 0.75 L dark glass bottles and stored at room temperature in a cold and dry place away from light until the subsequent analyses that were carried out in a short time At the beginning of each of the four week periods, the Jaèn MI (19) was measured on the olives coming from both integrated pest management and organic farming (see Section 2.2) The evaluation was carried out on 100 drupes The MI was obtained by applying the following formula: where N is the number of drupes belonging to each of the seven ripening classes the n-alkane mixture was injected into the GC system and the alkane retention times are used in the following equation obtaining the LRI of each extracted analyte where z is the number of carbons of the alkane that elute before the molecule the RTz and the RTz + 1 are the retention time of the analyte of interest of the alkane that elutes before and the one that elutes after the concentration of each volatile compounds was determined according to the formula: where Cc is the concentration of the compound of interest; Ac is the area of the compound of interest; AIS is the area of the IS; ma is the slope of the related external standard calibration curve of each representative compound The calibration curves were built in the range 0.05–25 mg/kg for each volatile compound (see Section 2.1) as these molecules are representative of each main chemical class of compounds generally present in VOOs Polar phenolics were extracted from two grams of each EVOO samples with a hydroalcoholic mixture and according to the procedure reported by the IOC (32) A syringic acid solution (c = 0.015 mg mL−1) was used as internal standard About 1.5–2 mL of the phenolic fraction were stored in a PP centrifuge microtube at −18°C before HPLC analyses The same procedure was repeated on two grams of EVOO except replacing 1 mL of standard solution with 1 mL of methanol/water 4/1 (v/v) the determination of the total phenolic content by UV/VIS spectrophotometry and acid hydrolysis of phenolics was performed Each extraction procedure was carried out three times on different EVOO samples Colorimetric determination of the total phenolic content (TPC) was measured following the Folin-Ciocalteau procedure as reported by Singleton and Rossi (33) and described as follows 0.2 mL of EVOO hydroalcoholic extract and 2.0 mL of 15% (w/v) sodium carbonate in water were transferred to a 10-mL PTFE screw cap glass tube and shaken by hand for 5 s The mixture was then kept in the dark at room temperature After at least 2 h but not more than 8 h the absorbance of the solution was read at 750 nm in a single beam spectrophotometer (mod TPC was calculated by a gallic acid calibration curve From a stock solution (c = 2.03 mg mL−1) in methanol/water 4/1 (v/v) diluted solutions were prepared in the same solvent mixture in a concentration range of 0.0025–0.25 mg mL−1 (seven calibration points Observed absorbance values were corrected by subtracting the absorbance of a blank sample replacing the hydroalcoholic extract with 0.2 mL of methanol/water 4/1 (v/v) and blanks were analyzed in two replications Each extract and standard solution were injected twice Standard solutions were filtered before HPLC analyses on PVDF filters as EVOO extracts The following formulas explains the calculation above described Data analysis was carried out with Microsoft® spreadsheet program 2016 (Microsoft Corp. Analysis of variance (p < 0.05) was carried out with XLSTAT (Addinsoft Corp. where the influence of harvest date on the MI of two different cultivars (Barnea and Souri) was evaluated in three different olive oil campaigns (2005/2006 Number of olives deriving from integrated pest management (A) and organic farming (B) in the seven classes of the Jaèn MI (histograms) and evolution over the four weeks of harvesting sample “1B” differed from other samples due to the presence of the secondary sensory attribute resembling tomato Comparison of the sensory profiles relating to the EVOOs according to the harvest period [(A,B) 1A and 1B are EVOOs produced from olives harvested in the first week; 4A and 4B are EVOOs produced from olives harvested in the fourth week] and of the agronomic system [(C,D) 1A and 4A are EVOOs produced from olives obtained from integrated pest management 1B and 4B are EVOOs produced from olives obtained from organic farming] Comparison of chromatograms obtained from volatile compound analysis of EVOO samples derived from the two agronomic systems (integrated pest management: 1A vs 4A; organic: 1B vs 4B) which are responsible for positive sensory attributes Sum of C6 aldehydes and alcohols from LnA and C5 ketones from LA and LnA through the LOX pathway according to the harvest period (from the first to the fourth week of harvest) and of the agronomic system (integrated pest management and organic farming) For C5 compounds, ketones originating from LnA (1-penten-3-one) did not show significant differences for the first week of harvest. From the second week onwards, those derived from oil obtained by integrated pest management (A) tended to remain constant while for organic EVOOs (B) a progressive decrease was observed. The decrease in 1-penten-3-one during olive ripening was also highlighted in the study by Lukić et al. (60) in which the authors consequently also found a reduction in “green” notes This trend is in line with that observed herein which could explain the reduction in the “bitter,” “pungent,” and “fruity” attributes perceived during sensory analysis the Folin-Ciocalteau procedure is a widespread analytical protocol in the overall evaluation of the total amount of phenolic compounds in olive oils a higher amount of total phenolics (+35%) were detected by HPLC (no hydrolysis on polar extracts) in organic than in conventional samples from Spain with phenols at levels of 457 and 338 mg kg−1 of oil Figure 5. HPLC traces of polar phenolic extracts obtained from EVOO sample 1A without (A) and after acid hydrolysis (B). For individual compound names see Table 4 for experimental conditions see “Materials and methods” paragraph the sum of total HYTY and TY in sample 2A was not significantly different in comparison to 1A whereas samples 3A and 4A were 14 and 28% lower in phenolics than sample 1A more substantial modifications took place: samples 2B were in all samples higher than 5 mg per 20 g of oil as required for the application of the polyphenol health claim (EU Reg The Italian olive sector boasts a heritage of more than 400 cultivars representing the different territories and the highest number internationally of designations of origin The latter must comply with product specifications/regulations and must be easily recognizable and distinguishable from other conventional products for consumers It is important to investigate the relationships between the quality of the raw material (olives) and those of the final product (EVOO) with a specific and in-depth focus on monovarietal oils a new quality protocol aimed at maximizing the content in bioactive minor compounds of the monovarietal Nostrana di Brisighella olive oil can be developed aimed especially at protecting traditional and high value-added agri-food products (e.g. it may be crucial to determine which cultivars may be more suitable for ongoing climate change in relation to the agronomic system adopted this experimental work focuses on the study of the volatile compounds and sensory attributes of samples obtained from olives of Nostrana di Brisighella cv produced with different agronomical practices to maximize the content of minor compounds in the EVOO produced The MI of olives obtained through integrated pest management and organic farming may influence the quality indices of EVOO an increase in MI that followed the trend of the weeks of harvest was observed and differences in the composition of the volatile and phenolic profile were highlighted that could also depend on the agronomic systems used the “fruity,” “bitter,” and “pungent” sensory notes tended to have a higher intensity in the EVOOs produced in the first week of harvest and these attributes decreased variably in samples obtained from riper olives in accordance with the trend seen for volatile C5 compounds as the ripening of olives progresses (in relation to the MI) with a clear decrease at more advanced veraison A significant difference was also highlighted in relation to the agronomic system applied as the samples obtained from integrated pest management were richer in phenolic compounds overall than those derived from organic farming all samples analyzed showed a phenolic content between 10.8 and 6.8 mg of HYTY and TY (free and bound forms) which is far above the 5 mg per 20 g of oil required for the application of the polyphenol health claim in the olive oil label it will be important to investigate whether this concentration is preserved during storage the present work lays the foundation for the creation of a database regarding the content in minor compounds specifically in relation to phenolic compounds and constitutes the starting point for an ongoing study of the shelf-life of the same EVOOs analyzed herein The raw data supporting the conclusions of this article will be made available by the authors The author(s) declare that financial support was received for the research Safety and Security – Working ON Foods.” The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations Any product that may be evaluated in this article or claim that may be made by its manufacturer is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher Google Scholar Phenolic profile and antioxidant activity of Italian monovarietal extra virgin olive oils Crossref Full Text | Google 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liquid chromatography Effects of organic and conventional growing systems on the phenolic profile of extra-virgin olive oil Ferioli F and Gallina Toschi T (2024) Valorization of monovarietal Nostrana di Brisighella extra virgin olive oils: focus on bioactive compounds Received: 11 December 2023; Accepted: 11 March 2024; Published: 04 April 2024 Copyright © 2024 Casadei, Valli, Bendini, Barbieri, Tucci, Ferioli and Gallina Toschi. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY) distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted provided the original author(s) and the copyright owner(s) are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited in accordance with accepted academic practice distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms *Correspondence: Alessandra Bendini, YWxlc3NhbmRyYS5iZW5kaW5pQHVuaWJvLml0 Disclaimer: All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations Any product that may be evaluated in this article or claim that may be made by its manufacturer is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher 94% of researchers rate our articles as excellent or goodLearn more about the work of our research integrity team to safeguard the quality of each article we publish the dimple makers of Sogliano or the historic vineyards) in this stretch of Romagna crossed by the Lamone (Pliny the Elder’s ancient Anemo) and encompassing the Chalk Vein Regional Park where unfortunately more and more often nearby rivers overflow doing irreparable damage even here there is a territory to listen to perhaps with the attention that was Tonino Guerra ’s own who was born in this part of the world (in Santarcangelo di Romagna) in one of those “small worlds [where] there is so much beauty that is dying,” where small rural realities have been forever illuminated by his enchanted poetry some distance from the places of the two poets Brisighella is in fact a small town in the province of Ravenna set on the edge of a majestic chalk quarry that has imprinted its history with marks the medieval village appears as lying at the foot of three rocky pinnacles composed of corners of the ancient city walls and stairs carved in chalk it is a town that in ancient times was been defended by a small elevated street incorporated into the houses and which we know by the name "Via degli Asini" because from here once opened some stables where carters kept donkeys and horses After walking along it letting the light filter clear through its tall arched windows after visiting the fine Ugonia Museum (with its large collection of lithographs by Giuseppe Ugonia and enriched by a work by Guercino) following the undulating profile of the hills built in the 14th century by those who were the Lords of Faenza the Rocca Manfrediana has a history of resistance to which only occasional moments of domination were alternated such as that exercised by the State of the Church between 1368 and 1376 until it was annexed to the Kingdom of Italy in 1860 architectural and stylistic remodeling are still clearly visible And a stone’s throw from the Manfredi fortress whose small 18th-century church contains an image of the Madonna and Child also offers other insights and an opportunity to step even further back in time a geological time that is millions of years in pace Walking through the outdoor Geological Museum it is indeed possible to “get lost” along the path of time along a disused quarry used for gypsum mining the museum shows a splendid geological section of gypsum rock the shimmering substance that has sculpted the landscape and the village of Brisighella with a light all its own That’s why once again it can be said that thanks to the careful protection of its landscape and geographical peculiarities all side by side with the exact narrative of its cultural and environmental transformations the Romagna region does not deny its vocation as a cultural and tourist attractor there is a history waiting to be discovered is just one of the places in Romagna where time and tourism flow at two speeds It is up to those who visit it to choose whether to make it an experience to meet themselves in contact with nature and the history of the place or to cross it quickly in search of other places Magnus Sheffield of Ineos Grenadiers (centre) lined up at the start of stage 4 in the leader's jersey Magnus Sheffield (Ineos Grenadiers) rides in the leader's jersey during stage 4 Igor Arrieta kicks ahead of Briton Mark Donovan to go two-three in Brisighella while Magnus Sheffield suffers late crash Ben Tulett (Visma-Lease a Bike) won stage 4 of the Settimana Internazionale Coppi e Bartali stage race in Italy attacking alone on the final climb to gain enough time to snatch the overall race lead The British rider got away with the USA's Magnus Sheffield (Ineos Grenadiers) and Mark Donovan (Q36.5 Pro Cycling) on the steep Valico Rio Chiè climb but finished alone to set up overall success on Friday's stage Tulett finished five seconds ahead of Igor Arrieta (UAE Team Emirates-XRG) He finished more than three minutes down on Tulett but was given just a 15-second time gap after the crash ocurred in the final kilometres of the stage with Sheffield third at 22 seconds and Arrieta moving to fourth overall at 23 seconds "Gutted for Magnus Sheffield who crashed in the closing kilometres of stage four The Grenadier had been well placed over the day's final categorised climb Happily he was able to re-mount and finish the stage," the Ineos team reported on X after the finish The 150.4km fourth stage looped around the town of Brisighella covering the 2.6km Monticino climb three times before a switch to a different circuit that included the climbs of Monticino and the Valico Rio Chiè Paul Double (Team Jayco AlUla) was the first to attack keen to make amends for losing time and any GC ambitions on stage 3 Other attacks came and soon a 13-rider group eventually formed and opened a two-minute gap In the move were Pascal Eenkhoorn (Soudal-QuickStep) Davide Baldaccini (Team Solution Tech-Vini Fantini) Germán Darío Gómez (Team Polti VisitMalta) Martin Marcellusi (VF Group-Bardiani CSF-Faizanè) Luca Cretti (MBH Bank Ballan CSB) and Federico Guzzo (S.C The Visma-Lease a Bike squad led the chase after the second climb of Monticino and the gap was down to just 45 seconds after 100km of racing Mauri Vansevenant (Soudal-QuickStep) and Alberto Bettiol (XDS Astana Team) jumped across to the attack and soon after Rafal Majka (UAE Team Emirates-XRG) and Jarno Widar (Lotto Development) joined them Widar and Vansevenant immediately went on the attack and opened a 25-second gap in the rolling hills near Brisighella However the race came back together on the last assault of the steep Valico Rio Chiè climb Tulett led over the climb but Sheffield and Donovan were initially with him Sheffield trying to defend his overall race lead A lack of live television footage made it difficult to understand exactly what happened on the descent but Tulett emerged in the final kilometres to Brisighella and had time to celebrate his first win since the 2023 Tour of Norway Results powered by FirstCycling Stephen FarrandSocial Links NavigationHead of NewsStephen is one of the most experienced member of the Cyclingnews team having reported on professional cycling since 1994 He has been Head of News at Cyclingnews since 2022 before which he held the position of European editor since 2012 and previously worked for Reuters you will then be prompted to enter your display name and you can explore its hidden gems in these ten best small towns in Italy for a weekend retreat Porto Venere is a hidden gem compared to the busier Cinque Terre, tucked away on the Ligurian coast Known as the smallest seaside village in the province of La Spezia it’s an ideal escape for those wanting fewer crowds but equally stunning views The town’s picturesque appeal has earned it the title of a UNESCO World Heritage Site with panoramic vistas over the Gulf of La Spezia (the Bay of Poets) and Lord Byron’s Grotto are all sights you do not want to miss on a weekend trip to Porto Venere For luxurious accommodation along the Ligurian coast consider staying at the seafront Grand Hotel Portovenere a 17th-century monastery just a quick walk from the town center For a quiet getaway steeped in history, Treia is a must-visit small town in Italy. Located less than 20 kilometers from Macerata, the town offers expansive views from the Adriatic Sea to the Sibillini Mountains Embrace the sports of the past with the annual Disfidia in July where the town plays Il Gioco della Palla col Bracciala Treia’s peaceful atmosphere makes it an ideal spot to unwind and soak up Italy’s serene countryside Hotel Grimaldi is located in the historic center of Treia with accommodations set in a landmark building that is perfect for a weekend trip Take time to explore the town’s charming streets and churches like Santo Stefano and Sant’Agostino Less than a mile from downtown is Il Cardo Resort a 15th-century farmhouse transformed into an idealistic resort for extended stays in the Tuscan countryside Less than two miles outside the city center the villa offers peace and tranquility with a garden If you’re looking for coastal beauty, San Vito Lo Capo in Sicily is a paradise for beach lovers the northwest tip of Sicily is renowned for its beaches and mountain backdrops The town’s clear waters and golden sands have earned it the Blue Flag award for its standards of cleanliness Adventure seekers can enjoy rock climbing on coastal cliffs while nature enthusiasts can explore the untouched trails of the Zingaro Nature Reserve and stunning scenery make it a top Italian weekend destination Il Faro E La Luna Beach Apartments are a great option for accommodation featuring a hot tub and just a minute's walk to San Vito Lo Capo Beach Orvieto is a great option for a weekend trip La Magnolia is accommodation set in a historic building less than 500 feet from the cathedral that offers free bike rentals during your stay The southern region of Basilicata is home to the rocky city of Matera Matera is one of the world’s oldest continuously inhabited cities the Sassi di Matera features a network of caves once used as homes and churches This unique small town holds evidence of human settlement from as early as Paleolithic times to today Visitors can tour Casa Grotta di Vico Solitario or explore the Parco della Murgia Materana Matera’s rich history and unique geography make it a must-visit for an extended weekend stay Palazzo Degli Abati provides accommodation within the Matera Stassi area where you can choose one of their unique rooms carved out of rock Taliammari is a hotel located in the Old Town district with beachfront access and shuttle services available for extended trips Alberobello is famous for its unique trulli houses which are known as UNESCO World Heritage Sites create an atmosphere that feels out of a fairytale A walk through Rione Monti and Rione Aia Piccola showcases the town’s ancient architecture Popular activities include walking tours and exploring the Trullo Sovrano The trulli houses are considered one of Europe's best vernacular architectural examples If you're looking to stay in a traditional Trulli building Trulli Holiday Albergo Diffuso offers accommodation around the center of Alberobello Perched on a hill with panoramic views over the Val di Chiana, Cortona is a town rich in Etruscan history. Located 30 km south of Arezzo, Cortona is one of the many hill towns in Tuscany Key sights include the Basilica of Saint Margaret can be viewed from Cortona’s public gardens The historic roots and stunning landscape make this small town an ideal weekend retreat destination Dolce Maria is a medieval hotel just a stone's throw away from Piazza della Repubblica These ten small towns across Italy combine history A weekend spent in any Italian city will be an unforgettable experience more obscure towns give you the space and peace to explore at your leisure any of the ten destinations listed above offer a weekend getaway guaranteed to make a memorable Italian vacation photos and original descriptions © 2025 worldatlas.com by /// November 22 Five villages we have chosen because they are far from the city and even more when they are immersed in the atmosphere of Christmas in Emilia Romagna Sparkling canals and festively decorated boats, all surrounded by the Christmas atmosphere of the floating city: strolling through Comacchio during the Christmas festivities is a truly evocative experience The Christmas festivities immersed in one of the most beautiful villages in Italy where you can pamper yourself with suggestive walks and local gastronomic specialties This is what awaits you if you decide to spend Christmas in Brisighella, a delightful medieval village overlooking the Lamone Valley. The Santa Claus torchlight procession is also scheduled on Sunday 15th December 2023 And in addition, you are in Romagna a stone’s throw from the seaside and the most important and renowned Italian entertainment centers A world in which to immerse yourself completely away from the hustle and bustle of the city where the festivities rediscover their historical and human dimension: a deep dive directly inside the true Italian Christmas tradition…Have we already convinced you Explorer and Adventurer: loves sailing the oceans climbing the highest mountains and surfing on the waves of the web by /// December 4 by /// December 4 by /// November 7 an email (in Italian) with selected contents and upcoming events by /// June 22 by /// June 7 by /// May 18 by /// November 13 For information, contact us: inemiliaromagna@aptservizi.com Metrics details Several epidemiological studies report a positive correlation between hyperuricemia and metabolic syndrome (MetS) in adults which hyperuricemic subjects seem to more easily develop We aimed to verify if serum uric acid (SUA) concentrations were positively associated with MetS prevalence and middle-term (4-year) incidence in older overall healthy subjects We also purposed to identify which SUA cut-off values could be functional in MetS diagnosis in addition to the traditionally used parameters we selected from the historical cohort of the Brisighella Heart Study 923 older healthy subjects repeatedly visited during the 2008 and 2012 population surveys MetS was more frequent for higher SUA concentrations rather than the population’s mean in both men [OR = 2.12 ROC analysis showed SUA was predictive of MetS in the whole population [AUC = 0.647 P = 0.000001] and in both sex subgroups [men: AUC = 0.592 even there were sex-related differences in the best cut-off values (5.5 mg/dL for men; 4.2 mg/dL for women) SUA appeared predictive of middle-term (4-year) MetS incidence in the whole population (AUC = 0.604 best cut-off value = 4.7 mg/dL) and in the female group (AUC = 0,641 best cut-off value = 3.9 mg/dL) though not in the male one (P > 0.05) other than a middle-term predictor of newly diagnosed MetS in older women The aim of our study was at verifying if in a sample of overall healthy older subjects there is a correlation between SUA levels and MetS prevalence and middle-term (4-year) incidence which could be functional as a diagnosis parameter of MetS in addition to the traditional ones The Brisighella Heart Study (BHS) is a prospective longitudinal population-based investigation involving 2939 randomly selected Caucasian subjects resident in the northern Italian rural town of Brisighella The BHS cohort consists in 1491 men and 1448 women at enrolment aged 14 to 84 years and free from cardiovascular disease The study started in 1972 and is still ongoing The town of Brisighella was originally selected as the site for the study because of the homogeneity of life-style among its residents Subjects were clinically evaluated at baseline and every four years thereafter by collecting an extensive amount of clinical and laboratory data All methods were performed in accordance with the relevant guidelines and regulations Blood pressure (BP) measurements have been taken early in the morning while subjects were in the seated position and by the use of a validated oscillometric device with a cuff of the appropriate size applied to the right upper arm The mean value of three blood pressure readings (obtained at 1-minute intervals) was considered as the variable of the study high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) alanine aminotransferase (AST) and gamma-glutamyl-transferase (GGT) Flow-chart resuming the selection criteria applied to the full cohort to select the investigated subjects MetS was identified based on the ATPIII/IDF criteria16 The components were defined using the following ATPIII categorizations: 1) high blood pressure (BP ≥130/85 mmHg); 2) hypertriglyceridemia (TG ≥150 mg/dl) 3) low HDL-C (<40 mg/dl for men and <50 mg/dl for women); 4) hyperglycaemia (100 mg/dl >FPG) 5) waist circumference >102 cm for men and >88 cm for women (suggestive of high abdominal obesity) Subjects with at least three of the previous components were classified as having MetS We carried out a full descriptive analysis of all the considered variables Descriptive values were always expressed as mean ± standard deviation (SD) because normally-distributedat the Kolmogorov–Smirnov normality test Continuous parameters were compared by T-test for independent samples we carried out a bivariate (Pearson) correlation for age The risk estimate for MetS development was calculated and expressed as odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence interval (95%C.I.) The receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis was firstly carried out using the MetS incidence at 2008 as state variable and the 2008’s SUA as test variable in order to assess the predictive value of SUA on the 4-year MetS incidence the previous analysis was repeated considering only those subjects who were not affected by MetS in 2008 (n = 669) but though they became in 2012 ROC curve was drawn using the MetS incidence in 2012 as state variable and SUA (as assessed in the 2008) as test variable The analyses were performed in the general population and A P value less than 0.05 was regarded as statistically significant Statistical analyses were performed through the SPSS 21.0 statistical software package (IBM Corporation At the baseline, the population sample appeared to be mainly made up of middle-aged subjects, with a slightly tendency to overweight and hyperglycemia (Table 1) Dividing the sample according to SUA mean (whole population = 4.8 mg/dL MetS appeared to be more frequent for higher concentrations of SUA [OR = 2.12 this tendency was confirmed when only the most severe forms of MetS were considered (with 4 to 5 risk factors) [OR = 2.59 Receiver Operating Characteristic curve (ROC curve) constructed using serum uric acid concentrations (mg/dl) as test variable and metabolic syndrome as state variable in the general population Data refer to the 2008’s population survey SUA appeared again predictive of middle-term (4-year) MetS incidence in whole population [AUC = 0.604 P = 0.029; with 4.7 mg/dL best cut-off value] and in the female group [AUC = 0641 P = 0.039; with 3.9 mg/dL best cut-off value] our findings show that SUA levels associated with preclinical CVDs risk (as MetS is) are even lower Thus, our findings strengthen for their part the Gerald Reaven’s hypothesis, who just included SUA in MetS definition decades ago29 enrolled in an area relatively near to Brisighella the accuracy of incidence data was obviously affected by the relatively brief period offollow-up a number of confounding variables could have affectedfindings over a longerperiod hyperuricemia appears to be a highly prevalent component of MetS as well as a risk factor for MetS developing with cut-off values far lower than those considered dangerous nowadays in older subjects Serum uric acid and acute coronary syndrome: Is there a role for functional markers of residual cardiovascular risk Tissue Characterization of Coronary Plaques as a Key to Relationship between Serum Uric Acid Level and Cardiovascular Disease: A Direct Risk or an Indirect Marker Relation between serum uric acid and risk of cardiovascular disease in essential hypertension Uric acid and coronary heart disease risk: evidence for a role of uric acid in the obesity-insulin resistance syndrome Serum uric acid change and modification of blood pressure and fasting plasma glucose in an overall healthy population sample: data from the Brisighella heart study High serum uric acid is associated to poorly controlled blood pressure and higher arterial stiffness in hypertensive subjects Association of plasma uric acid with ischaemic heart disease and blood pressure: mendelian randomisation analysis of two large cohorts Serum Uric Acid and Cardiometabolic Disease: Another Brick in the Wall Uric acid in metabolic syndrome: From an innocent bystander to a central player Inhibiting NOS blocks microvascular recruitment and blunts muscle glucose uptake in response to insulin Association between serum uric acid (SUA) levels and metabolic syndrome (MetS) components in personnel of Shahroud University of Medical Sciences From risk factor assessment to cardiovascular disease risk and mortality modification: the first 40 years of the Brisighella Heart Study kidney function and pulse-wave velocity: Data from the Brisighella Heart Study cohort Ruscica, M. et al. Brisighella Heart Study Group. Circulating Levels of Proprotein Convertase Subtilisin/Kexin Type 9 and Arterial Stiffness in a Large Population Sample: Data From the Brisighella Heart Study. J. Am. Heart. Assoc. 6, e005764, https://doi.org/10.1161/JAHA.117.005764 (2017) Metabolic syndrome–a new world-wide definition A Consensus Statement from the International Diabetes Federation Association between serum uric acid and some cardiovascular risk factors in a Chinese population Evidence for an indipendent relationship between insuline resistance and fasting plasma HDL 2016 updated EULAR evidence-based recommendations for the management of gout The effects of hyperuricaemia on flow-mediated and nitroglycerin-mediated dilatation in high-risk patients Adverse effects on the classical antioxidanturic acid in adipocytes: NADPH oxidase-mediated oxidative/nitrosative stress Xanthine oxidoreductase is a regulator of adipogenesis and PPAR-gamma activity Uric acid stimulates vascular smooth muscle cell proliferation and oxidative stress via the vascular renin-angiotensin system Uric acid and the development of hypertension Effect of Allopurinol on blood pressure of adolescents with Newly diagnosed essential hypertension: a randomized trial Is high serum uric acid a risk marker or a target for treatment Examination of its independent effect in a large cohort with low cardiovascular risk Hyperuricemia is associated with increased hospitalization risk and healthcare costs: Evidence from an administrative database in Italy Metabolic syndrome: pathophysiology and implications for management of cardiovascular disease High serum uric acid levels increase the risk of metabolic syndrome in elderly women: The PRO.V.A study Download references All authors acknowledge the Faenza Public Health District and all the General Practitioners of Brisighella for their continuous support to the study This work was supported by the University of Bologna and the “Fondazione del Monte” (Bank foundation) [Grant 2016] Hypertension and Atherosclerosis Research Group performed the statistical analysis and wrote the article; F.F performed the statistical analysis and wrote the article; M.G performed the laboratory analysis; all of the authors collected data and critically revised the manuscript; C.B The authors declare no competing interests Publisher's note: Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations Download citation DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-018-29955-w Anyone you share the following link with will be able to read this content: a shareable link is not currently available for this article High Blood Pressure & Cardiovascular Prevention (2023) Sign up for the Nature Briefing newsletter — what matters in science George Honoured To Drive Historic Mercedes and Collect Bandini AwardDriving an historic 100-year-old Mercedes and collecting the Trofeo Bandini Award in the Italian medieval village of Brisighella was an "honour" and a "privilege" for George Russell the 26-year-old drove one of the original Mercedes cars that participated in the 1924 Targa Florio The Brit did so en route to collecting the Trofeo Bandini Award before this weekend's Emilia Romagna Grand Prix "It has been amazing to get behind-the-wheel of a 100-year-old Mercedes," said George. "It's a car that you expect to be sitting in a museum for people to admire, rather than being driven. Being entrusted with its first public outing since its restoration was a real honour, therefore." "The way it drove was exceptional. The noise was fantastic and the handling through the corners, considering the narrow tyres, was very impressive. It was a real joy to get the chance to drive it, so I want to say a huge thank you to the Mercedes-Benz Classic team. "Collecting the Trofeo Bandini Award was also a true privilege. So many great F1 drivers have won this award so it was an honour to add my name to that list. It has been a brilliant day and I'm excited for the rest of the weekend in Imola." The Award was established in 1992 in memory of the famous Italian racing driver Lorenzo Bandini who passed away in 1967 The trophy is given to a figure in F1 and selected by a special committee with the presentation taking place in Brisighella a village in the Emilia-Romagna region of the country George drove the century-old two-litre machine from the nearby town of Faenza to the ceremony in the village square celebrating the award and commemorating Mercedes' overall victory and triple class victory in the Targa Florio 1924 our original Mercedes Targa Florio racing car from 1924 returned to an Italian road - 100 years after the Mercedes victory at the race in Sicily "It was an incredibly emotional moment for everyone involved This red racer thrilled the Italian crowds a century ago and now it has brought a similar response with George Russell behind-the-wheel "We are happy and proud that the car successfully made its first public appearance after its comprehensive restoration at our Mercedes-Benz Classic Centre." President of the Trofeo Bandini Association added: "We were very happy that George was here to collect the 31st edition of the Trofeo Bandini He is a very knowledgeable young man and a great sportsman "We have been working to make this happen for nearly a year and the moment finally came He brought the sun with him to Brisighella and it was a fantastic day "Many thanks to Mercedes-Benz Classic for restoring such an incredible car and having its first public running at our event Everyone was overjoyed to see it on the streets of the village "A huge thanks must go to Mercedes-Benz and the Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS F1 Team for making it happen." Homes evacuated in Emilia-Romagna region as pounding rain ‘well beyond the worst forecasts’ sweeps in Homes are being evacuated in the northern Italian region of Emilia-Romagna as Storm Boris, which has killed at least 24 people in central and eastern Europe since last week, swept into the country, causing severe flooding and landslides. Pounding rain hit Emilia-Romagna late on Wednesday afternoon and the situation rapidly worsened as night fell. Read moreJader Dardi, the mayor of Modigliana, a town in Forlì-Cesena province that was also hit badly by devastating regional flooding in May 2023, said the river had “exploded”. “The situation is very dramatic,” he told Sky TG 24. “It is worse than in 2023.” Water surged downstream, causing floods in the hamlet of Marzeno in Brisighella. “A sudden and large wave is arriving from Modigliana, passing through the hamlet of Marzeno,” according to a message on the social media page of Brisighella’s town hall urging people in the affected areas to evacuate their homes. Displaced people would be accommodated in a school, the post added. Luca Della Godenza, the mayor of Castel Bolognese, said the situation was “well beyond the worst forecasts”. Read more“The situation is getting worse and it’s getting worse more rapidly,” he wrote on Facebook. “The river level is constantly being monitored and has reached 6.19 metres in Tebano. The fire brigade and local police have been mobilised and will be using megaphones to warn citizens of the serious situation we’re experiencing.” He urged residents in the area to ascend to the higher floors of their homes. The Savena river in Bologna was also rising rapidly, the town hall warned on Wednesday night. Officials have ordered the evacuation of ground floor and basement homes in the affected areas. Some roads have also been blocked due to landslides. Severe weather warnings are in place in Emilia-Romagna and neighbouring Marche for the next 24-36 hours. Schools will be closed on Thursday and people have been advised to avoid travel and, where possible, to work from home. Read moreThe flooding in Emilia-Romagna in May 2023 claimed 17 lives and caused €8.5bn (£7.2bn) worth of damage Since last week Storm Boris has brought widespread flooding and torrential rain in the Czech Republic The death toll rose to at least 24 on Wednesday as the Czech Republic reported its fourth and fifth victims Scientists say that extreme rainfall and flooding have become increasingly common and more intense because of human-caused climate breakdown The EU’s crisis management commissioner, Janez Lenarčič, said on Wednesday that flooding in central Europe and deadly forest fires in Portugal were joint proof of the climate crisis This is fast becoming the norm for our shared future,” Lenarčič told MEPs “Europe is the fastest warming continent globally and is particularly vulnerable to extreme weather events.” You have reached ESPN's UK edition. Stay on current site or go to US version. BRISIGHELLA, Italy -- The Bandini Trophy is an unusual award. The winner is chosen by a jury of 12, including the founder of the Minardi F1 team Giancarlo Minardi, and awarded in recognition of a significant improvement over the previous season's racing. It was established in 1992 in memory of Italian racing driver Lorenzo Bandini, who died in a Ferrari at the 1967 Monaco Grand Prix, and in its 25-year history has been awarded to drivers, teams and the son of Enzo Ferrari, Piero. "It's not a Ferrari, but at least it was designed by an Italian," said one passerby in reference to Mercedes engineer director Aldo Costa, who was also being recognised with an award from the organisers. With Bottas suited and booted, the police readied an escort and checked the local train timetable to ensure a level crossing halfway along the route was clear. To the crowd's delight, the W07 was finally fired up and the masses of spectators parted to create an exit route to the southwest of the piazza in the direction of Brisighella. The authorities' attempts to stop traffic accessing the route had not been entirely successful however, and cars, vans and cyclists whizzed past in the opposite direction along the country road. Much to the delight of the Carabinieri leading the procession, speeds had to be kept high enough to feed the W07's radiators with fresh air and prevent the V6 turbo and its hybrid system from overheating. A support van full of Mercedes mechanics and engineers stayed in constant radio communication with Bottas to keep him informed of the various obstacles along the route, which included an elderly gentleman -- also travelling in the direction of Brisighella -- driving a transporter for a classic car. The convoy made quick work of both car and trailer when an opportunity presented itself on one the short straights, adding an unexpected overtake to Bottas' achievements for the day. View this post on Instagram Utter madness #Mercedes #AMG #W07 #Brisighella #Faenza #BandiniTrophy #Bottas #VB77 #Formula1 #F1 A post shared by Laurence Edmondson (@edmondsonf1) on May 5 His arrival in Brisighella was met with cheers and yet more fanfare as the W07 pulled up in front of a small stage on which the award -- a rather striking pottery sculpture of Bandini's Ferrari -- stood awaiting presentation a bunch of security guards dressed in medieval costume created a human shield around him and helped the Mercedes driver pick a route through the enthusiastic locals to the stage the formalities were meticulously drawn out over several hours and it was not until the early evening that Bottas finally got his hands on the trophy "I saw the list of drivers who received the Bandini Trophy before There are some really impressive names on that list -- just think of the total amount of championships these people have won "So I feel very honoured to now be a Bandini winner myself I had some good moments last year and it's nice to be recognised for those Driving the 2016 car on the roads just added to the excitement of this great day." Valtteri Bottas stands with the Bandini Trophy in Brisighella. Steve Etherington/MercedesAlso recognised with awards were Costa F1 journalist Jonathan Noble and F1 photographer Steve Etherington There were wins for Argentina and New Zealand but Australia and South Africa were beaten Argentina clinched a convincing victory over hosts South Africa as Italy stunned Australia in the World Rugby Under-20 Championship on Thursday The pressure is real now for South Africa to top their pool after they succumbed to a 12-31 defeat to Argentina Argentina dominated from the outset and crossed the line in the fourth minute through hooker Juan Greising Revol Four minutes later No.8 Juan Pedro Bernasconi dotted down for the South Americans’ second followed by a try in the 23rd minute by Revol to get his brace which took his side into a 17-0 lead at the break The bonus point try for Argentina came in the 48th minute through captain Efrain Elias South Africa finally got on the scoreboard due to a penalty try after an indiscretion by Felipe Bruno Schmidt Flank Juan Penoucos dotted down in the 70th minute before Bathobele Hlekani got a consolation score at the death which Koen failed to convert after an evening to forget for the pivot penalty try] Argentina 32 [Tries: Bernasconi In a low-scoring affair – Italy and Australia couldn’t beach each other’s defensive line until the 27th minute when Luca Bellucci crossed over for the opening score to take the lead into half-time by 7-0 Australia’s second half started horribly with a yellow card to flank Dane Sawers Three minutes later hooker Valerio Siciliano dotted down for Italy’s second Two minutes later opposition hooker Ottavio Tuipulotu cancelled out Siciliano’s score with a try of his own Wing Ronan Leahy scored Australia’s third and final try of the evening as McLaughlin-Phillips missed the conversion to level the scores Italy hit the final nail in the coffin when flyhalf Simone Brisighella slotted a penalty attempt to give Italy a hard-fought 17-12 victory over the Junior Wallabies Leahy; Con: McLaughlin-Phillips] Italy 17 [Tries: Siciliano Bellucchi; Cons: Brisighella 2; Pen: Brisighella] New Zealand took a great step in their quest to cement their top spot in Pool A as they claimed a hard-fought 27-26 win over defending champions France France started off strongly as they almost scored due to a misfiring lineout by New Zealand in their own 22 The pressure eventually turned into points when France fullback Xan Mousques dotted down for the opening try Flyhalf Hugo Reus extended France’s lead to eight points when he succeeded with a penalty attempt in the 22nd minute after New Zealand flank Andrew Smith received a yellow card for foul play those were the only points they conceded during Smith’s sin-bin period Reus extended France’s lead to 11-0 with a penalty kick heading into half-time The second half turned out to be all New Zealand Centre Aki Tuivailala crashed over for the first of New Zealand’s four tries – converted by flyhalf Rico Simpson France struck back with a try of their own through flank Joe Quere Karaba in the 50th minute but three minutes later Wing Stanley Solomon struck back for New Zealand France scrumhalf Leo Carbonneau received a yellow card in the 57th minute as New Zealand went on to score two more unconverted tries through Dylan Pledger and Manumaua Letiu with a solitary penalty by Reus for France in between the two scores France took the lead back with an unconverted try in the 74th minute by wing Mathis Ferte New Zealand had a penalty reversed due to foul play by Joshua Smith and it seemed as if France had the match won – however New Zealand showed their class to keep playing and a penalty in the 80th minute by Simpson saw New Zealand be victorious in Stellenbosch leaving the defending champions in a vulnerable position to qualify for the knockout stages Karaba; Con: Reus; Pens: Reus 3] New Zealand 27 [Tries: Pledger Tuivailala; Cons: Simpson 2; Pen: Simpson] Official Archive Footage: info@sanzarrugby.com Archie Ryan (EF Education-EastPost) secured the victory on stage 4 at the Settimana Internazionale Coppi e Bartali The 22-year-old Irishman made a late-race attack with 5km to go and narrowly held off the chase behind to take the win ahead of runner-up Jenno Berckmoes (Lotto Dstny) and third-placed Adam Ťoupalík (TDT-Unibet) on an uphill finish in Brisighella Koen Bouwman (Visma-Lease a Bike) finished seventh on the day and continues to lead the overall into the stage 5 finale on Saturday The fourth and penultimate stage at the Settimana Internazionale Coppi e Bartali offered four large circuits and a shorter finishing circuit in and around Brisighella The 150.7km route included three ascents of the Il Monticino before a hilly short-loop finale An early breakaway emerged inside the opening 20km that included Alec Segaert (Lotto Dstny) Marco Palomba (General Store-Essegibi-F.Lli Curia) Filippo d'Aiuto (General Store-Essegibi-F.Lli Curia) Jeferson Armando Ruiz Acuña (GW Erco Shimano) and Emanuele Ansaloni (Technipes #inEmiliaRomagna) The eight riders extended their lead over the first and second ascents of Il Monticino Just ahead of the third ascent of the Il Monticino while the six remaining riders were distanced by 36 seconds Brenner bridged across to Segaert and then attacked to go solo with 26km to go but the pair were still 50 seconds behind Brenner Brenner continued to build his lead on the fourth and final climb over the Il Monticino with the main field closing in at less than a minute behind the lone rider out front of the main field on the run-in to the finish line which led the way for Archie Ryan (EF Education-EastPost) to go on the attack He jumped out of what remained of the field and gained a slim 10-second lead heading into the uphill finish all he needed to hold off the chase and win in Brisighella Results powered by FirstCycling Kirsten has a background in Kinesiology and Health Science She has been involved in cycling from the community and grassroots level to professional cycling's biggest races She began her sports journalism career with Cyclingnews as a North American Correspondent in 2006 Kirsten became Women's Editor – overseeing the content strategy race coverage and growth of women's professional cycling – before becoming Deputy Editor in 2023 by /// May 6 Many great stories are the result of great journeys – real or imagined like Dante’s peregrinations through the Underworld Most of us will have heard of Dante and Virgil’s adventures through the circles of the Inferno between demons and damned souls; of their journey up to the mountain of Purgatory and finally up to Paradise alongside his sweetheart Beatrice until he reaches his final vision – l’amor che move il sole e l’altre stelle (love Dante was also a great traveller in real life. After being exiled from his native Florence in 1301, he spent the remainder of his life moving between courts and castles, until his death in Ravenna twenty years later The great poet’s wanderings through Romagna and Tuscany can be retraced by modern-day pilgrims along Dante’s Walk a ring-route connecting Firenze and Ravenna divided in 21 stages along trails and paths It can be covered by hikers between March and November since it reaches altitudes of up to 1500 meters which can be covered in snow during the winter months accommodation in mountain areas and small villages may be hard to find in winter you can also reach locations along Dante’s Way Here are some of the highlights you’ll encounter along the way following the footsteps of Italy’s greatest poet on a journey through culture but don’t miss lesser known gems like the Mausoleum of Galla Placidia and Baptistry of Neon Start your journey at the Tomb of Dante a neoclassical monument in the historic centre of the city where the Poet’s remains were laid to rest Dante’s journeys didn’t end after his death in 1321 – his bones were moved several times and they were even lost for several decades until they were found by a student in a small box hidden within a wall Ravenna’s connection with Dante’s life doesn’t end here The town was also the birthplace of Francesca the star-crossed lover made famous by chapter V of Inferno where she is reunited with her lover Paolo bypassing Faenza in the direction of Oriolo dei Fichi a tiny hamlet dominated by a 15th century tower At the time, Oriolo dei Fichi was contended between the lords of Faenza and the Dioceses of Ravenna and a tower was built on the site of an earlier Medieval castle for military purposes Oriolo and its tower became part of the territory of Faenza and the tower lost its strategic importance info panels show verses and illustrations from chapters VIII narrating the arrival of Dante and Virgil to the infernal city of Dite and their encounter with two damned souls in the circle of heretics The third stage of Dante’s Way is one of the most scenic covering 17 km between Oriolo dei Fichi and Brisighella hills made of clay and gypsum formed as a result of erosion Brisighella is one of the most beautiful small towns crossed by this long-distance trail and spend some time exploring its historic centre with narrow streets lined by pastel-coloured houses The most unique thing to see in town is the Via degli Asini an elevated road once used to transport gypsum on the back of donkeys now covered by buildings and lit by arch-shaped windows Brisighella is surrounded by three rocky hills When sunset comes, climb up to the Clock Tower, where you can get a bird’s eye view of Brisighella, with its terracotta roofs surrounded by hills and countryside. If you have time, Brisighella is the perfect place to spend a ‘rest day’ – the town is a pleasant place to explore surrounded by scenic trails and cycle paths immersed in nature Dante’s Way continues towards the ruined church of Gamberaldi and then it momentarily leaves Emilia Romagna to enter Tuscany Marradi was the birthplace of Dino Campana and it’s worth stopping by for its elegant historic centre framed by the peaks of the Apennines and lined with elegant buildings Marradi is also known for its local chestnuts – come autumn time you’ll find them for sale in wicker baskets all over town Leaving Marradi behind, you’ll be heading back into Emilia-Romagna. The destination is the small mountain village of San Benedetto in Alpe in the heart of the Foreste Casentinesi National Park straddling the regions of Emilia-Romagna and Tuscany This stage is one of the longest and hardest of the entire trail, with a considerable uphill altitude difference, but you’ll be rewarded by the stunning sight of the Acquacheta waterfall created by the Montone river tumbling 70 meters over a sandstone wall You’ll be hearing the waterfall long before you approach Dante compared the rumble of the Acquacheta waters to the Flegetonte a river of boiling blood where thieves and killers are damned to spend eternity having amazed visitors from all over the world from several centuries you’ll sure to be amazed by the view of the city as you approach from afar with the Arno River bisecting the city and the dome of the Duomo dominating the skyline and most of what we see nowadays dates back to the 15th/16th century one of the most famous sights in town overlooking Piazza della Signoria built in 1300 – the same year when Dante first put pen to paper Another unmissable sight for those following the steps of the great poet is his birthplace now housing a museum dedicated to Dante’s life and work You won’t just learn about Dante as a poet Before turning your back on Florence and starting your return path to Ravenna there’s one more place to visit – Dante’s cenotaph in the Church of Santa Croce built in the hope that the Poet’s body would one day be returned to his hometown while another statue representing Poetry cries on his grave The ‘return’ branch of Dante’s Way starts by crossing the Casentino valley one of the most important Tuscan noble families in the Middle Ages the Guidi family supported the Holy Roman Empire in its power struggle against the Pope a view opposed to that the central Florence government the poet sought refuge in their castles and mansions when he was exiled from his hometown He is said to have spent up to a year in the castle of Poppi where he composed the XXXIII chapter of Inferno Poppi is a quick deviation from Dante’s Way being located only 8 km from Prato di Strada where the second stage of the return hike from Florence ends to spend some time exploring the pretty walled city and enjoying the views over the surrounding countryside you’ll find a chapel decorated by Taddeo Gaddi and a layout of the famous battle of Campaldino between Guelphs and Ghibellines After leaving Poppi, the following three stages cross the Casentino Valley, dominated by the Foreste Casentinesi National Park It’s time to leave towns behind and head into the wilderness – if you like walking through forests this is the section you’ll probably love best to be able to spend a night in this unforgettable location surrounded by beech forests and meadows from where you can see the peaks of the Apennines stretching all around you a great time to visit the Foreste Casentinesi is Autumn – late October is the time where the colours are at their most vivid and the mountains look like an artist’s palette Continuing across the Foreste Casentinesi National Park, the first village you’ll encounter is Premilcuore suspended in time – it’s in a remote location connected to nearby towns by twisty mountain roads Premilcuore houses a castle once owned by the Guidi family created by the Rabbi as it makes its way through the valley a spiral-shaped waterfall ending in an emerald-coloured pool of water The name Urlante (shouting) refers to the noise made by the water as it rushes through the rocks and a panel recounting Dante’s journey through the circle of envy in the XIII chapter where he met souls with their eyes sewn shut with wire Only 9 km from Premilcuore, you’ll reach Portico di Romagna an enchanting town with steep cobbled streets The way into Portico is one of the most scenic of the entire trail – you’ll pass an old mill first and then the spectacular Ponte della Maestà a single-arch Medieval bridge still preserving the original stonework you’ll notice another name used alongside Dante’s – that of Beatrice and her family hailed from Portico di Romagna where Palazzo Portinari still stands to this day Before heading to your accommodation or continuing on make sure you visit two places in Portico di Romagna – the spectacular Brusia a Bocconi waterfall and the Dante e Beatrice Municipal Gardens the ideal place to take a break from all the hiking In case you’re exploring Dante’s Way by car connecting Premilcuore to Portico di Romagna is currently closed due to a landslide – even though many GPS apps still mark it as open The easiest way to travel between the two towns is driving along SS9ter and SP23 to Rocca San Casciano and then continuing along SS67 – or vice versa Dovadola is probably the oldest place you’ll encounter along Dante’s Way squat castle overlooking the town – it was first built in the 12th century it’s a sleepy little town on the edge of the Apennines you can take the trail leading 300 meters up to the Eremo of Montepaolo where Saint Anthony of Padova lived in the 13th century After Dovadola, you’ll be leaving the Apennines behind you. The rest of Dante’s Way continues downhill, crossing the thermal town of Castrocaro all the way to Forlì Forlì is a busy, bustling Romagna town, located along the Via Emilia the road of Roman origin connecting all the main cities in Emilia-Romagna The way into Forlì is anything but a bucolic experience – instead of forests and mountain trails you’ll be crossing suburban neighbourhoods and city parks Around the square you’ll find the San Mercuriale Abbey built in the 1930s when the square was remodeled in Fascist style Make sure you pay another visit to the Tomb of Dante – you’ll probably feel closer to the experience of the eternal poet after walking along his footsteps through Romagna and Tuscany by /// September 7 by /// October 15 by /// October 10 by /// June 6 by /// January 23 by /// October 19 This last stage starting from Brisighella will see the British rider as leader of the classification Ben Tulett of Team Visma-Lease a Bike, while at the top of the team rankings is UAE Team Emirates, the champion's team Tadej pogacar who is not participating in the Week. Tulett won the fourth stage yesterday, Brisighella-Brisighella, in 3 hours 41' and 21'' ahead of Igor Arrieta of the Uae and Mark Donovan of the Q36.5 Pro Cycling Team, 6 and 7 seconds behind respectively. Tulett took the overall leader's jersey from Magnus Sheffield in a stage race that featured four different leaders after each stage. Ferrara-Bondeno was won by Australian Caleb Ewan, who was later ousted by the winner of Riccione-Sogliano, Britain's Paul Double, who was replaced by Magnus Sheffield after Riccione-Cesena was won by Jay Vine. Tulett's margin in the general classification is 18 seconds over Donovan and 23 over Arrieta. In fourth and fifth place are the first two Italians, Simone Velasco of Astana (26'' behind) and Davide De Pretto of Team Jayco AIUla (28''). The first Romagnolo in the general classification is the Faenza-born Manuele Tarozzi, 98th (at 26'11'') of Bardiani-Faizanè. by /// October 18 Autumn is here, and in the coming weekends, as the days grow shorter and the temperatures begin to drop, there is nothing better than a food trip out of the city in search of the best typical products of Emilia-Romagna (the region that, let us not forget, boasts the highest number of PDO and PGI products in Italy) of the October food and wine festivals not to be missed… and there is something for everyone During the weekends at the end of September and the beginning of October (28-29 September, 5-6-12-13 October), Comacchio, the town on the water, hosts a famous festival dedicated to the Queen of the Valleys: the eel the tasting of delicious eel and fish dishes The first weekend of October (4-5-6 October 2024) sees the return of the National Porcini Mushroom Fair in Albareto the village in the Parma Apennines considered one of the porcini’s homelands Twinned with the International Fair of the White Truffle of Alba the fair offers a rich programme of events and entertainment The weekend of 5-6 October 2024 sees the return of Mast Còt in Spilamberto, the event celebrating the moment when Traditional Balsamic Vinegar of Modena PDO comes to life The event is organised by the Museum of Traditional Balsamic Vinegar in collaboration with the Municipality of Spilamberto and the Consortium of Traditional Balsamic Vinegar of Modena On Saturday 5 and Sunday 6 October 2024, the evocative medieval village of Castell’Arquato comes alive with the traditional Festa delle Castagne e dei Ricordi (Chestnuts and Memories Festival): a day to relive the atmosphere and flavours of the past In addition to the markets in the village streets a tractor parade through the village streets and many moments of entertainment On Sunday, 6 October 2024, the Mushroom and Truffle Exhibition and Grape Festival returns to the streets of the village of Bobbio (one of the most beautiful villages in Italy and one of the Touring Club Orange Flag villages) in the Trebbia Valley the village comes alive with a market of typical local products and wines while themed menus are offered in the restaurants Throughout the day at the central stand it is possible to discover how to recognise mushrooms; activities such as the truffle dog race and the chestnut festival are on the programme Every Sunday in October (6-13-20-27 October 2024), the streets and alleys of the picturesque village of Sant’Agata Feltria will host the National Fair of the Prized White Truffle, dedicated to the precious local tuber or Here is the full programme of events Every Sunday in October and the first Sunday in November, the spa town of Bagno di Romagna comes alive with a calendar of festivals dedicated to local recipes and products All the events include a market with typical products Traditionally, the Sundays in October (6, 13, 20 and 27 October 2024) in Montefiore Conca are dedicated to the autumn fruit par excellence: the chestnut The Chestnut Festival, with its food stalls and markets, is also the perfect opportunity to discover the imposing fortress Montefiore is considered the medieval capital of the Conca Valley and one of the most fascinating and well-preserved Malatesta towns From Thursday 3rd to Sunday 6th October 2024, Cotignola, a town in the hinterland of Ravenna built on the banks of the river Senio, will once again host the festival that pays tribute to the Cagnina novella folk dances and the ritual of crushing the grapes barefoot there is also the opportunity to taste local gastronomic specialities and all the most typical dishes of Romagna cuisine On the two central weekends of October (12-13 and 19-20 October 2024), the date with the market of local autumn products and ancient fruits returns to the streets of Casola Valsenio a charming village in the province of Ravenna The Festa dei Frutti Dimenticati (Festival of Forgotten Fruits) offers a programme entirely dedicated to the rural life of the past rediscovering local agricultural traditions through tastings On the second weekend of October (12-13 October 2024), Borgo Rivola, near Riolo Terme in the province of Ravenna, will host the Sagra della Zucca e dell’Uva Bacarona (Festival of the Pumpkin and the Bacarona Grape) a type of red table grape that ripens in October Typical local dishes such as the trio of pumpkin chestnut and potato tortelli can be tasted at the food stalls From the second Sunday in October and for the following two Sundays (13-20-27 October 2024), the mountain village of Zocca, in the province of Modena, hosts the traditional Chestnut Festival The streets of the town centre will be lined with food stalls all accompanied by music and entertainment for young and old The festival highlights the link between Zocca and the production of chestnuts, a precious forest fruit that has always been important for the people of the Apennines, a link that is also underlined by the presence of a centuries-old chestnut tree in the area and the Chestnut Museum On the Sundays in October (6-13-20 October 2024) the traditional Sagra del Marrone (Chestnut Festival) returns to Castel del Rio Castel del Rio is a mountain village in the province of Bologna surrounded by forests and centuries-old chestnut groves which takes place in the centre of the village it is possible to browse the stalls of the typical products market and to taste – both in the stalls set up in the square and in the various local restaurants – the many local dishes in which chestnuts and chestnut flour are the main ingredients Tartufesta and Tartòfla are the traditional events that animate the towns of the Bolognese hinterland on weekends between the end of October and the beginning of November themed menus and many initiatives centred on the precious white truffle of the Colli Bolognesi A fun way to spend a day among the unforgettable aromas and flavours of the area’s food and wine tradition On the last three Sundays of October (13-20-27 October 2024), Marola, a hamlet in the municipality of Carpineti in the province of Reggio Emilia, will host the traditional Chestnut Festival Marola’s was the first of the festivals dedicated to the chestnut in the Tuscan-Emilian Apennines and one of the first in Italy with the aim of rediscovering and valorising a forest product that The programme includes guided walks through chestnut groves and metati roast chestnuts with mulled wine and many activities for children On Sunday 13th October 2024, the streets and squares of the centre of Soliera will host the return of Il profumo del mosto cotto an autumn festival celebrating the food and wine traditions Sunday 13 and Sunday 20 October 2024 in Talamello, a picturesque village in the province of Rimini, the Marecchia Valley Marrone Fair returns a prized variety typical of the area since medieval times On sale at the festival are ‘ballotte’ (chestnuts boiled in water) and ‘caldarroste’ (chestnuts cooked on the grill using the traditional pan with holes) first and second courses based on this autumn product On Sunday 13 and Sunday 20 October 2024, Alfero will host the event that celebrates the most delicious fruit of the autumn season: the Chestnut Festival commercial and refreshment stalls will be set up along the town’s main street where you can sample typical chestnut products Don’t miss the chance to taste ‘castagnaccio’ and roasted chestnuts washed down with the local Cagnina wine Every Sunday, from 13 October to 17 November 2024, Calestano will host the Black Truffle of Fragno National Fair In addition to the usual stalls selling typical autumn products while throughout the fair the restaurants of Calestano and the surrounding area offer traditional dishes based on the delicious local truffle From Friday 18 to Sunday 20 October 2024, in the unique and evocative setting of Modena‘s Piazza Grande, the high food and wine market exhibition La Bonissima the festival of taste and typical Modenese products food lovers will be able to discover and purchase exclusive products directly from the producers as well as taste typical specialities prepared on the spot On Sunday 20 October 2024, Fanano returns to the traditional appointment with ‘Ste Sroden which in Modenese dialect means this autumn this delightful village in the Modena Apennines dresses up in autumn colors; in a magical atmosphere of leaves and chestnuts local restaurateurs set up stalls serving seasonal specialities based on mushrooms On the last two weekends of October (19-20 and 26-27 October 2024), Bedonia will host the Truffle Fair the ideal opportunity to discover the black truffle of the Ceno Valley The programme includes a food & wine market with local producers themed menus in the restaurants of the Ceno Valley and many events dedicated to the precious local tuber Moreover, on the first three Sundays of October 2024, in San Cassiano, a hamlet near Brisighella, the traditional Polenta Festival returns GiovinBacco. Sangiovese in Festa is the largest wine event dedicated to Sangiovese and Romagna wines in general. Three days, from Friday 25 to Sunday 27 October 2024, in the heart of Ravenna dedicated to good wine and good food from Romagna On the last weekend of October (26-27 October 2024) Montecreto, Città del Castagno in the province of Modena, will host the Chestnut Festival an unmissable autumn event in the Modena Apennines The festival takes place along the main street of the town and in the picturesque Parco dei Castagni, the ideal setting for this event. In the Parco dei Castagni there are trees that seem to date back to the time of Matilde di Canossa as well as the opportunity to taste local specialities such as chestnut ‘ciacci’ Social Media Manager for @inEmiliaRomagna and full-time mom by /// September 6 by /// September 17 by /// September 11 by /// June 27 by /// November 11 by /// January 20 In remembrance of the flood that hit Romagna last year the exhibition halls of the Palazzo del Monte di Pietà headquarters of the Fondazione Cassa dei Risparmi di Forlì will host from May 4 to June 16 the exhibition Romagna sfigurata by Forlì photographer Silvia Camporesi The exhibition features 30 images documenting the landslides with the greatest environmental impact and the changes suffered by the landscape after the flood a reportage with important artistic value that documents the environmental impact of landslides and reveals an obvious and inevitable modification of the agricultural and forest landscape is the result of a project promoted by the Nuova Civiltà delle Macchine APS Association of Forlì based on an idea developed by photographer Silvia Camporesi herself together with landscape architect Sauro Turroni (scientific advisor) supported by Photography Strategy 2023 promoted by the General Directorate of Contemporary Creativity of the Ministry of Culture.Through numerous surveys of Romagna’s municipalities Silvia Camporesi produced a series of photographs and videos with the aim of highlighting the profound changes that connote the new landscape of Romagna which will experience a second stage in September 2024 at the Galleria dell’Immagine in Rimini will be accompanied by a volume that will contain in addition to Silvia Camporesi’s photographs contributions by Sauro Turroni and Franco Farinelli one of Italy’s most distinguished geographers The inauguration is scheduled for Saturday at the Palazzo Monte di Pietà in Forlì; speakers include Mauro Felicori councillor for culture of the Emilia-Romagna Region; Maurizio Gardini president of Fondazione Cassa dei Risparmi bishop of the Diocese of Forlì-Bertinoro president Associazione Nuova Civiltà delle Macchine through the languages of photography and video constructs stories that draw inspiration from myth In recent years her research is dedicated to the Italian landscape by /// January 16 If, on the other hand, for you it is an off-limits season for travel, you could start to discover us remotely, through the stories of the Humans of Emilia Romagna … the first days of autumn are perfect for a trip to one of Romagna’s parks, while in October you can lose yourself in the woods and experience Fall Foliage Don’t forget to snap some Instagram-worthy pictures And if you have a sweet tooth, do not miss the opportunity of a weekend to discover the autumnal treasures of the undergrowth – chestnuts For those who love cycling we recommend the Borgia Ring or Dante’s Way And what about the timeless charm of the beach in autumn If that’s not enough for you, you can always go urban hiking , visit Romagna’s archaeological sites or a walk on the walls of Ferrara If, on the other hand, you cannot resist the charm of the abbeys, we recommend those of Pomposa and San Benedetto in Alpe then you simply must go to the Misano Adriatico World Circuit, which was named after Marco Simoncelli and is available for hire for a racing session or a ride on go-karts This is the perfect place to get your adrenaline rush If, on the other hand, you are a golf enthusiast by /// November 3 by /// October 18 by /// October 14 by /// October 8 by /// September 5 comments need to be approved before they are published by /// August 31 Every Italian knows that Dante Alighieri was born in Florence, Tuscany – birthplace of the Italian language. But not everyone is aware that he died in Ravenna as a guest of the Da Polenta family in 1321 This major thumbs-up celebrates an open-air kind of tourism exploring places in Romagna and Tuscany that Dante mentioned in his Divine Comedy or experienced himself in exile And what better year to discover it all than the 7th centenary of his death So let’s roam this land and enjoy the authentic the timeless allure of these fascinating places and the fabulous quality of life they offer The Crypt of Basilica di San Francesco (Ravenna) | Ph RAVENNA the former capital of the Byzantine Empire and treasure trove of world-renowned mosaics his incessant quest for refuge took him to Forlì spent at the court of Guido Novello Da Polenta diplomatic missions and writing the Paradise He also established a literary circle frequented by his sons and various young local literati finally dying during the night of 13 and 14 September 1321 These are the must-see Dante highlights in Ravenna: It is mentioned both by name and through poetic allusion Francesca da Rimini – daughter of Guido Da Polenta (Renaissance Lord of Ravenna) and wife of Giangiotto Malatesta – is the best-known of the many Ravenna notables who appear on Dante’s journey and his sympathetic portrayal of her is rightly famous This is an ancient art: the earliest workshops date back to the 1st-century bc The clay from the River Lamone was surely highly prized by Dante’s day even if it was only in the Renaissance that it acquired international renown The buildings that Dante would have known include: Two enduringly popular annual events link Faenza to nearby Tuscany. The unmissable 100 km del Passatore in MAY is an international fun run between Florence and Faenza on a beautiful course across the Tuscan-Romagna Apennines; and the Chestnut Festival in Marradi is well worth a visit in OCTOBER Experiences to enjoy: take a trip on the historic steam train from Faenza or Ravenna for the flavour-filled Chestnut Festival in Marradi (one of the Tuscan legs of Dante’s Way) The last port of call along the old Via Faentina before we set foot in Tuscany is the mediaeval spa town of BRISIGHELLA This little gem nestles in the Valle del Lamone Enjoy exploring the local nature and history of the Tuscan-Romagna Apennines in the Vena del Gesso Romagnola Regional Park The Dante’s Routes website has a wealth of extra information There’s so much to discover – cycling and trekking, food and wine, art and culture, exhibitions and shows – in the lands where Italy’s greatest poet lived out his life by /// November 23 by /// November 30 by /// December 3 by /// September 13 by /// January 11 But Emilia-Romagna is much more than Motor Valley and wonderful place to eat The region is home to some of Italy’s best-preserved castles the sort of fortified storybook structures that appear to have leapt from the pages of a Medieval fairy tale the ancient Roman road completed in 187 B.C that connected Piacenza with Rimini – these are five of our favorite fortresses in the region In an anomaly in Italian history, the wonderful CASTELLO DI VIGOLENO in Vernasca (Piacenza) was under the control of a single family for nearly 900 years wealthy through banking and mercantile activity owned the castle from the 1300s to the 1900s Construction began on this completely intact medieval fortification in the 10th century Accessed by a single ravelin and recognizable for its crenulated walls and imposing quadrangular tower with loopholes the rectangular castle proves an ominous fortress The castle’s various rooms have been refurbished through the centuries to include fireplaces a Murano glass chandelier and friezes decorated with biblical subjects cherubs and allegorical figures and museum displays of historical photographs weapons and armor; traces of a drawbridge are still present as well A sundial on the south tower overlooking Vigoleno’s main square dates to 1746 Parma‘s postcard-perfect CASTELLO DI TORRECHIARA was built on order by Magnifico Pier Maria Rossi an Italian condottiere and count of San Secondo Like many of the world’s most beautiful buildings it was built for a woman – in this case the love of Pier Maria Rossi’s life The extraordinary structure is considered one of Italy’s most important examples of castle architecture. The castle’s five signature square towers are brilliantly preserved and rise above a terraced hill 18km south of Parma near Langhirano a treasure trove of grotesque and colorful 15th- and 16th-century frescoes remain remarkably preserved especially that of Benedetto Bembo’s Camera d’Oro which champions the courtship of Pier Maria and Pellegrini in striking detail There’s also a wonderful 16th-century terrace overlooking the Parma valley Another remarkably intact medieval fortress stands near the banks of the Panaro River in Vignola The ROCCA DI VIGNOLA boasts a combination of semi-cylindrical and square towers several of which are connected by atmospheric patrol walkways Construction on the castle began in the 8th century making it one of the region’s oldest and is said to have been erected to ward off invading Hungarians; towers were added during renovations in the 14 th and 15 th centuries The underground Sala dei Contrari and Sala dei Grassoni are used for exhibitions concerts and other cultural events; while several reception rooms and private family quarters are maintained on the higher floors Several notable frescos are preserved throughout where International Gothic (Targo Gotico) frescos by an unknown painter dubbed “Maestro di Vignola” are beautifully unspoiled A visit here should be paired with the town’s other most famous cultural entity a dark chocolate cake with toasted almonds and peanuts overlooks one of Emilia-Romagna’s most scenic borgos Work on the castle dates to 1310 on orders from the Lord of Faenza and is characterized by its two cylindrical watchtowers the tallest of which was built by Venetians during a brief occupation of Emilia-Romagna between 1503 and 1509 Instagram-ready views over Brisighella itself the two towers house informative historic panels and a recreation of the captain’s bedroom and kitchen Moretto artichokes and incredibly-preserved 14th century walkway known as Via del Borgo the views on offer along the path between the two towers are the reason you have come to Brisighella The foundations of the seemingly impregnable FORTEZZA DI SAN LEO near the Marche border dates to Roman times when the hilltop that hosts the palatial estate was known as Mons Feretruis Franks and Lombards have fought over the fortress through the centuries The castle’s square towers were added by the House of Malatesta who briefly conquered the castle in the 14th century The castle was eventually retaken in the 15th century by the House of Montefeltro who ordered the castle rebuilt by famed Sienese engineer Francesco di Giorgio Martini who erected a picture-perfect Renaissance masterpiece the castle hosts a museum that showcases Renaissance weapons and torture instruments a series of illustrations of Dante’s Inferno and other modern art and the famous jail cell of Count Alessandro di Cagliostro (the castle served as a prison in the 15th a famous purveyor of various occult arts who was sentenced to life in prison for attempting to start a Masonic Lodge in Rome these five castles represent but a glimpse of the region’s offerings Kevin Raub is a Bologna-based travel journalist and Lonely Planet author who has contributed to over 100 guidebooks on four continents by /// October 17 by /// September 5 by /// February 13 by /// October 22 by /// August 27 by /// February 4 Archie Ryan (EF Education-EasyPost) has taken his first win as a World Tour rider after a nailing biting finish on stage 4 at Coppi e Bartali in Italy looked doomed on the 150.7km stage into Brisighella but the 22-year-old Irishman simply refused to take no for an answer And demonstrating the kind of climbing power that may bring him some of pro cycling’s biggest prizes he somehow manage to get to the finish line first today Ryan attacked on one of the last kickers of the stage though it was just inside the 10km to go marker and immediately got a gap; none of his rivals able The Irishman then put his head down and fully committed to the task though he was dangling just 10 to 15 seconds off the front of the remains of the peloton for most of his attack he had just eight seconds as Lotto-Dstny led the charge the road continued to rise and dip down all the way to the line And that terrain ensured Ryan had the chance to use his climbing abilities against the more powerful riders behind him; holding off the front of the peloton He took the win from Jenno Berckmoes (Lotto Dstny) and Adam Ťoupalík (TDT-Unibet Cycling Team) who were 2nd and 3rd at the front of the nine-man group sprinting for the minor placings just nine seconds behind yesterday’s stage winner Koen Bouwman (Visma-Lease a Bike) with Ryan also leading the young rider classification as a big chance beckons tomorrow to take the overall win Archie Ryan wins the penultimate stage of Coppi e Bartali! What a thriller! 🔥 #CoppieBartalihttps://t.co/uojlSKtdbs pic.twitter.com/KTaLILuxST — Eemeli (@LosBrolin) March 22, 2024 We’re determined to make stickybottle.com much better for your enjoyment So become a ‘Stickybottle Supporter’ now from just €5 per month We’ve grown our audience significantly in recent years but the advertising market has become harder and harder each year In order to survive and grow – and create much better content – we need to develop an income from our readers By signing up to become a ‘Stickybottle Supporter’ you’ll be helping to secure independent coverage of Irish cycling for years to come Every cent collected from readers will be used to directly fund content Sign Up A THIRD quarter blitz set-up a comprehensive win for Italy and left Scotland licking their wounds at the end of a tough age-grade Six Nations campaign which started promisingly with the team picking up two bonus points against England and then tasting victory for the first time in 15 matches against Wales before they slumped to three heavy defeats on the bounce The lowest point of the championship was undoubtedly the 82-7 hammering suffered against Ireland last weekend and head coach Kenny Murray said he was pleased with how his team had bounced back from that harrowing experience “The boys responded well in that first half,” he said “We’d talked about work-rate and physicality and I thought the boys imposed themselves well on Italy but losing our tight-head prop [Eben Cairns] to injury early on put our set-piece under pressure and in the second half we made too many unforced errors and they absolutely dominated us from a set-piece perspective You just can’t play rugby without a set-piece Scotland v Italy report: late Blair Kinghorn try secures bonus-point win for hosts Gregor Townsend begins talks with Scottish Rugby about his future “Once you get into that cycle of giving away scrum penalties and having to defend driving mauls “I’m disappointed that we didn’t win at least two games over the course of the tournament,” he added “If we’d been two out of two that would have been a brilliant start for us so to be 36-31 up against England with eight minutes to go and not find a way to win is disappointing we were well beaten and there’s a lot of learning from that It highlights where we are as an under-20s team and as a rugby-playing country … we need to be better we need to develop our players better to compete at the highest level and at the moment we are a fair but off that.” The team’s next target is the Junior World Trophy in Kenya in late July which Scotland must win in order to secure promotion back into the top flight World Championship for 2024 “The support and commitment from rugby has been excellent,” Murray added “I’m here in a new role as head of player transition we’ve got coaches in to work with the players so we’re definitely on an upward ladder But the big thing is that we need to be better at producing players and developing players to come and compete at this level “Today we were down to pretty much our last prop available in Scotland to play at tight-head and other countries don’t have those problems we need to develop players younger because physical development doesn’t start at 18 “All these guys [in the Scotland under-20s squad] are already joined up with Super Series [Super6] clubs for the ‘Sprint’ competition so that will help us during the April/May window before they come back in to camp for the World Trophy during the summer “I’m absolutely not going to criticise the players who have worked hard in training and their commitment on and off the field has been excellent but at the moment we can’t impose ourselves physically on this level of opposition They are a hard-working group who want to do well and that’s going to stand us in good stead for Kenya we want to be dining at the top table of World Rugby at all levels finishing just behind the top two teams in the world in their Six Nations and we want to be there or thereabouts as well It is going to be tough at the Junior World Trophy but we’re going there to get ourselves back into the Junior World Championship.” Scotland got off to a flying start as they looked to exorcise the demons of last weekend’s hammering at the hands of Ireland Richie Simpson made the most of scrappy ball off a rapidly back-pedalling home scrum to sniff out a gap on the blindside winger Alessandro Gesi – younger brother of Simone who debuted for the senior Azzurri team on Saturday –managed to intercept the offload only to inexplicably flip a loose pass 15 yards backwards to nobody and Dan King didn’t need to break stride as he cantered onto the loose ball and onwards under the posts but Italy bounced right back with classy full-back François Carlo Mey collecting the restart and streaking 50 yards downfield before earning a ruck penalty which was sent to the corner setting up a line-out maul which thundered over the for the visiting team’s opening points scored by Giovanni Quattrini The scoreboard operator barely had a second to draw breath before Scotland struck again through a ruck penalty which was turned into three-points by Simpson making it 10-5 to the hosts with 10 minutes played – but then the scoring dried up The remainder for the half was battled out in the middle third of the park with neither team managing to control possession for a long enough to really stress their opponents’ defence Ben Afshar did have a chance to break the stalemate five minutes before the break with long-range shot at goal after Jacopo Botturi was penalised for being slow to roll away from the tackle just inside his half own but the Scotland scrum-half’s effort drifted to the left of the posts And Scotland threatened again a few minutes later through Geordie Gwynn on the left wing but his chip ahead did not bounce favourably and Sebastiano Battara was able to snuff out that attack Given that Italy had the wind at the back after the break and that they have won the second half of all four of their previous matches in this Six Nations campaign it was always doubtful that Scotland’s five point lead was going to be enough A better conversion rate of just one score from five entries into the Italian 22 during that opening 40 would certainly have been helpful It took the visitors just three minutes after the game resumed to push their way into the lead for the first time in the match with No 8 Botturi muscling through four tackles to score under the posts setting up an easy conversion for Simone Brisighella Italy struck again through scrum-half Battara at the back of a totally dominant scrum following a brilliant outside break from full-back Mey and Botturi again burst past four tacklers for what he thought was his second try of the match only to be called back for a double-movement It was only a temporary reprieve for the increasingly bedraggled hosts with tight-head Marcos Francesco Gallorini muscling over for the bonus-point try Gallorini struck again just after the half hour mark when he picked up at the back of a ruck on the SAcottish line and leapt over a pile of bodies to touch down A combination of Italy clearing their bench and also picking up two yellow-cards in quick succession – against Filippo Lavorenti for a an upright tackle which led to a clash of heads with Afshar (mitigated down from a red because of a change of direction) and Lorenzo Elettri for playing the ball on the deck on his own line – curbed the visitors’ momentum during the final quarter Scotland picked up a consolation score with eight minutes left through Will Robinson on the right when replacement tight-head Nicholas Gasperini muscled over in injury time Scotland: D King; K Johnston (W Robinson 66) B Afshar (C Clare 70); C Davidson (M Surry 50) F Bozzoni (L Elettri 41); S Brisighella (G Sante 64) S Battara (L Casilio 70); D Aminu (R Bartolini 62) G Quattrini (N Gasperini 64) Scoring sequence (Scotland first): 5-0; 7-0; 7-5; 10-5 (h-t) 10-10; 10-12; 10-17; 10-19; 10-24; 10-26; 10-31; 10-33; 15-33; 17-33; 17-38; 17-40 Gregor Townsend begins talks with Scottish Rugby about his future but stronger – how’s that working Until the SRU realises & accepts that international props need hugely different physical attributes to virtually all other positions with a lot of these attributes being unique & slow developing The SRU picks their district development squads at roughly 15 years of age largely based on touch rugby & passing skills as well as strength-to-weight & maturity What the SRU seems to completely fail to realise is a lot of these kids that are performing well at 15 (usually as they have been on S&C training for a couple of years by then & are at a well coached schools/ clubs) have actually plateaued in size & strength development A very common comment by people in the know is that “once a person is within the academy setup then it is multiple times harder to be dropped from it than for anyone else to enter” whose strength & dynamism doesn’t match their size until later on in their teens & certainly don’t get the same pathway opportunities & expert coaching which their potential deserves In most cases it will be these slower developing kids who have the greatest potential to go on to develop the necessary size & technique for being top level international props Although the SRU appears to recognise this situation unfortunately to-date nothing appears to have been implement to address the problem (the Scrum School Programme initiative is a step in the right direction but doesn’t tackle the issue raised here) So until the SRU takes this issue seriously & implements change within its selection & pathway system our props will remain much smaller & have less physicality when compared to other nations Nepotism abounds in Scottish rugby circles Once you’re in you can’t get out abounds in squads ( look at players backgrounds ) Until this is dealt with and young guys picked on ability and not from family or where you come from I hope Zander Fargerson stays injury free total = at least 18 tight head props playing in Scotland and yet we have to rely on J P NELL “ old war horse “ as replacement Having been in Swansea on Sunday to watch a fascinating match unfold (Scotland V Wales under 18) I need to tell you all that the Scottish boys constantly pushed the Welshmen in the scrums lost About 50% of our line out ball to good Welsh jumping and an even contest in the backs division I got home to watch the under 20’s match the Italians in the backs but get hammered by massively built props in the azurri blue these are not people who are found when the circus rolls into town once a year They are developed and clearly bought into these specimens don’t appear overnight 🤷‍♂️ But the 18s did well so what happens in those two years to each countries forwards needs a keen eye for no mater the fight in a destroyer it’ll get blown out of the water everytime it goes up against a battleship There is only one answer… development of talent acquisition within Scotland primarily… on another note having friends in the English setup and Welsh it’s very disappointing to see their players proudly wearing the same pristine kit as the first teams While Scotland pull on the hand me downs of the last few years… things like that shout amateur week more than anything else and must filter through to the players 🤔 Once witnessed a regional match (leading to Scottish National age group selection) where players had to put on the wet/stinking tops from the older age group that had just finished playing can’t do anything for players/coaches involved Sean Lineen turned the U20’s around several years ago after the mess that P Wright et al left behind & picked kids on ability & presented a report on a root & branch change – guess what both ‘left’ & the status quo has remained – Turkeys rarely vote for Xmas & so the SRU reaps what it sows Complete overhaul is needed top to bottom for the entire Scottish process in under age rugby You have to be picked on ability .that doesn’t happen presently Most of the Coaches are from the ‘ jobs for the boys ‘ culture up at Murrayfield .who if they fail at one thing they’re moved to another position That has to go .but will it The’Coaches ‘ in the system seem to be there for life Doesn’t matter if they’re useless they are are just moved to another position In any other business failure means you are jettisoned to bring someone in who knows the time of day when Scotland U20 were competitive and reached no.5 in the world I can’t believe the player base has changed that much in the intervening years and the U18s are still generally competitive so there must be something happening in the transition from that level We know about the goldfish bowl of Leinster schools and so on but what about other countries Italy seem to have professionalised their U20s Is it just the case that our players are not getting the same exposure to top level rugby and physical conditioning as others When the kids move into the U16 and U18 regional set ups within the SRU the expectation is that the level of coaching admin etc is higher than that of the school/club but it is also the case that it is a step backwards for many of the boys I only caught the first half yesterday when they were actually doing OK despite being monstered in the scrums If they could get parity in the forwards they would be competitive but you cant compete if you are getting tanked up front Both Italy and France have some huge players who are just physically much bigger than us and its hard to compete against this We need to unearth some bigger specimens otherwise this will continue I don’t remember the disparity in shear size up front existing 10 years ago No conditioning will enable a 14-15 stone prop to compete against a 18 stoner As others have said we may only find 2 or 3 players each year homage it to the top and this is enough to feed the International pool in later years I do worry about prop in particular because outside of the U20’s I am not seeing any up and coming Scottish born props who look big enough to compete at international level in the future Nat 1 has some big props who play against men every week These boys are strong experienced with good skills and technique more than capable of handling the French and ltalian forwards further more they can carry better tackle better than what was on show in the 6 nations Well the reasons are listed in the comments below As we are all aware the U20 results will have longlasting effects on Scottish Rugby time to trust club rugby to produce the future stars If the SRU want to get serious about giving more homegrown players a chance then they should be looking at sending some of our better That would create space for more players to come through in Gla/Edin but it’s no secret that the Ulster branch and their fans are sick of being marginalised by the Dublin clique They now accept that they’ll be getting no more than a few token call ups to the national side We should look to get a foothold over there and establish a mini player base that allows new talent to breathe At the moment these bloated Gla/Edin squads just don’t have room for everyone but we don’t have enough players to create a third competitive team If we could get a group of 6/8 over to Belfast to play top level rugby without the cost of running third team then we could really expand our options It also means thise players are not scattered all over the English prem U20s team is a waste of time anyway as we just pick rejected Boks All Blacks and now Irishmen for the adult team There little chance of any of these boys playing for the big team Players at 12- 13 yrs seen to be world beaters are put in system and can’t be discarded …… WHY often overtaken in ability by maturing young lads who have never been given chances never looked again at because this is the SRU way Influences from famous fathers .coaches .where you come from abounds in Scottish rugby But looking at chaotic season and results .something clearly has to There is the situation where Academy lads are playing 2nd XV rugby while non Academy boys (same age/position) are being picked ahead of them for the 1st XV It’s who you know in Scottish rugby circles .just look at selection in squads Nepotism abounds Dogma in the post below [2.18am] offers up a good question where once Italy fielded a UN XV the preponderance now appears to be home grown talent in the main I don’t suspect for a moment that the SRU is the most affluent Union nor do I suspect that we have the greatest catchment of players playing Club Rugby With that thought clearly to the fore the only thing that can be improved is the organisation That more than anything means not wasting revenue on vanity projects that divert funds from the Goose laying the Golden Egg I tried briefly to find out if the SRU were still funding Clubs overseas but the SRU search engine gave me no clues Supporting Clubs outside of Scotland is hardly a move to bring a smile to a struggling Club looking for logistical support Don’t be diverted with ideas that emanate from the URC that are primarily for their Marketing benefit keep to mind that the cake is the same size no matter how many slices you divide it into it’s that you can’t manufacture success by calling something ‘Super’ or ‘New’ that’s just a Marketing word stuck on a faux competition organic growth is the better long term proposition the Clubs and the SRU have to work together development between Clubs and local schools needs to be developed and with that thought lobby the Government to re-introduce sport of a competitive nature throughout the schools public and private in school time and recompense the teaching staff identify the teacher with an interest in the game It isn’t Rocket Science but in these days where common sense looses out to a couple of dissenting voices it my as well be We need government change in education attitude not just sport but extra curricular activities Every child has a talent and our education system should be giving the chance for a child to find that talent On a personal basis my family had no history of sport in it never mind rugby We lived in a pretty rough area and my father sent us to Heriot’s ( not private at the time) I saw a rugby ball for the first time in my life For me and my brothers the rest is history So much depends on the staff at the school I had an enthusiastic headmaster that got me into Athletics and that led to Rugby remember the days when teaching staff would even volunteer to take extra curricular sport Iain unfortunately sport isn’t important in Scotland Schools are going backwards in terms of their delivery and the deminishing number of diehards with memories of a vibrant club scene are of an age that makes us less relevant Mixed in with a general change in demographics and modern safety concerns I genuinely fear for our great game It will never go back to what was but it must be tailored so we encourage as you I remember once put it “more bad players “but then importantly a strong pathway for the better ones The fact we never willing accept change goes along way to holding our game back and we never seem to be able join things up to ensure we achieve our aims Watching the slammed series about 70s Welsh rugby was a reminder that we no longer have the numbers watching supporters no longer have the closeness to the players and the so called development of players and game organisation often make it less of an appealing spectacle It’s a different game With the increase in litigation and the need for more safety within the game its now impossible for normal club games to be refereed in the same way as pro ones Belive There’s going to be a separation brought about initially with the tackle height We will have the standard game with regulations that allow players and officials greater protection The pro game with greater medical support cameras etc etc will have different boundaries That will mean there will be a need for a transition level for u20s and academy players In a more complicated environment we must be willing to embrace the fact young players deserve those in charge at all levels to be looking forward not backwards with a wide perspective of the changes the game faces but it would be good if Scottish Government took those responsible for that strategy and banned them from sports administration for evermore I was listening to the Science of Sport podcast about should kids sport be non competitive As they are from South Africa they referenced Craven Week This is a provincial rugby competition at U13 U16 and U18 Of the 760 that stop playing 730 drop out between 13-16 The big 12 year old is caught up by the rest at 15 and likely didn’t develop the skills or mindset due to their relative size The bigger issue for Scottish Rugby is we don’t have the sports culture of South Africa or Ireland come to that From a much smaller base we will be having the same drop off rates It’s not just about more S&C and better coaching It’s a radical rethink of youth development with less pro coaching and more fun and enjoyment Less specialisation at young age and focus on gross skills This model doesn’t work for all sports (I’m thinking gymnastics and swimming) but does for team events like rugby where physical maturity is a massive component We can’t afford to reject players at 13-14 And then of course there is the transition to seniors for U18…… NZ (and Ireland) is that between 13-18 big clubs and rugby schools come in and cream off the players they think have elite potential and stop them playing for their clubs The most extreme example of this kind of system is the American system of High school major league and maybe a minor league which is still elite There is not much organised community adult sport in the US as we would recognise it These systems result in a goldfish bowl and produce elite players but arguably at the cost of grassroots so you have to have some way of sustaining a broad base at pre-teen level and accept the adult game will probably suffer They do almost everything through community rugby as far as I can see but they also have huge bits of the country where community rugby is a massive tradition that maybe we don’t and a big population we definitely don’t I have been saying for years about playing for fun Especially up to the ages of 14 then bring in competition Not sure if the sports culture is any different across the board in Ireland or that they are not dominated by soccer as we are over here Though rugby is a major interest to me my worry is our failing school education system This is where developing youngsters will happen in sport and the arts Until we get a radical rethink by government then we will continue to fail our youngsters Long term thinking will produce a healthier society and a more educated society and save billions in the long term So because we have historically been poor at developing young players it’s impossible to start doing it now??! Italy France n Ireland have totally changed their attitude to player development in a relatively short space of time and are producing pro ready teenage players and in the case of France n Ireland feeding more pro sides than we are It can be done but too many people want to protect the status quo rather than see Scottish rugby evolve Einstein had something to say about running the same experiment over and over again Time we listened and made fundamental change from the top down In the pre S6 days we used to cap young players like Logan Stanger n Hogg Now we are terrified to let Horne get a game and he’s 26! At the beginning of the season I watched a couple of Caley Midlands u20 teams playing friendlies against a touring Argentinian college squad no training and only met up for a trial prior to playing the games They were all from the lower leagues and the standard was surprisingly high for lads that had never been looked at before They put up a fine show (oddly far better defensive organisation than the national u20s could dream of) and it was clear that there players there that given 12 months of full time training and S&C could do fantastic things The talent is out there but we would rather throw millions at poaching other nations cast offs It’s a shame Scot Gov gave that money to the SRU Had it gone directly to clubs the SRU would have to stop wasting money abroad and start properly developing our young players Some of the cartel might have slunk off whence they came if the trough had dried up I wonder how much game time the u20’s will actually get in the Super 6 ‘Sprint’ competition There’s little point in the whole squad signing for Super 6 sides if they’re not going to be starting games or at least getting a good run out whenever possible In several cases players will be making a huge jump from Prem 2nd XV’s/the bench for a Nat 1 side Is the SRU in a position to stipulate that the u20’s must play “I’m disappointed that we didn’t win at least two games over the course of the tournament,” he added “If we’d been two out of two that would have been a brilliant start for us England result was all on you and the coaches Kenny starting an X factor winger who you took off after 55 mins not to be seen again for the whole tournament meant that you ended up with a 9 at 15 in the last then minutes England scored from a cross field kick to win the game Never mind the 3 tries scored in the first 14 mins as the back three pendulum wasn’t functioning try changing your 13 rather than your wingers in every game his default position is to run back inside all the time Worked better at 12 today v Italy with a proper 13 coming on in the second half We only beat Wales by a point after they had five yellow cards and we only got back into the English game because they went to sleep I have said for many years now it is simply not a level playing field All French players are attached to at least a Top 14 club and some have already made their Top 14 debuts England and Ireland are more or less the same I couldn’t agree more with Kenny Murray but until Scottish Rugby either creates a third Junior Pro Team and we throw some serious money at that then we will never be able to compete fully with these other nations and the odd token win will continue to be the norm Was James O’connor not 17 when he made his full Wallaby debut!! The only thing stopping us producing pro ready age grade players is the system that the SRU out into place It can be done but for some reason we are determined to throw millions at players from anywhere but Scotland It’s obviously unsustainable but the status quo rules unfortunately Well here we go again with the BS from Kenny Murray and his coaching team When are the powers that be Jim Mallinder { has anyone actually seen him} John Fletcher head of coaching or whatever title he has going to admit in it current format the whole Academy system is flawed and not fit for purpose We lose a TH prop and KM blames that for the rest of the woes surely our replacement TH should be just as good as the starter or is it easier to blame the replacement There is no definitive plan or idea to have our U20s prospects playing hard competitive rugby week in week out Again we have all the usual coaching terminology coming out which is in layman’s term BS How many of the young men will actually make full international in the next 3 year a very low % hence the SQ program and dragging out birth certificate in every rugby playing country to see if you have any link to Scotland for example you have tasted short bread so you must be Scottish Will whoever is last to leave the age grade building please switch off the lights If you look back at all the Scottish school boy teams moving forward to the U20’s sometimes in a particular year none made it to the top Where Scotland have been successful is identifying the few genuine talents who were capable of playing top level rugby If 3/4 players each year make it to the top then the U20’s have done their job if anyone watched it they just might think that actually Scotland played better rugby Italy simply monstered us with a giant pack This meant every scrum turned into a penalty and Italy marched upfield to the next lineout and maul You’re right and actually for the future of some of our players the game will be an irrelevance As they mature into adult rugby seldom will they face such inequality in the set piece and other skills will come to the fore The props that were selected for this tournament were simply not good enough and have let this team down in every game Not their fault that they were picked but can’t be fair on the rest of the boys who have tried to compete to constantly let down by players who just shouldn’t be there The gaul of this man to come out and say this “Today we were down to pretty much our last prop available in Scotland to play at tight-head and other countries don’t have those problems we need to develop players younger because physical development doesn’t start at 18 I know of at least three props who are bigger “All these guys [in the Scotland under-20s squad] are already joined up with Super Series [Super6] clubs for the ‘Sprint’ competition Firstly why have they got Super6 places when they play 2nd team for their clubs and can’t even perform against players their own age let alone the props from Ayr How many are even going to feature in the super6 especially after that performance Granted they were the bottom of the selected barrel but they were awful,truly awful What is even worse is that they’re going to spend the spring and summer getting no game time with their super6 teams because they’re simply not good enough then get rewarded with a trip to Kenya where we’re going to have to watch the same shite again The Ulster Schools cup final was played between Royal Belfast Academical Institution & Campbell College Belfast at what I still call Ravenhill on Friday in front of a claimed 8000 folk And we wonder why Ireland produce so many quality players…. The standalone show are miles ahead of our u20 players let alone our u18s …who knew that developing as many young players as possible would raise standards and make individuals more competitive ? It would be good to know how Italy are now producing such strong U20 teams Is anyone in the SRU studying how other countries are so much more successful Ireland produce elite players out if a schools goldfish bowl probably at the expense of their community game They don’t have to co-exist with another wealthier professional team ballsport either as GAA is amateur Not saying we shouldn’t be aiming for more intense schools rugby- we should – but Ireland is different Yeah the Ben Ryan report….whatever happened to that Was it completed or did the Mafia just not like what it had to say The sad fact is that this direction of travel was predicted when Fewer Stronger first came about It was blindingly obvious what would happen We need a full reset of the whole system ASAP Very little online about the Ben Ryan report Looks like he’s off to Brentford now and no longer at the SRU One of many reports by the looks of things… https://www.theoffsideline.com/sru-director-of-rugby-board/ Would be interested to know what the recomendations were and if they have been acted on Did I read somewhere (probably on this website) that a report has been commissioned or is underway looking at ways we can improve the competitiveness of our underage teams Another depressing tournament for the U20s It will be interesting to see how many U20 players get picked for the Sprint series and how much game time they get Who knew that playing rugby helped develop players Yes but you cannot just throw players into a level of rugby they are not ready for That is why we have players at U20 playing at different levels from Nat 1 right through to the pro level Of course they are then exposed at U20 level The success in Scotland has come from developing the handful of players who are good enough to play right at the very top You just have to look at the age group teams/ Scottish school boy teams over 50 years to see how few in each group go on to play for our country The question is can we ever change this trend That would take a massive cultural change in our educational system where extra curricular activities become the norm I agree Dom but Super 6 will not prepare these youngsters they need to be playing regularly against URC A or B teams or fully for Glasgow or Edinburgh but at least being professional and playing against other professionals can only be a step in the right direction It takes money and investment though and will Scottish Rugby commit to that rather than put a sticking plaster over a now large crack Not sure if it would be much help but it would be great to see bigger crowds at these games How about playing them outside the central belt eg Highland’s ground in Inverness They get a nosebleed if they venture out of central belt I’m showing my age but I remember there was huge excitement in Inverness when the u18s played Australia u18s in Inverness in the 80s Folk turned up just to watch Aussie lads training Doesn’t seem to be any touring going on at age grade Can’t help but think that would be a better use of funds than throwing £125000 a year at one twenty one year old Australian player A summer tour against the SH club and national sides would benefit the players in high intensity game time Stuart Hogg facing lengthy lay-off and … “If Langholm proves anything, we have to stay focused. As far as the title race goes, it was huge for us that Kelso got only three points at Earlston.” … “We did well to fight back at times, but we gave away some silly penalties, allowed them far too easy access into our 22. When you give them access to the 22 time and time again, it’s difficult to put that amount of effort in.” … Enjoyed this article? Quality journalism like ours is made possible by readers like you. If you value our in-depth coverage of Scottish rugby at all levels and want to see more, please consider supporting us with a subscription or donation It helps us keep delivering the news you love Thank you for being a part of The Offside Line community independent and up-to-date coverage of all aspects of Scottish rugby photographers and business minds bring their talents and enthusiasm to our unrivalled coverage of the game © 2016-2025 Scottish Rugby News from The Offside Line | Kept onside by webporty